636 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[February 8, 1813. 
these examinations in the country were not satisfactory, 
and the desire was to abolish them altogether. 
The President said they were as well superintended 
in the country as they were in London. He thought 
all the dissatisfaction arose in consequence of an un¬ 
fortunate circumstance which took place on one occasion, 
but which could not take place again. 
Mr. Betty said the Committee recommended this 
change, lie believed, not as a matter of efficiency or 
otherwise in the Preliminary examination, but in order 
to separate the technical examination of the business 
which strictly belonged to the Society, from a matter 
which was already recognized as being one which could 
be equally well discharged by other bodies whose cer¬ 
tificates were even now received. A change was pro¬ 
posed for the purpose of convenience and carrying on the 
Society’s business, and with a view to draw a broad line 
between examining a man’s knowledge of his business 
and that preliminary knowledge which wouLd enable 
him to learn it. It had been originally proposed to 
abolish the Preliminary examination altogether in con¬ 
nection with the Society, but a compromise had after¬ 
wards been arrived at by which it was proposed to retain 
these examinations in London and in Edinburgh, and he 
thought that would meet all the difficulties of the case. 
Mr. Savage expressed himself in favour of retaining 
the Preliminary examinations as at present, on the 
ground that their abolition would greatly inconvenience 
students. 
Mr. Ur wick was of the same opinion. 
Mr. Sand ford hoped the paragraph as amended would 
be passed, or else that the Council would go back to the 
old system under which the students either had to come 
to London to pass the examination or produce certi¬ 
ficates from some competent authority. He thought 
these examinations in the country were often most un¬ 
satisfactory, and hoped they would not be continued. 
Mr. Mackay did not think the present system was un¬ 
satisfactory, and saw no reason to effect a change. He 
had had from 21 to 30 students under examination at 
Edinburgh, and never discovered the slightest irregu¬ 
larity. 
Mr. Betty hardly thought Edinburgh was a fair 
criterion. 
On being put to the vote the paragraph was rejected 
by a considerable majority. 
The following new clause, to follow number 19, section 
10, was agreed to :— 
To follow clause 19, section 10. 
No person shall be admitted to the Major examina¬ 
tion who has not passed the Minor examination at 
least three months previously, except in special cases, 
approved and allowed by the President of the 
Council for the time being. 
O 
The new bye-law of which notice was given last 
month Avas then considered. It runs as follows :— 
Section 20, clause 4. 
No resolution of the Society, by which the legal posi¬ 
tion of the members of the Society, or the legal 
position of chemists and druggists (whether mem¬ 
bers of the Society or not), may be altered, shall 
bo passed at any meeting unless fourteen days’ pre- 
vious notice of the intention to introduce such re¬ 
solution has been given, and ten days’ notice thereof 
given to each person entitled to vote at such meet¬ 
ing. 
The President read a letter from Mr. Yizer on the 
subject commenting on the above, which had already 
appeared, and suggesting as an improvement the fol¬ 
lowing form : — 
“ That no resolution of the Society, by which the 
legal position of the members of the Society, or the 
legal position of chemists and druggists (whether 
members of the Society or not), may be altered, 
shall be received or adopted at any meeting of 
the Society unless 14 days’ prevffous notice of 
the intention to introduce such resolution has been 
given by the secretary to the members.” 
Mr. Sandeord remarked that the Parliamentary 
Committee had agreed to the addition of the words,, 
“and ten days’ notice being given to each person 
entitled to A T ote at such meeting.” He did not like the 
phrase, “legal position,” which was very vague. There 
was scarcely a resolution passed at an annual meeting 
which did not alter their legal position in some way. 
He therefore suggested the following:— 
O ZD O 
“ That no resolution of the Society which would im¬ 
pose on Pharmaceutical Chemists and Chemists and 
Druggists any legal penalties or obligations shall be 
passed at any general meeting, unless fourteen days’ 
previous notice of the intention to introduce such 
resolution has been given to the President of the 
Pharmaceutical Society, and notice thereof has also 
been given in the Pharmaceutical Journal by the 
Secretary, together with the notice convening the 
general meeting at which it is to be proposed.” 
Mr. Williams thought the Secretary was the person 
to A\ r hom the notice should be given. 
Mr. Uravick thought the Avords “legal position” 
were better than those suggested by Mr. Sandford, espe¬ 
cially as they had been settled by the Solicitor. 
After some further discussion the clause was agreed to 
as first read, with the omission of the words “ of the 
Society ” in the first line, and the addition of the 
folloAving words :— 
“ And notice thereof ha3 also been given in the Phar¬ 
maceutical Journal by the Secretary, together with 
the notice convening the general meeting at which 
it is to be proposed.” 
Examination F.es. 
Mr. Williams then moA r ed, 
“ That the fee for registration upon passing the Pre¬ 
liminary examination be £2 2s. ; for registration as 
a Chemist and Druggist upon passing the Minor 
examination, £<5 5s. ; and for registration as a 
Pharmaceutical Chemist upon passing the Major 
examination, £3 3s.” 
Although seA r eral members of Council had left, he hoped 
this would be assented to on the understanding that it 
might be reconsidered at the next Council meeting. 
Mr. Savage seconded the motion. 
Mr. Betty thought they could not do it in that formal 
way. 
The President thought it was a mistake to make a 
man pay two guineas more before he took up the status- 
of Chemist and Druggist, and let off the man who passed 
as a Pharmaceutical Chemist to the same extent. 
Mr. Williams said the man who passed the Minor 
examination got the full benefit of the Act of Parliament. 
It gave him power to keep open shop, and he held that 
was the one Avhich he ought to pay the heaA r iest fee for. 
At the present time he stepped in for three guineas, and 
he believed this stood in the way of many coming for¬ 
ward to pass the Major examination. There was a great 
outcry made as to there being so few pharmaceutical 
chemists coming forward, and it was said there might 
be a difficulty hereafter in recruiting their members. 
It was with a view to remedy this that the change was 
proposed. The Minor examination Avas previously in¬ 
tended for assistants; and as it now gave a man a full 
qualification to enter a business, it was only fair the fee 
should be raised. 
Mr. Mackay differed altogether from Mr. Williams on 
this point, seeing that this examination Avas now com¬ 
pulsory by Act of Parliament, and that the man who 
passed it must haA r e already paid a two-guinea fee for 
the Preliminary. He considered three guineas quite 
enough, especially as compared with the fees paid in other 
higher professions. In Edinburgh a man could pass the 
