May 27, 1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
913 
ancnt our Examinations. In so doing, 1 would invite 
jour attention to that portion of the Annual Report 
Ayhich hears upon them. If a doubt ever existed in the 
minds of any respecting the nature and mode of con¬ 
ducting the Examinations, the passages extracted from 
Dr. Greenhow’s communications thereon, published in 
the Twelfth Report on Public Health by the medical 
officer of the Privy Council will, I feel confident, at 
once dispel it, so far at least as the present Examiners 
are concerned. Personally (ex officio ) I have taken great 
interest in the Examinations, and have been an earnest 
participator in all the duties of the Board, and I can say 
truly that I have never been associated with gentlemen 
more considerate and conscientious. 
In continuation, a few words upon the Preliminary 
Examination may not be out of place, as many opinions 
have been expressed thereon. Some think it is too 
severe; others, that the Latin is more than should be 
expected; and again, that the questions are not always 
equal; that is, that they are moi'e difficult upon one 
occasion than upon another. It may be so with some of 
the questions, but they are balanced by others equally 
easy ; many, indeed, simply elementary. For my own 
part, I can scarcely see how the examination can be 
lighter, if, indeed, it is to be an examination at all; 
though candidates who have been some time from school 
may find Ciesar difficult to work up, the Pharmaceutical 
Latin required is only such as should be known by every 
one behind a chemist’s counter ; but in the face of this, 
some of the oldest candidates pas3 the best examination 
in Latin and arithmetic and some of the youngest the 
worst. Forty years ago, before this Society was esta¬ 
blished, a lad about to be apprenticed to a chemist was 
supposed, under any circumstances, to know something 
of Latin, for no prescribcr in those days thought of 
putting any portion of his prescription in the mother- 
tongue; and now, after thirty years’ existence of a So¬ 
ciety, one of whose prominent features was and is an 
improved educational condition, can any say that he 
did not think Latin would be required ? Any unbiassed 
person examining the written answers in the Prelimi¬ 
nary Examinations, would be forcibly Struck with what 
seems to indicate, in a large proportion of the cases, an 
utter absence of training in preparing for this examina¬ 
tion ; the work done represents the work of youths who 
have no one to guide, none to direct their studies and 
well-intentioned labour. I do not mean grinding or 
cramming. I hesitate to be more explicit. Gentlemen 
—like the author of a u Botanical Student’s Dream ” 
(vide Piiarm. Journ., March 18th, 1871, p. 745), and all 
those who take an interest in the young—will, I doubt 
not, comprehend to what I allude, for the young stand 
in need both of encouragement and guidance. Thus far 
I have said nothing of the Benevolent Fund, as it is 
pretty fully treated in the Report; but I may mention 
that the fir at legacy of £19. 19 a-. has been announced from 
the executors of the late Mr. C. Coles. Had Mr. Coles 
been spared to us, he would have been a valuable mem¬ 
ber. I am now fast approaching the end of that which 
I have desired to say, leaving to the last the most im¬ 
portant question which will be brought before you for 
consideration to-day. The poison regulations have oc¬ 
cupied the time not only of the Council, but more or less 
of .all classes connected with pharmacy, the Council 
yielding,—when not to have done so might have been 
construed into unnecessary persistency,—determined, 
whether wisely or not I pretend not to say, to offer to 
this meeting certain recommendations to be observed in 
the keeping, storing and dispensing of poisons, for volun¬ 
tary adoption. In considering this question when it 
comes before you, let me ask you, in all seriousness, to 
bestow upon it that quiet and calm consideration with 
which, on many previous occasions, you have been justly 
credited, and for which you had established a well- 
merited prestige. Before taking the final plunge, let 
me impress upon you this one word—Think. 
“Facilis descensus Avcrni: 
Sed revocare gradum, superasque evadere ad auras, 
Hoc opus, hie labor est.” 
A word or two now upon my own account. This, 
gentlemen, is my first appearance, at a short notice, in 
this character; it may be the last; a few hours or a few' 
days may send me amongst the rank and file. Be that 
as it may, I shall still labour in the cause of pharmacy 
and the Pharmaceutical Society; shall still respect the 
names of those Seniors who foreshadowed and esta-* 
blished this our position; and as I have ever done, shall 
still take an interest, not only in this Society but in all 
those who follow the arduous and exacting occupation 
of a pharmaceutical chemist, or chemist and druggist. 
The President called upon the Secretary to read the 
Report of the Council. It was resolved that the Report 
be taken as read. 
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 
In presenting the report of the proceedings of the past 
year, the Council commence as usual w*ith some observa¬ 
tions on the financial condition of the Society. 
The Balance Sheet has been long enough in the hands 
of members of the Society to have been carefully read 
and considered, and doubtless has been compared by 
many with the statement of 1869, wdiich exhibited a 
balance in the treasurer’s hands at the close of the year 
considerably larger than the present, as w r cll as larger 
investments made during the year in Government Securi¬ 
ties. That year commenced with a much heavier balance, 
and another circumstance may be mentioned explaining* 
the difference, namely,—an alteration in the time of 
receiving from the Publishers certain proceeds of the 
Journal, wdiich at the end of 1870 amounted to £1586. 
18s. Gd. due to the Society; had this been a receipt in¬ 
stead of an asset, it w*ould have given the balance of the 
past year an advantage over its predecessor. 
The true gauge, however, of prosperity must be looked 
for in the subscriptions and fees of the year, and under 
this head at first glance there seems to be a falling off; 
this must not, how*ever, be taken as conclusive, because it 
arises from a decrease in the amount of registration fees' 
of chemists and druggists in business before the passing* 
of the Pharmacy Act, 1868 : in those paid by assistants 
entitled to be registered on passing a Modified Examina¬ 
tion ; and also in the entrance fees of chemists and 
druggists. These items must lessen year by year, and 
ultimately disappear entirely from our financial state¬ 
ments. The subscriptions 2 ) yo P er show an increase of 
nearly five hundred persons, who have become con¬ 
nected with the Society in the various grades since our 
last report. 
On the debit side of the account a heavier amount than 
usual appears for apparatus; caused by the purchase ot 
the large and valuable assortment collected from time to 1 
time by Dr. Redwood during his long connection with, 
the Society. The Council before deciding, on this, pur¬ 
chase took advice from one of the most eminent philoso¬ 
phical instrument makers in London, and had the appa¬ 
ratus thoroughly examined by a Committee, both of 
wffio.se reports w*ore conclusive as to the desirability of 
the Society securing, under such favourable terms as Dr. 
Redw*ood had offered, this important collection. 
The great increase in the business of the Society, and 
the greater number of clerks required for its perform¬ 
ance, rendered it necessary in 1869 to remodel the office, 
involving a considerable outlay, part of wffiich appeal’.-* 
in the account of 1870. 
The commission on laboratory fees paid to the Di¬ 
rector and Demonstrator does not accurately give the 
expenditure of 1870, the commission on the fees of tho 
previous year from October to Christmas being included 
in the £616 now debited. To accommodate additional 
pupils in the laboratory certain alterations, which w*ere 
