May 6, 1S7L] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
S93 
There will, no doubt, be found other suggestions equally 
worthy of their attention. Barnard S. Proctor. 
11, Grey Street, Newcastle. 
Conversazione, Souxn Kensington Museum. 
Sir,—Last year I observed on the admission card to the 
Conversazione the direction “Evening Dress.” 
Now, many of our country members, when upon rare occa¬ 
sions they visit the metropolis, leaving, for a few days, 
“ Their homely joys and destiny obscure,” 
do not carry many changes of dress, and yet, perhaps, they 
are not intended to be excluded from this gathering. 
Could not a more definite statement of what is required be 
made than “ evening dress” ? 
While many of our London members and their assistants 
never wear an apron, many of our more humble country 
associates consider themselves in evening dress when they 
take off their apron ! 
Others—old men, like myself—may be accustomed to wear 
the same dress in the evening as they wear in the morning. 
Court dress is defined; and if members are required to 
appear at the Conversazione in black, or in velvet, let it be so 
stated. Joseph Leay. 
Downside, Chilcompton, Bath, 
April 29 th, 1871. 
assistants, I think some improvement on the present state of 
things might be made, with equal advantage to both parties. 
Early closing would not only be a boon to those who are pre¬ 
paring for their examinations, but also for those who have 
passed, and who wish to retain and add to the knowledge 
they have gained. 
One who nas passed the Major 
Examination. 
Sir,- 
signed 
-I observe 
Aspirant 
Proposal to Enforce Early Closing. 
Sir,—Would you kindly allow me, through the medium of 
your valuable Journal, to agitate the early closing proposal, 
which appeared in your last issue. I think the Council might 
as justly enforce it as the examinations are enforced. After 
being behind the counter from 7.30 a.m. until 10 p.m. and 
Saturdays until 12 p.m., may I ask what time is there for 
study? (Even on Sunday three hours night and morning 
are required respectively.) If in the meantime an hour’s 
study was allowed daily, it would certainly, in a slight degree, 
alter the case; but that is out of the question altogether, for 
the mere appearance of a book within the said hours, makes 
the too general cry of “Look alive, so-and-so wants making 
or doing,” vibrate through the place. 
Without exception do Mr. Newey’s statements concerning 
“existing jealousy” (which also occupied a portion of last 
week’s Journal) apply to certain members of the profes¬ 
sion in a town, where apprentices have repeatedly tried 
and failed to pass their Preliminai’y examination. What 
else but failures can be expected amidst such privileges, 
where neither an association is formed or classes to attend? 
whereas in a neighbouring town, much smaller, all the 
chemists open and close at eight prompt, and have formed 
an association and classes, and find it to answer admirably. 
I mean jealousy, not only in Mr. Newey’s instance, but 
most particularly respecting the closing of their various esta¬ 
blishments. As ten o’clock approaches, those who are seve¬ 
rally situate in sight, watch each other like a cat watching a 
mouse. Eventually one has the good resolution to close, then 
out of a kind of shame the others follow suit, but still don’t 
find their coffers any better fdled than some wise exceptionals, 
who close at eight prompt and find the day’s work quite long 
enough. I think the suggested addendum of your last week’s 
correspondent, would do away, in a great measure, with the 
ill-feeling amongst members, and greatly facilitate the ap¬ 
prentices and assistants in passing the examinations now set 
before them. 
I hope you will insert this, as it will give those in the me¬ 
tropolis an idea of how business is carried on in the country, 
and that some influential exertions will be brought to bear 
to supply the deficiency in the Pharmacy Act of 1868. 
Justice. 
a letter in your impression of last week, 
to the Major Qualification,” which, to my 
mind hits the greatest drawback to our business, namely, the 
absurdly long hours of business. 
His object in writing is to gain for students the time neces¬ 
sary for study—a worthy object. But when “ Aspirant ” has 
passed his Major Examination, and finds himself in business 
some day, will not the burden of his imprisonment be even 
yet harder to bear ? He will find himself opening his shop at 
7.30 a.m., from which time until 10.30 or 11 p.m. he will not- 
be able to leave his occupation. Can any position bo more 
pitiable ?—a recluse nolens volens, debarred from all those 
social enjoyments and relaxations which make life’s journey 
pleasant. 
A gentlemanly profession, forsooth ! Certes, had I known, 
or been in a position to calculate, what would follow when I 
served my apprenticeship of five years to a worth} 7 man in a 
country town, with plenty of spare time and freedom, I had 
quickly abandoned all idea of adopting pharmac} 7 . 
And I ask any sensible chemist why, in the name of all 
that’s rational, we glue ourselves to our counters for two and 
three hours after other tradesmen are enjo} T ing that rest whicha 
long day’s work demands ? I venture to think no one will 
assert that the exigencies of the profession require it. All 
the thought the public takes for us is embodied in a remark 
made to me last night by a gentleman who brought his pre¬ 
scription at 10 p.m.: “I should have come earlier, but I 
knew j'our shop would not be closed.” Therefore, we must 
act for ourselves. This would be easy enough if those in high 
places amongst us so willed it. 
Pray pardon me for occupying so much of your space, but, 
when on this subject, I can’t help, as Sam Meller says, 
“ opening the valve a inch or two.” 
A Pharmaceutical Chemist. 
Brighton, April 29th, 1871. 
“Jury Service.” 
Sir,—The letter of “ W. B. O.” in your last Journal, ap¬ 
pealing for the Council’s consideration of exemption from 
“ jury service,” is a just and reasonable one ; and this subject 
may be urged upon the Privy Council very appropriately. 
The amended Pharmacy Act imposes upon all chemists and 
druggists regulations which require the constant attention 
and personal inspection of the proprietor, to see that they 
are carried out, he being responsible for any omissions by any 
one left in charge. 
Is it therefore just or right that such regulations should be 
imposed by the Legislature unless, at the same time, there is 
provided “exemption from jury service” for all upon “the 
register P” 
Leek, Mag 1st, 1871. 
W. J. 
Sir,—Your correspondent “ Aspirant to the Major Qualifi¬ 
cation” is acting on the maxim of Oliver Cromwell, that, 
while “ it is good to strike when the iron is hot, it is better to 
make the iron hot by striking.” The iron has got cold; so 
much has been said and written about that all-absorbing 
topic, the poison regulations, that the old grievance of which 
your correspondent complains has been lost sight of. I am 
.glad to see the subject introduced again. I do not see the 
practicability of “Aspirant for the Major Examination’s” 
.suggestion, that early closing should bo made compulsory; 
but, if the question were fairly, discussed by employers and 
The Pharmaceutical Examinations. 
Sir,—I ask leave to express my satisfaction with the letter 
of “ Minor Associate” in your last week’s issue on the above 
subject. I think with him that the case of the “ Modified ” 
men was as well met as could be under the circumstances; 
although there was a degree of hardship in the retrospective 
character of the Pharmacy Act. 
As one who was compelled to avail himself of the less 
stringent examination, I beg, however, to protest against the 
“ Ah, me miserabile! ” style of some of your “ modified ” cor¬ 
respondents. 
Doubtless there are many of these, even as of pharmacists 
of, say, ten or fifteen years ago, to whom the present Pre¬ 
liminary would be an impassable barrier; but on the other 
hand, let it be borne in mind that there are not a few to 
whom it would be a trifle, who have neither time nor inclina¬ 
tion to superadd to their present duties that of acquiring 
proficiency for an examination in technical science. “ Modi¬ 
fied” gentlemen desirous of pharmaceutical honours ought 
