624 NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
in most businesses and offices during the past few years, by which the hours of labour 
have been reduced, Mr. Robinson said the chemist and his assistants remained almost as 
hard worked as ever. Beyond saying that custom excuses custom, that it is so because 
it has been so, there is very little to be said for the existing condition of affairs. Che¬ 
mists ought, indeed, to have led the way in this reform. The draper might excuse him¬ 
self for keeping his shop open till a late hour, with the plea that people were tempted 
to buy things for which they had no immediate requirement, and which they would not 
purchase if the opportunity had not been given them just when they were in the humour. 
From this point of view there are reasons why the chemist’s shop should be closed even 
whilst his neighbours’ were open. He would put aside as not worth considering, the 
convenience of those who delay their shopping until a late hour; those who could obtain 
what they want at six o’clock, but postpone their visit till nine or ten, are, after all, a 
pliable people, and would soon conform to a new custom; they do not want us to keep 
open till ten o’clock, they only take advantage of the arrangements we have made. If 
the common argument that the chemist keeps his establishment open late to supply 
sudden emergencies, proves anything, it is that he should never close at all; he has no 
more right to close at ten than at eight; it is no greater hardship upon one suddenly 
attacked with illness at eight o’clock to reach his chemist by his night bell, or through 
his private door, than it is now on such a one at midnight. Having described the better 
arrangement of business hours in chemists’ shops in Germany, Mr. Robinson strongly 
urged the necessity of making some efforts in the interest of pharmaceutical advance¬ 
ment to afford more time to Assistants and Apprentices for the prosecution of their 
studies. 
A vote of thanks to the author of the paper was very warmly carried, more especially 
by the junior portion of his audience. 
The last meeting of the session will be held on Friday evening, April 1st. Coffee at 
7 p.m. 
NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The Fourth Meeting of the Session was held at the Exchange Rooms, on Friday 
evening, February 11 ; the President in the chair. 
After the preliminary business, Mr. Atherton read a paper on “ Accidental 
Poisoning and the Various Means Adopted for its Prevention, with special refer¬ 
ence to the proposed Regulations of the Pharmaceutical Society.” Upon the table 
were exhibited the various forms of bottles and appliances which have been at diffe¬ 
rent times introduced for this purpose. A long and animated discussion followed, 
which was adjourned to the next meeting. 
The Fifth Meeting of the Society was held at the Exchange Rooms, on Friday 
evening, March 11 ; the President in the chair. 
After the usual business, the President announced that the Materia Medica and 
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Class would cease on Monday, the 21st March, and that 
the examination for the prizes would take place on the following Monday, at the 
Rooms of the Society. He also announced that arrangements had been made with 
Mr. Buruie to give a coui’se of Lectures on Elementary Botany, commencing on 
Tuesday, April 5, to be continued through the Session ; and also that the Latin Class 
for Associates would be resumed by Mr. Cockayne, at the usual time and on the same 
terms. 
The adjourned discussion on the poison regulations was commenced by a brief re¬ 
sume by the President of the facts elicited at the last meeting. After a long discus¬ 
sion, the following resolution was agreed to, and was ordered to be forwarded to the 
Pharmaceutical Council:— 
“ That this Association is strongly averse to the proposed compulsory regulations 
as to the keeping or dispensing of poisonous substances ; believing that the trade 
generally already adopt sufficient care and precaution in their arrangements.” 
A matter of some considerable importance to the trade was brought forward, 
namely, the issue of catalogues, not only of surgical instruments, but of many drug- 
