1J02 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[June 14, 1873. 
opportunity of explaining that, although he and Mr. 
Pring, and those whom they represented, were termed 
apothecaries, they were not apothecaries in the English 
meaning of the word, and still more, their position was 
identical with that of English pharmacists, who merely 
sold poisons and dispensed prescriptions. It was true 
that the state of the law was such that they—the apothe¬ 
caries of Ireland—were legally recognized as medical 
practitioners, and had had to pass a medical as well as a 
pharmaceutical examination, hut this accomplished, many 
of them, who obtained the qualification merely for the 
purpose of keeping shop and dispensing medicines, ceased 
to keep up their medical knowledge, and practised phar¬ 
macy only. Pharmacy in many respects was more ad¬ 
vanced in Ireland than in England, for only those could 
legally practise it who had spent a certain number of years 
in preparing medicines, then in attending the classes of 
the Professors, and lastly, in passing a much more severe 
examination than the English “ Minor,” and he thought 
pharmacy would be degraded instead of elevated if an 
Act came into force admitting into the ranks of Irish 
pharmacists the grocers and sundriesmen, 'who, as a rule, 
knew nothing of pharmacy beyond the art of buying and 
selling, among other things, drugs ; who on the strength 
thereof called themselves “ druggists,” and latterly added 
thereto the title of “ chemists.” Such men would no 
doubt gladly fill the meeting-room of the Conference, but 
the apothecaries, who were the real pharmacists, the sole 
preparers of prescriptions, would rather not meet gentle¬ 
men who would know little or nothing of the subjects 
likely to be considered there. Doubtless the so-called 
druggists might even now become members, without 
waiting for a visit from the Conference, but that was a 
very different thing from the Conference being brought 
to their doors, thereby giving them a certain kind and 
amount of status to which they were not fairly entitled. 
Some conversation then ensued on the general position 
of parties in Irish pharmacy. Nearly all present took 
part in the discussion, the object of which was to enable 
the Committee to come to a satisfactory decision respect¬ 
ing the question of holding a meeting in Belfast in 1874. 
In the end it appeared that in Ireland there were apothe¬ 
caries practising medicine and pharmacy, apothecaries 
practising pharmacy but not medicine, and druggists 
practising neither medicine nor pharmacy. The second 
of these three classes was the most numerous of the 
avowed dispensers of medicine, and provided anatomy 
and physiology could be removed from their examinations, 
would be content to let matters remain as at present ; 
they would, however, gladly aid in establishing a new 
society like the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 
or perhaps better, in founding an Irish Branch of the 
latter Society. They would not, however, admit any 
qualification for dispensing inferior to the English Major 
examination. 
The deputation then retired. The following resolution 
was proposed with the view of deciding the question as to 
whether or not it would be desirable in 1874, to continue 
the custom of the Conference assembling in the town and 
just before the time of the meeting of the British 
Association. 
Moved by Mr. Daniel Hanbury,— 
Seconded by Mr. Thomas Hyde Hills,— 
“ That the Committee, having heard the statements of 
Dr. Whitaker and Mr. Pring, apothecaries of Belfast, 
regarding the present unsettled condition of pharmacy 
in Ireland, are of opinion that it would not be 
expedient for the Conference to meet in Belfast in 
1874.” 
Carried unanimously. 
Some discussion ensued respecting the class of town at 
which to meet in 1874, and a very general opinion was 
expressed in favour of London. A letter from the Pre¬ 
sident was read, in which, while agreeing to London, 
Mr. Brady questioned whether or not some attractive 
watering-place, not likely to be visited by the British 
Association, and where high-class pharmacy was in the 
ascendant, might be chosen for the gathering in 1874. 
No decision followed, but it was remarked that if London 
were selected, the time of meeting should be quite early 
in August or even during the last week in July. 
PALIS SOCIETE DE PHABMACIE. 
This society met on Wednesday, May 7, under the pre" 
sidency of M. Grassi. After the preliminary business had 
been disposed of, M. Boudet and M. Buignet referred to 
a paper presented to the Academy of Medicine by M. 
Chantard, on the “ Spectrum of Chlorophyll.” (A transla¬ 
tion of this paper will be given in an early number.) 
Syrup of Iodized Tar. 
M. Latour read a report of a commission upon an iodized 
preparation of tar which had been presented to the Society 
by M. Bretet, a pharmacien at Cusset. This gentleman 
had attempted to utilize an observation made by M. Lefort, 
that cold tar water, prepared according to his method, 
possesses the property of dissolving a limited quantity of 
iodine, and that in consequence of its combination or 
association with the fixed or volatile principles contained 
in the tar water the presence of the iodine is obscured, 
and is no longer detected by starch and nitrate of silver. 
M. Bretet proposes to use such an iodized tar water in 
the preparation of a syrup. For this purpose the tar 
water is prepared by the process of Lefort, with 100 
grams of liquid tar to each litre of water at 75° C. The 
liquor being cooled and filtered, 1800 grams of sugar are 
added to each litre, left to dissolve in the cold, and the 
whole passed through canvas. The liquor is then of a 
full brown colour, but it gradually loses colour, and after 
a few hours its tint is not much darker than the ordinary 
syrup of tar ; it is then filtered into a closed vessel. This 
syrup is slightly opaline, does not colour starch, does not 
taste of iodine, has a good appearance, and is easily pre¬ 
served. 
The reporters found that in this process the iodine dis¬ 
solved slowly, and they proposed instead to divide 1 gram 
of iodine carefully and rapidly with 600 grams of pow¬ 
dered sugar, incorporate with this mixture 33 grams of 
Norwegian tar previously washed, place the whole in a 
wide-mouthed glass-stoppered bottle, pour on it 400 grams 
of distilled water at- 80° C., shake frequently until cold, 
pour the product upon a moistened strainer, and filter 
through paper. The filtration is slow, but it can be made 
in the open air without fear of any loss of iodine. So 
prepared, the syrup is transparent, very aromatic, and 
faintly amber-coloured ; it does not give off any iodine 
vapour. The proportion of iodine may be increased, but 
the syrup is very acid, and the reporters doubt its tolerance 
by the patient. 
The report referred to certain physiological and che¬ 
mical points which require further investigation. 
M. Grassi exhibited some specimens of ceresin, a sub¬ 
stance obtained from ozokerite. He also gave some infor¬ 
mation respecting it the substance of which has already 
appeared in this Journal at page 513. 
M. Guichard described some large crystals of benzoic 
acid that had been produced by the prolonged action of 
bisulphide of carbon upon benzoin. 
M. Latour presented specimens of nitrate of zinc and 
caustic pencils made from that salt. (See Pharii. Journ., 
ante, p. 903.) 
M. Boucher read a short communication on the use of 
glycerine in plasters. He stated that by the addition of 
a small quantity of glycerine to diachylon plaster, or even 
to pitch plaster, they were preserved better and a much 
less friable product was obtained. 
