€46 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[May 27, 1871. 
so many of the test years of his life to its service, that 
the Council felt it hut an act of justice to give him such 
an acknowledgment of his labours. 
It will be remembered that at the close of the meeting 
of 1870, a resolution, proposed by Mr. Schacht, was car¬ 
ried, expressive of the opinion that the means hitherto 
adopted by the Society for the advancement of Pharma¬ 
ceutical Education were no longer adequate to the neces¬ 
sities of the times, and urging the in-coming Council to 
consider some scheme for enlarging the usefulness of the 
funds at their disposal. 
The Council, mindful of the altered condition of the 
Pharmaceutical Society,—no longer a merely voluntary 
association, but one to which all intending chemists must 
apply for authority to exercise their calling, and, failing 
to possess a sufficient educational qualification, would fail 
to obtain that authority,—immediately after its first 
meeting issued inquiries to the various Provincial Asso¬ 
ciations, and founded on the answers thereto, a Report 
which was published in the Journal. Certain recom¬ 
mendations having been adopted, forms of application 
for aid were prepared; these, however, were found to 
require reconsideration, and some alterations were con¬ 
sequently made which it is hoped will render them more 
practicable. The subject is not an easy one, as the fund 
available for the purpose is small, yet the Council trust 
some aid may be afforded to those who are anxious to 
advance their professional education, but are residing 
in localities where chemists are not sufficiently numerous 
to maintain public schools for that purpose. One great 
advantage arising out of the purchase of Dr. Redwood’s 
apparatus—an advantage which had due weight in de¬ 
ciding on the purchase—is, that some portions of it are 
adapted for the illustration of lectures, and may be lent 
on certain conditions to Provincial Associations. 
The Council have great satisfaction in drawing atten¬ 
tion to the following passages from the Reports on the 
Examinations of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great 
Britain by Dr. Grccnhow, published in the Twelfth 
Report on Public Health by the medical officer of the 
Privy Council:— 
“The technical examinations are made as practical as 
possible. The prescriptions submitted to the candidates 
are very various in character, and have all been actually 
written for patients and dispensed in chemists’ shops. 
The ability to read prescriptions is obviously one of the 
most necessary qualifications for chemists and druggists, 
and a large proportion of marks has therefore been very 
properly allotted to this subject in both the Modified 
and Minor Examinations. When present I have ob¬ 
served that although most of the candidates can read 
ordinary prescriptions correctly enough to ensure their 
being able to dispense from them with safety, compara¬ 
tively few are sufficiently conversant with Latin to read 
■with accuracy prescriptions couched in somewhat un¬ 
usual terms, or having appended to them minute direc¬ 
tions for use in the Latin language. The already-re¬ 
cited regulations sufficiently show the scope of the several 
examinations in the other subjects, and I may add that 
the selection of specimens submitted to candidates for 
recognition is well calculated to test their practical 
knowledge. 
“I have closely observed the mode of conducting the 
several technical examinations by the appointed exa¬ 
miners, and can bear testimony to the zealous and con¬ 
scientious manner in which these gentlemen discharge 
their duty. On some occasions I have followed the same 
candidates through their examination in all the succes¬ 
sive subjects, making my own estimate of the number 
-of marks which they had earned in each subject, and 
then comparing this estimate with the number of marks 
.assigned to them by the examiners, which has seldom 
shown any considerable discrepancy. On other occa¬ 
sions I have remained for a considerable time watching 
the examinations of successive candidates in the same 
subject, and have satisfied myself of their being con¬ 
ducted with perfect fairness and impartiality as between 
one candidate and another. 
****** 
“ 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.” 
The changes made last year in the publication of the 
Journal can scarcely be said to have had a sufficient 
trial. The largely increased expense caused by the 
weekly issue, the increase in the number of members, 
etc., have occasioned so much larger an expenditure 
than formerly, that sufficient advertisements have not 
been forthcoming to meet it. 
At the last Annual Meeting, the following resolution, 
in reference to the regulations for the keeping, dispens¬ 
ing and selling of poisons, was adopted:—“ That the 
subject be taken into consideration by the in-coming 
Council, and that a further report be made to the next 
Annual Meeting.” 
The consideration of this important question has oc¬ 
cupied a considerable portion of the time of the Council 
during the past year. The various motions which have 
been brought forward and the result of the divisions 
thereon, have been published in the Journal. Yielding, 
however, to the opinions of a large number of pharma¬ 
ceutical chemists and chemists and druggists throughout 
the kingdom, expressed at public meetings and in me¬ 
morials, the Council have determined to submit to the 
meeting the regulations for adoption as Recommenda¬ 
tions. 
The Benevolent Fund has slowly but steadily advanced 
during the last few years. The dividends, however, 
arising from the invested capital being inadequate to 
meet the annual pensions,—the Council, in 1870, felt 
justified in transferring £500 from the ordinary Funds 
of the Society to this Fund. Twelve annuitants have 
been elected since Mr. Orridge (whose loss is greatly 
regretted) so strongly aided in establishing these grants 
and in generally furthering the objects of the Fund; 
occasional grants are also made where the Council con¬ 
sider them required and desirable. 
All members of the trade are now eligible to receive 
aid from the Benevolent Fund, whether members of the 
Society or not; but it is a matter of regret that, while 
so many could well afford assistance, so few,, compara¬ 
tively, have come forward to help. It may be that men 
who are not members, and consequently are not called 
on for subscriptions to the Society, have not had the 
claims of the Fund brought immediately before them, 
but the Council believe that Local Socretaries might 
easily obtain their co-operation in so good an object. 
During the past year Mr. Westwood, a very old mem¬ 
ber of the Society, and one who had for several years 
acted as an auditor of its accounts, has passed away, to 
the great regret of all who knew him. 
The Council cannot conclude their Report without 
also expressing their sincere regret on account of the 
retirement of Mr. Sandford from the Presidential Chair; 
for, however opinions may occasionally have differed, 
they have uniformly admired the kind feeling, ability, 
patience and perseverance of their colleague. 
The Registrar placed on the table the following:— 
Register of Members, Associates and Apprentices 
of the Society. 
Register of Pharmaceutical Chemists. 
Register of Assistants. 
, Register of Apprentices or Students. 
Under the Pharmacy Act, 1852. 
Register of Chemists and Druggists. 
Under the Pharmacy Act, 1868. 
