Jctly 9, 1870.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
89 
cipitate or sublimate, in a poison-closet,—there is scarcely any 
one of these that could possibly be mistaken for anything 
else, except by the grossest carelessness or ignorance : and as 
to the idea that any one would attach a peculiar sanctity to 
such a poison-closet, or approach its doors with fear and re¬ 
verence, we may be very certain that when he knows per¬ 
fectly well that four-fifths of the articles contained in it can 
hardly be called either dangerous or deadly, the poison-closet 
would soon be considered of no more importance than any 
other part of the shop. 
The same reasons hold good in regard to labelling with the 
word <c poison,” and the use of angular or other fanciful bot¬ 
tles. The word “ poison ” put on bottles containing tartar 
emetic, Dover’s powder, syrup of poppies, tinct. belladonna, 
and others of like nature, would convey no warning to the 
mind of the druggist, and might probably create unnecessary 
alarm in that of the customer, whilst the use of angular bot¬ 
tles for such articles as those, would destroy their value {if 
they have any value) as safeguards for more dangerous sub¬ 
stances. 
In short, by far too many and too widely differing articles 
were affected by the proposed regulations, and if we must 
have regulations on the subject, they should be confined to a 
few of the more deadly and dangerous poisons and their 
names specified, if they are to be of any service and receive 
general adoption. 
I am, Sir, yours sincerely, 
W. Wilkinson. 
Cheetliam Sill , June 20, 1870. 
The Late Election oe Council. 
Sir,—It appears to me that the constitution of the Society, 
rather than the judgment of its members, has been at fault 
in the late election of Council. I agree with Mr. Ince in 
thinking that there is too great a proportion of the country 
element in the Council, and for the reason, and only for the 
reason stated by him; in other respects a better selection of 
men could hardly have been made. On looking over the new 
list when it first appeared, I thought we had done well, and 
it was on reading the much but unjustly complained of leader 
in the supplementary number of the Journal, that I became 
fully impressed with the importance of studying something 
more than the quality of the men in arranging the composi¬ 
tion of the Council. 1 am not so thin-skinned as Mr. Proctor 
appears to be, and was thankful that our attention had been 
drawn to this subject by an article likely to be read and pon¬ 
dered over; not written in the namby-pamby milk-and-water 
style to which Mr. Proctor would limit the editor of our 
Journal. In reading the article in question, and the com¬ 
ments upon it which have since been published, I have been 
anxious to form an impartial judgment, although perhaps 
with some of the prejudices of a provincial; but I can see 
nothing in the article to call forth the severe animadversions 
which have emanated from Newcastle. The discussion which 
has taken place may, however, raise the question, whether a 
journal, such as ours has become, is a suitable organ of com¬ 
munication in a Society, the members of which may be 
strongly opposed to each other on points affecting or sup¬ 
posed to affect their trade interests. It surely implies no 
small commendation of the editorial management of the 
Journal since it has been the property of the Society, that 
now, for the first time in eleven years, the judgment and im¬ 
partiality of the editor have been called in question, and only 
now, when his position and influence had been previously 
weakened. But the circumstances by which the Society is 
surrounded are undergoing a change, and judging from re¬ 
cent manifestations, it is hardly to be anticipated for the fu¬ 
ture that there shall bo that unanimity in the Council, and 
freedom from party spirit among the great mass of the mem¬ 
bers, which have characterized the past. Under such condi¬ 
tions the Journal may become a source of weakness rather 
than strength, and it behoves us well to consider upon what 
principles it is to be conducted. Let the Society either con¬ 
fine itself to the publication of its transactions as other sci¬ 
entific Societies do, or if it determines to seek influence through 
journalism, let it invest the editorial function with such a 
balance of responsibility and freedom from undue control, as 
may be at once consistent with the interests of the body at 
large, and with the spirit of honourable independence so es¬ 
sential to the efficient performance of editorial duties. I hope 
never to see the Journal of our Society become “ the mere 
tool of the Council.” One of the objects of the Journal 
should be to promote the temperate discussion of questions 
appertaining to tho management of the Society, and among 
other important points to the composition of its Council. 
