September 23, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
245 
difficulty tliey would experience in contending against 
the inducements to adopt a short and easy process 
of preparing for examination would be augmented. 
Dr. Attfield thinks that the pernicious system of 
cramming pupils for examination can only be sup¬ 
pressed,either by requiring candidates for examination 
to show that they have studied for a specified time in a 
specified way, or by altering the character of our 
examinations. We shall no doubt all agree that if 
any thing could be done to encourage the lengthen¬ 
ing within certain limits, or to discourage the undue 
shortening, of the time occupied in acquiring the know¬ 
ledge of which evidence is to be given at the examina¬ 
tions, it would be an important point gained. I must 
say, however, that I doubt the practicability of en¬ 
forcing the adoption of a fixed curriculum of educa¬ 
tion for all pharmaceutical students, and I should be 
sorry to see any material alteration made in the con¬ 
stitution of our Board of Examiners. But this brings 
me to the consideration of the next question, 
What is the best method of testing the qualifica¬ 
tions of those to whom certificates giving the right 
to practice pharmacy are granted ? 
With reference to this question we must not lose 
sight of the legitimate object of our examinations, 
which is to protect the public from the injurious 
effects of ignorance in those who would undertake 
the exercise of important duties affecting the public 
health. Our examinations are not intended for the 
discovery of the extent of a candidate’s knowledge 
so much as of his want of knowledge. They are 
designed rather as a test of his weak points than of 
his strong points. The knowledge to be tested is of a | 
varied but special and technical nature, involving an 1 
acquaintance with drugs, their natural sources, tlieir 1 
commerce, composition, and properties, the uses to 
which they are applied in medicine, the methods by 
which they are prepared for such uses, the physical 
agencies employed in the preparation of medicines, 
the chemical changes which occur in their production, 
and the means of distinguishing them from each 
other, the good from the bad, the genuine from the 
simrious or adulterated. 
It is not a high degree of scientific attainment in 
any of the branches of knowledge comprised in this 
carriculum that is most wanted, but a general pro¬ 
ficiency in all, and great ignorance in none. 
The examiners by whom the required qualification 
will be best ascertained are those who possess the 
full qualification themselves, and whose practical 
experience enables them to determine where and 
what allowances may be admitted without detriment' 
to the interests of the public. 
If the object of the examinations were the testing! 
of the extent to which candidates had carried the 
acquirement of knowledge in the higher branches of 
the departments of science included in the curriculum, 
it might be desirable to have men on the Board of 
Examiners who were devoted exclusively to the 
cultivation of those sciences ; but as such an object 
is not and ought not to be contemplated, any altera¬ 
tion in that respect in the constitution of the Board 
would, I believe, be detrimental to its usefulness. 
I am not aware of our examinations having in any 
respect failed to accomplish what is required of 
them. The examiners consist of the best men that 
can be found willing to undertake the duties, and 
belonging to the class most capable of making a I 
judicious selection of those to whom the practice of 
pharmacy may be safely entrusted. As the system 
of compulsory examination proceeds, and students 
present themselves who have commenced their 
pharmaceutical education with a full knowledge of 
what they have to pass through and prepare for, 
some modifications, will, no doubt, be made in the 
method of testing the qualifications of candidates. 
Without going to the extent that has been suggested, 
I think something might be done to encourage legi¬ 
timate study, and to discredit cramming. At the 
examinations of the University of London, although 
candidates for degrees are allowed to get the re¬ 
quired knowledge in any way they please, they have 
to state in general terms liow their studies have 
been conducted. This, no doubt, serves as a guide 
to the examiners. With a similar object, when the 
practical class of the Pharmaceutical Society was 
under my direction, I latterly always obtained from 
every student on entering, a statement of the oppor¬ 
tunities for study that he had previously availed 
himself of, by which I was better able to judge of 
the further studies best suited for him. Information 
thus obtained would probably prove useful at our 
examinations. 
The weaknesses and defects which are associated 
with particular kinds of education are most easily 
discovered by methods of examination having that 
special object. If candidates were required to state 
where, when, and how their education had been con¬ 
ducted, the information thus furnished would enable 
the examiners to conduct the examinations with 
better effect. And thus, without imposing any par¬ 
ticular programme of education upon all students 
alike, encouragement would be given to such as 
afforded the best results, while imperfect and super¬ 
ficial teaching would be subjected to its merited dis¬ 
credit, whatever that might be. 
I would not in any respect alter the constitution 
of the Board of Examiners. The introduction into 
it of men exclusively devoted to the pursuit of science 
would be calculated to weaken the feeling of respon¬ 
sibility of the non-professional members of the Board, 
and to lower the importance of the position occupied 
by them. Such a change would also be likely to 
induce the adoption to some extent of a different 
style of examination from that hitherto pursued. It 
would I conceive be a great mistake to endeavour 
to suppress superficial teaching by giving to the ex¬ 
aminations a higher and more scientific character. 
It is not by putting questions on abstruse or diffi¬ 
cult subjects, or highly scientific but practically un¬ 
important subjects, or questions the meaning of 
which is not easily comprehended, or which relate to 
subjects not generally known to persons well in¬ 
formed in the department of knowledge to which the 
examination relates, that the legitimate objects of 
examination are most fairly and effectually realized. 
Questions belonging to one or other of those classes 
may give an air of learning to the operations of the 
examining board, and may increase the appearance 
of superiority of the examiners over the examined ; 
but they are not calculated to elevate the character 
of the examinations in the estimation of those most 
capable of forming a just and impartial opinion with 
reference to them. 
In examinations such as those entrusted to our 
Society, none but plain, simple, and I may almost 
say, common-place questions, need ever be used; 
and if, to the extent to which the examina- 
