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December 21, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
C|e JJjanMtttttical Journal 
SATURDAY , DECEMBER 21, 1872. 
Communications for this Journal, andbooks for review,etc., 
should be addressed to ^Editor, 17, Bloomsbury Square. 
Instructions from Members and Associates respecting the 
■transmission of the Journal should be sent to Elias Brem- 
ridge, Secretary, 17, Bloomsbury Square . JV.C. 
Advertisements to Messrs. Churchill, New Burlington 
Street , London, W. Envelopes indorsed u Fharm. Jouru.” 
WOMEN AS PHARMACISTS. 
The admission of female students to tlie lectures of 
the Pharmaceutical Society, and their prospective 
admission to the laboratory practice, have called forth 
from the Press a considerable amount of favourable 
comment, and, as far as we can learn, no adverse 
criticism in that quarter. 
The promoters of this new movement in the phar¬ 
maceutical world, and the ladies most directly con¬ 
cerned, may certainly be congratulated upon its 
cloudless inauguration. For notwithstanding the 
assertion of the Pall Mall Gazette, that “ there are 
no objections worth naming against the sexes being 
instructed together,” when “ the subjects treated of 
are botany, chemistry, and the knowledge of drugs,” 
the newness and singularity of the event, might well 
have occasioned some slight alarm in this country of 
grave traditions and precedents. Some are per¬ 
suaded that such alarm would have been the result 
more of habit than of thought, and that women 
would be welcomed as pharmacists by all true 
devotees of the art; while any pharmaceutic lore 
they might add to the general stock, would be 
greeted with all the respect and acclamation it 
deserved, just as if it had sprung from the in¬ 
dustrious brain of the most able masculine phar¬ 
macist. 
Respecting the article in the Pall Mall Gazette 
upon this subject, above referred to, which has been 
reproduced in our columns, it may be remarked that 
it has given occasion for pungent criticism on the 
part of some of our correspondents. With the 
memory still green, however, as to former exploits of 
our contemporary when dealing with technicalities 
of pharmacy, it is hardly probable that too much 
importance will be attached by pharmacists to any 
fresh opinions expressed in the same quarter on 
analogous subjects. But as a reflex of public 
• opinion upon the policy or justice of the recent 
decision of the Council, it cannot be denied that the 
article has considerable interest, especially to a 
body to whom the public has delegated considerable 
powers. For the rest, we quite agree that the time 
lias scarcely come when the business can be cor¬ 
rectly described as “ at once scientific, privileged 
.and profitable ; ” or as one in which the stock is not 
perishable, or the profits range from 400 to GOO per 
cent. Such rosy visions, it is to be feared, must at 
present remain in nuhihus ; together with a cor¬ 
respondent’s dream that we are likely to introduce 
to his notice “ a nice gushing young lady who is 
anxious to be initiated into the mysteries of our 
lucrative calling,” in order that he might make 
arrangements for taking her as an apprentice. 
By the force of circumstances, “ the dispensing of 
medicines is an occupation in which many women 
are engaged.” This fact justifies the provision of 
facilities for and incentives to study being made for 
women who purpose entering into the vocation of 
pharmacy ; and in the interests of the public, as well 
as of pharmacy, it becomes a necessity that women 
should have the same opportunities that are enjoyed 
with so much advantage by men. 
Whatever may be the ethical considerations for or 
against the suitableness of women for occupying the 
position of pharmacists, the public are the ultimate 
arbiters of this as of most other important questions. 
If it be found that educated women pharmacists 
are incompatible with the requirements of modern 
Society—a conclusion which we do not anticipate— 
they will soon withdraw from the scene. 
In the meantime, let this interesting social ex¬ 
periment be fairly and equitably tried. Let the 
conditions as far as possible be the same, without 
favour and without prejudice, for the students of 
both sexes, and the result, whatever it may be, will 
be accepted as decisive and final. 
DEPUTATION TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
BOARD. 
It is astonishing, and to those uninterested it 
might be amusing, to observe in the newspaper 
reports of what took place on this occasion how 
totally the objects of the deputation have been mis¬ 
represented. 
The complaint that the Adulteration Act •would 
prevent the appointment of properly qualified che¬ 
mists was never urged by the deputation, nor "were 
an}' hardships or grievances affecting chemists and 
druggists brought before Mr. Stansfeld. There 
was indeed no occasion for any such steps, inasmuch 
as the interpretation of the Act b} r the law officers 
of the Crown may well be taken as conclusive in up¬ 
setting the notion that the mere specification of 
medical knowledge being required of analysts meant 
that they could only be medical practitioners. 
However, the mistaken reports published in the 
London papers have been sent on to the country, and, 
in some instances, have been made the opportunity 
for foolislily abusive comments. It is, therefore, 
desirable to mention that the object of the deputation 
from the Pharmaceutical Society was simply to 
obtain an official enunciation of the principle affirmed 