That provincial interests should be fairly represented is ad¬ 
mitted by all; nor will it be denied that there is a large num¬ 
ber of members in the Provinces, and in London also, in 
every way fitted to take part in the deliberations of the Coun¬ 
cil, who have never yet had a seat there. It is not desirable 
that the office of councillor should be permanent, or that the 
metropolitan element in the governing body should be so 
weak as to interfere with the efficient performance of the work 
to be done. The question is, how are we to provide for the 
election from year to year of a Council in which all the re¬ 
quisite conditions are maintained, in which town and country 
are sufficiently represented, in which old blood and new are 
duly, mixed, and opportunities afforded for rising talent to 
manifest its abilities at the Council-board ? In other Socie¬ 
ties it is customary to have these things regulated by the 
bye-laws, but in our Society there is an absence of any such 
regulation. The consequence of this has been that that 
which is not officially done has been undertaken by those who, 
dissatisfied with the old system of following the stars, and 
being at the same time desirous of a change in the Council 
and an infusion of new blood, have sought to accomplish this 
through the influence of circulars, and other methods of can¬ 
vassing. Now is it possible that the government of the So¬ 
ciety should be satisfactorily conducted in this way ? If 
committees at Manchester and Leeds are to influence the 
election of Councillors, why not others throughout the coun¬ 
try ? And what would be the result of this ? Why, that 
party spirit would be fostered, and members of Council would 
be seeking to satisfy the requirements of those through whose 
influence they were elected, instead of studying the interests 
of the body at large. I say, then, the constitution of the 
Society is at fault, and the proper remedy for the defect will 
be the adoption of a bye-law limiting the number of provin¬ 
cial members of Council to (say) not more than ten, and 
limiting the period during which a Councilman can continu¬ 
ously hold office to not more than five years, but admitting 
him to election again after the lapse of a year. 
Pboyincialist. 
An Age oe Peogkess. 
Sir,—Of the two parts into which Mr. Ince’s letter of last 
week is divided, the first, which has reference to the publica¬ 
tion of the proceedings of the Council, possesses by far the 
more enduring interest. 
It is much to be regretted that a man of his standing should 
have thrown the weight of his influence into the scale against 
publicity, from which progress is inseparable; and I would 
ask him in all sincerity, to consider well whether his reasons 
are not of the same character as those that have always been 
advanced, to be always in the long-run overruled by the op¬ 
ponents of wholesome publicity—from the case of proceedings 
in Parliament down to those in metropolitan vestries, and 
Boards of Guardians. Indeed, the analogy between the posi¬ 
tions of members of Parliament and members of Council is 
too obvious to be easily overlooked; and how ridiculous would 
be the position of a constituency proceeding to elect its mem¬ 
bers in total ignorance of their opinions, and without the 
means of learning them, either by canvass, by address, or by 
speeches in the House ! Mr. Ince, dwelling, as one may say, 
in the vortex of pharmaceutical life, and personally acquainted 
with the leading members of the Society, can have but little 
difficulty in selecting his candidates, but I question much 
whether he has realized, or indeed can realize, the difficulties 
of individuals less favourably situated; and I assert, without 
much fear of contradiction, that for the majority of members, 
and with the exception of a few well-known names among 
the candidates, a mere rule of thumb, which should lead to 
the striking out of alternate names or of the redundancy at 
the end of the list, would usually give results equally satis¬ 
factory with those at present obtained. 
As a point of etymology, Mr. Ince’s definition of the word 
Council must no doubt be accepted as correct, but examples 
are not difficult to find, in which it obtains a wider mean¬ 
ing ; indeed, Mr. Ince has at this moment a notable oppor¬ 
tunity for earning the gratitude of the Pope, and lasting re¬ 
nown for himself, by suggesting the means for banishing dis¬ 
cussion from the great Council of the Church now sitting at 
