September 17, 1870.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
229 
is as high, and their mode of examination as stringent, 
as can he practically enforced at the present moment; 
and, even though the present standard only were main¬ 
tained in future, the gain to the public would be very 
great, as they would thereby obtain security for a degree 
of competency in all the chemists and druggists through¬ 
out the country, such as was previously unknown, ex¬ 
cepting among the best chemists in large towns. 
“ I have, in conclusion, only to repeat what has already 
been implied in my report, that, in my opinion, the ex¬ 
aminations of the Pharmaceutical Society are of such 
sort, and are conducted in such manner, as to constitute 
a sufficient guarantee to the public with regard to the 
qualifications of persons admitted to register under the 
Pharmacy Act, 1868.” 
Professor Christison’s most important comments 
and criticisms run thus :— 
tl The only remark I have to make on the Preliminary 
examination is, that while the examination on English 
and arithmetic was such as to prove a thorough know¬ 
ledge on the part of candidates, the test of Latinity is at 
present pitched somewhat low. I am satisfied, however, 
that it would be unsafe to attempt to establish a higher 
standard on that subject for some time ; for I am aware 
that for about thirty years past, in the class of society 
from which the candidates at the pharmaceutical exa¬ 
minations are derived, the acquisition of classical know¬ 
ledge has been discouraged in Scotland through the 
activity of the utilitarian sect of educational enthusiasts, 
and that the quality of the teaching in many of the 
primary, and even some of the secondary, schools of the 
country has in consequence been thought to have under¬ 
gone deterioration. The Edinburgh members of the 
Pharmaceutical Society, however, have expressed their 
desire to raise their standard of Latinity by degrees, and it 
is hoped that a thorough Education Act for Scotland will 
in no long tune facilitate the attainment of that object. 
“ The Professional examination has, in my opinion, 
been conveniently subdivided by the Council of the 
Society ; and the extent of examination under each head 
has been skilfully limited in its range to the topics 
which it is practically important for the pharmaceutic 
chemist to know. 
“ I witnessed several times an examination on every 
subject, except the fifth or botanical examination, and 
I have been gratified by the ability, fairness, patience, 
and kindliness of the examiners. I have also attended 
the decisions of the assembled examiners, both on pre¬ 
liminary and professional matters, and I concurred in 
the determination come to in regard to those candi¬ 
dates—some of them failures—whose examination I had 
witnessed, or whose examination papers I had read. 
“ The examiners being comparatively new to their duty, 
it is natural that they should now and then discover de¬ 
fects, and remedy methods of examination. A little 
more experience on my part may enable me to suggest 
improvements. At present I have but one suggestion 
to make. Most examining boards have found advan¬ 
tage in their candidates being examined on each subject 
of examination before two examiners, each duly quali¬ 
fied in the same subject. It is needless to point out 
how this system tends to secure fullness and fairness of 
examination—to satisfy the public—and also to promote 
the comfort of the examiners themselves, and their con¬ 
fidence in their own decisions. It is probable, therefore, 
that this measure may be found advisable in the practice 
of the Pharmaceutical Society also. 
“ The examination-books were put before me, and from 
these I find that, between January 1st and December 1st, 
1869, a board for examination was held on eleven days ; 
that 41 candidates were examined on preliminary educa¬ 
tion, of whom only 1 failed; and that the Minor, Major, or 
Modified examination on professional matters was under¬ 
gone by 112 candidates in all, of whom 21 failed to pass. 
“ As I have seen no reason to doubt either the strin¬ 
gency of the examination or the fidelity of the decision 
of the examiners on preliminary education, the very 
limited amount of failure in this department may bo 
taken as proof sufficient that the standard of examina¬ 
tion may be raised when it may be thought advisable to 
do so. But for various reasons, which it is perhaps 
scarcely necessary for me to enter into here, I think the 
Society have done right in not fixing the standard higher 
at first. 
“ The results of the professional examination seem to 
me satisfactory in every point of view. First, the num¬ 
ber of candidates who have come forward last year is 
considerable. Secondly, the rejections, amounting to 
nearly a fifth of the whole, testify that the duty of the 
examiners has been faithfully discharged. Thirdly, it 
is creditable to the candidates that the number of failures 
has not been larger; for in other professions about a 
fifth of failures seems the usual average when examining 
boards are well organized and faithful, and the general¬ 
ity of their candidates are well prepared.” 
CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS’ FUND FOR THE 
SICK AND WOUNDED. 
The following communication has been received 
by the Treasurer, and gives gratifying evidence of 
the appreciation by the “ Society for Aid to the Sick 
and Wounded” of the efforts made in its behalf by 
British Pharmacists. 
“2, St. Martin's Place , London , W.C. 
“ September 6th. 
u The Secretary of the National Society for Aid to the 
Sick and Wounded in War, and the Ladies’ Committee, 
desire to thank the Chemists and Druggists of Great 
Britain for their Subscriptions, and for the very valuable 
medicines they have contributed, which were most 
grievously needed. They are immediately sent off to the 
Continent with no delay, as it has not been necessary to 
unpack them. 
“ Elias Bremridge, Esq." 
The following contributions have been received 
since last week 
£. s. d. 
W. H. Allen, The Grove, Stratford . 1 1 0 
J. Bowes and Co., Whitehaven . 1 1 0 
John Broad, Hornsey Rise . 1 1 0 
T. Crowther, Tickhill . 0 2 6 
C. Emerson, 8, Church St., West Hartlepool.. 0 10 6 
John Ingham, Upper Tooting. 0 2 6 
J. N., Assistant, Turnham Green . 0 2 6 
W. Parsons, St. Mary Street, Portsmouth.... 0 5 0 
John Pepper, 207, Tottenham Court Road.... 1 1 0 
R. O. Rippon, Great Berkhampstead. 0 5 0 
J. G. Rollin, 3, South Street, Durham . 0 10 0 
John Stevens, High Street, Broselcy. 0 10 6 
Wilson and Kitchin, 30, King St., Whitehaven 110 
Collections per W. Moss, Local Se¬ 
cretary, Carlisle:— 
£. s. d. 
J. Daniel . 0 5 0 
J. Hallaway . 0 10 0 
J. P. Harrison . 0 10 0 
W. Moss. 0 5 0 
James Sawyer . 0 5 0 
J. Sowerby. 0 10 0 
A. Thompson. 0 10 0 
J. Todd . 0 5 0 
J. D. Walker. 0 2 6 
- £3 2 0 
Per Mr. Wilkinson, Manchester, T. S. Johnson 0 5 0 
