September 2S, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
241 
PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION AND 
EXAMINATION. 
BY PROFESSOR REDWOOD. 
I am unwilling to allow tlie discussion of tlie sub¬ 
ject introduced by Dr. Atttield at a meeting of the 
British Pharmaceutical Conference to pass without 
offering some remarks which I had no opportunity 
of making at the meeting. I consider the subject 
one of the deepest interest and importance to the 
Pharmaceutical Society—one, in fact, which more 
perhaps than any other affects the prosperity of the 
Society, and the interests of British pharmacy. 
The Pharmaceutical Society occupies a position with 
reference to the education and examination of those 
who are legally authorized to carry on the business 
of chemist and druggist, which, while it constitutes 
its highest function, invests it with considerable 
power and influence, and imposes upon it great re¬ 
sponsibility. The complaints wliicli have been so 
frequently, and not unjustly, expressed from time 
to time during the last thirty or forty years, of the 
low state of pharmacy in this country, of imperfect 
qualification among those engaged in its practice, 
of increased competition, small returns, and di¬ 
minished profits, may find a practical remedy for the 
evils complained of in the judicious exercise of the 
influence and control which the Society can exert 
over the future members of the trade. But with 
the powers conferred upon the Society there are 
corresponding responsibilities. The primary object 
of legislation is the good of the public, not merely 
of a section of it, excepting as this may result in¬ 
directly or without detriment to the mass. Happily 
the interests of the pharmaceutical body, as a sec¬ 
tion of the public, and of the public at large, have 
points of coincidence enough to render the further¬ 
ance of one consistent with that of the other, and 
this is especially the case with reference to ques¬ 
tions of pharmaceutical education. 
The new features introduced into the discussion 
at Brighton, in connection with those on which the 
opinions of pharmacists had been previously asked 
by the Council, give to the subject-matter a wide 
and comprehensive range, which appears to be 
favourable to the successful and judicious disposal 
of the various propositions that have been made. 
The whole subject may be comprised within the 
scope of the following questions :— 
1. Wliat is the nature of the education required 
for the qualification of those to whom the practice 
of pharmacy is entrusted ? 
2. By whom and in wdiat way should the educa¬ 
tion we require be provided? 
0. What is the best method of testing the quali¬ 
fications of those to whom certificates giving the 
right to practice pharmacy are granted ? 
The first question appears to demand something 
more than the mere consideration of means by which 
a qualification for the practice of pharmacy may be 
supplied. It would be easy to suggest a curriculum 
of education that would furnish the knowledge re¬ 
quired for such qualification, but there are circum¬ 
stances surrounding the question that must be taken 
into account—conditions that have to be fulfilled, 
and obligations that are due to those directly 
affected and to those indirectly affected by the 
law. In fact, we must consider the requirements of 
the law, the obligations moral as well as legal of 
Third Series, No. 118 . 
the existing race of students, and the interests of 
the public. 
The requirements of the law are pretty clearly 
defined in the Pharmacy Acts and the bye-laws of 
the Pharmaceutical Society. There are two com¬ 
pulsory examinations to he prepared for and passed 
—the Preliminary and the Minor—the Major ex¬ 
amination being optional. I entirely agree with 
those w T ho urge the importance of the former of 
these, and of its being passed at the commencement 
of pharmaceutical pupilage. No part of the ordeal 
to which students are subjected is more calculated 
than this to exert a beneficial influence on the future 
condition of the pharmaceutical body. It may be 
used as a lever by which to raise the status of the 
chemist and druggist without inflicting hardships or 
entailing disappointments, which are otherwise 
liable to occur. The amount of scholastic know¬ 
ledge indicated by this examination should be a 
sufficient guarantee of ability, both mental and 
financial, to pursue the subsequent studies with 
effect. The law r does not indicate at wliat period of 
pupilage this examination should be passed, ex¬ 
cepting that it shall precede the Minor examination, 
but probably a bye-law making the fee propor¬ 
tionate with the time that has elapsed after the 
commencement of technical studies might accomplish 
the desired object. 
The Minor examination indicates the nature of 
the knowledge required by law for the chemists’ and 
druggists’ certificate. It is not a high qualification, 
but it is a thoroughly practical one. It was not 
originally intended as the qualification of a man en¬ 
gaged in business on his own account, and the Phar¬ 
maceutical Society is not responsible for its having 
been made so. This was an act of the Legislature, 
and on several occasions a strong feeling has been 
manifested in Parliament that the qualification for 
this certificate should not be raised above that of 
the Minor examination. It would, I conceive, 
be inconsistent with the duty of the executive body 
to deviate from the spirit of the law wliile this re¬ 
mains as it is. 
The subjects involved in the Minor examination 
and the extent of knowledge implied by the descrip¬ 
tion of it given in the bye-laws, appear to me to be 
such as a young man of average ability, with the 
scholastic acquirements indicated by the Preliminary 
examination, ought to be able to acquire in a three 
or four years pupilage with a competent master, and 
attendance during part of the time at lectures or 
classes for systematic instruction. Even without 
lecture attendance, if the pupil be properly guided 
in his studies, he may, as many do, successfully 
prepare for this ordeal. I hope, however, as in¬ 
creased advantages are offered, and brighter pros¬ 
pects presented to those who pass, that a greatly 
increased proportion of our students will be induced 
to aim at a higher distinction than that of barely 
fulfilling the requirements of the law. It should be 
the aim and desire of all to go beyond this, and 
many do so, but many also, I am sorry to say, from 
want of zeal, ambition, prospective advantage or 
means, do just as much as the law requires and no 
more. 
There are obligations of an ethical nature by 
which students should be induced to consider, not 
merely the requirements of the law, but the interests 
of the profession to which they belong, and, could 
