180 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[August 27, 1870. 
Trade Grievances. 
Sir,—As a medical man I can thoroughly sympathize with 
A Country M. P. S. There is no doubt medicine and phar¬ 
macy ought both to be elevated into professions instead of 
presenting the mongrel combinations that exist at present. 
To do this, the Councils presiding over both callings should 
be representative in character and executive in action, inde¬ 
pendent, but at the same time harmonious in combined 
operations for the welfare of both professions. As we have 
good models abroad, it ought not to be difficult for our Legis¬ 
lature to arrive at correct conclusions, based on the sound 
principle of division of labour. 
At present pur Society of Apothecaries urges a noble and 
liberal profession to the veriest drug selling, and the chemists 
in self-defence have to assume a position for which they do 
not pretend to be qualified, in prescribing for all manner of 
ailments, at the same time that the greater part have to 
descend to the meanest trades in order to obtain a livelihood, 
—at once blasting the noblest aspirations of what should be a 
body of highly educated, scientific, professional men. As for 
practical.difficulties, I can speak for myself, having practised 
as what is commonly called a general practitioner for years 
in more than one neighbourhood, and have always found it 
an advantage to myself and to my patients to leave my dis¬ 
pensing in the hands of those qualified for the purpose. If the 
principle is sound, an increased area of operations presents no 
insuperable difficulties; what is wanted is pressure from 
above, from those authorized to exercise it; let us therefore 
individually and collectively agitate for this consummation. 
I am, Sir, yours, etc., 
Birmingham. Percy Leslie, M.D. 
Poison Cores. 
Sir, Many suggestions and various contrivances have 
been .made for the. better securing the stoppers of bottles 
containing preparations of a dangerous character, but I am 
not aware of any invention yet which has met with such 
favour as to be adopted by the trade generally. Convinced 
of the necessity for some precaution, I beg to submit to you 
a cork which has come to my notice, patented by a Mr. 
Flemings, of Oxford Street, and which merits some attention, 
as it can be made to fit any sized bottle, and by its construc¬ 
tion would bring any wandering mind to a sense of danger. 
I am, Sir, yours obediently, 
„ „ . , J. Wade. 
A drawing of this cork will be found at p. 179. 
Pharmaceutical Titles. 
our correspondent of last week has, I am sure, the 
thanks of all those who, like himself, aspire to the Major, 
and also, of those who have attained it, as he clearly points 
out the justice of allowing those who have passed the Major 
Examination the title of Fellow, so that others than those 
connected with the business may comprehend the value of 
titles so nearly alike, which the majority of people now con¬ 
sider synonymous. 
Hoping that, the Council will attend to this matter, and, 
out of simple justice to all, make the title superior, in the 
proportion that the Major Examination is to the Modified, 
I am, Sir, yours obediently, 
'T. C. 
they varied considerably, and had to be adjusted before they 
could be relied on. Now, by weighing the larger quantity, 
these possible inaccuracies are reduced to the minimum. If 
six . grains be weighed and vary one quarter of a grain, that 
variation is divided by six when the powders are carefully 
divided by the eye, and in the course of the six doses the 
total taken does not exceed that prescribed by more than the 
excess which might have accrued on each powder by separate 
weighing; for since the powder turns or balances the scale, 
the presumption is in favour of excess rather than of diminu¬ 
tion, which excess again would be slightly reduced by the 
paper, unless glazed paper were used. 
Those who are accustomed to use the eye in dividing such 
powders would probably do so with greater accuracy than 
by ordinary scales ; and in dispensing parts of a grain, such as 
half, third, or a quarter, I should prefer weighing one grain 
accurately and dividing, to weighing the fraction itself. 
Yours truly, 
Plymouth. F. P. Balkwill, M.P.S. 
B. A. (Easingwold).—A very good book for the purpose 
required is ‘How Crops Grow,’ lately published by Messrs► 
Macmillan and Co. 
T. M. (Kirkintilloch) will find an answer to his question 
in the April number (second series), p. 664. 
X. Y. (Maidstone).—The preparations are very similar, 
chloric ether, however, being very variable in strength, and 
generally weaker than the sp, chloroformi of the B. P. 
Messrs. Domeier and Co. (Basinghall Street) have for¬ 
warded, on behalf of the German Hospital Committees for 
the relief of the wounded soldiers of both nations, a circular 
soliciting donations of “ money, carbolic acid (pure and im¬ 
pure), Condy’s fluid, permanganate of potash (in substance), 
quinine, morphia, water-cushions, lint, sticking-plaster,” etc. 
‘‘ Rhatany” (Bristol).—Iron alum is a salt in which per¬ 
oxide of iron takes the place of alumina in common alum» 
For the mode of preparation see Watts’s Dictionary, vol. iv. 
p. 596, or any systematic work on chemistry. 
T. S. Minett (East Grinstead).—Our correspondent’s in¬ 
quiry in reference to Mr. Schacht’s letter shall receive atten¬ 
tion. 
G. A. (Maidenhead).—No examination is required. Can¬ 
didates for admission into the Society are proposed according 
to a form of recommendation, which may be obtained from 
the Secretaries. The recommendation must be signed by five. 
Fellows, to three at least of whom the candidate must be 
personally known; and this certificate is read and suspended 
in the Society’s rooms for three ordinary meetings before 
proceeding the election by ballot. 
Inquirer (St. Andrew’s).—Probably you will find the in¬ 
formation you require in Ure’s ‘Dictionary of the Arts,* 
under “ Calico Printing.” 
Mr. Trilfelcl (Liverpool).—We have received a plan of 
the arrangement of bottles in his shop. 
W. Robinson (Reading).—The guinea retained from the 
fee of a candidate who fails to pass the examination is for¬ 
feited. He must pay the full fee if he presents himself 
again. 
T. H.—Petroleum Act .—The Bill introduced in the House 
of Lords this Session, for amending the Petroleum Acts, has 
not passed into law. It was on the 4th instant read a third 
time and discharged. 
“ Rule oe Thumb.” 
„ 9 ue stion is, which is the most accurate meth 
ot dispensing one grain calomel powders, that of weighir 
each separately, or of weighing a given number, say six, a 
dividing them by the eye. 
If scales were always used delicate enough to turn to t 
twentieth of a grain, as our first-class dispensers keep the; 
and if our gram-weights were all of standard quality, 
} T0 d doubtless be better to weigh each grain separately, 
least for inexperienced hands. But I venture to think 
many country districts dispensing scales are not kept up’ 
this high standard of efficiency; the bearings may not be pe 
lectly clean, they may be cleaned and adjusted by unskiif 
persons. Thus there may be scales used in dispensing th 
vould .not turn well even to a quarter of a grain. I use 
when in business, to clean my own and test them mys< 
every day. Moreover, when I used to test grain-weights pu 
c ased from the makers by a standard set, I frequently four 
Errata. —In the list of exhibitors at Newcastle, p. 154,— 
for Krohne and Suzeman read Krohne and Sesemann; for- 
Mayer and Mottyer read Mayer and Meltzer. Page 145, fine 
26 from top, for clearer read denser. 
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