THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
SECOND SERIES. 
YOL. XI.—No. XII.—JUNE, 1870. 
THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING. 
The Anniversary Meeting of tlie Pharmaceutical Society, a full report of 
which will be found in another part of this Journal, has been distinguished from 
all its predecessors in several respects. The attendance at this meeting has 
been more numerous, and the proportion of country members greater, than on 
any former occasion ; moreover, the expression of opinion has been more decided 
and less deferential to those whose judgment has hitherto exerted an important 
influence upon the decisions arrived at than has usually been the case on such 
occasions. These are results that might have been anticipated from the altered 
circumstances of the Society,—the enlarged boundary within which it is now 
comprised, the new element included in its composition, and the increased 
powers conferred upon its members,—as well as from the interesting na¬ 
ture of the subjects to be discussed, and the importance of some of them 
as affecting the occupations of those who were called upon for their deci¬ 
sion. It was not expected that great unanimity would characterize the pro¬ 
ceedings at this meeting, and in this respect the result has fully justified the 
anticipation. The discussions that had previously taken place throughout 
the country with reference to the proposed regulations for storing poisons 
had manifested so decided an opposition to the course recommended by the 
Council, that nothing short of a strong expression of dissent on this point was 
looked for. Fortunately, this has not been carried to the extent of rejecting 
aud wholly dismissing the subject. We are strongly of opinion that the recom¬ 
mendation of the Council might not only have been safely adopted, without 
entailing any hardship or undue inconvenience upon those who would have 
been affected by it, but that such a course would have placed the whole body of 
chemists and druggists in a much safer position than they will otherwise occupy, 
have raised them in the public estimation, and have gone far to justify their 
claim to the power, and therefore the right, to organize such regulations as may 
be considered necessary for contributing to the safety of the public. That this 
subject should be fully and freely discussed at a general meeting of the Society, 
comprising influential members from all parts of the country, was what, we be¬ 
lieve, was desired by even the most strenuous advocates for the proposed regu¬ 
lations ; and in this they have been satisfied. That the opposition raised to the 
adoption of the regulations should be supported by a statement of good and suf¬ 
ficient grounds, if such should exist, for rejecting them, was also desired ; but 
in this respect with a less satisfactory result. However, the subject is remitted 
to the new Council, aud it will, no doubt, receive at their hands such a careful 
VOL. xi. 3 c 
