August 12, 1871 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS 
139 
*** No notice can be taken of anonymous communica¬ 
tions. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenti¬ 
cated by the name and address of the writer ; not necessarily 
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. 
The Act to Prevent the Use of Stills by 
Unlicensed Persons. 
Sir,—A good deal lias been lately said pro and con. as to 
•whether the word “ may ” in a certain clause of the Phar¬ 
macy Act, referring to future regulations for keeping, dis¬ 
pensing, etc., of poisons,” bears the same meaning as “shall” 
•or “must.” I am one of those who are decidedly of opinion 
that they bear, and were intended to bear, this obligatory 
meaning. 
There is, however, another Act of Pailiament, in which 
■chemists are interested, where the same word occurs, and as 
it appears to me, bears the same meaning as in the former 
case. 
In the “Act to Prevent the Use of Stills by Unlicensed 
Persons,” there is contained this clause, “ Provided always, 
that the Commissioners of Excise ‘ may ’ permit the keeping 
and using of any still or stills for experiments in chemistry 
under such regulations as they think lit; provided also, that 
the Commissioners of Excise ‘ may ’ permit the keeping and 
using of any still or stills by persons carrying on trade or 
■otherwise, for the manufacture of articles other than spirits 
or spirit mixtures upon every person who has a still giving 
notice thereof to the nearest officer of Excise, and conforming 
to such regulations as the Commissioners of Excise think fit 
to direct before beginning to use any still as last aforesaid.” 
Now, if these exceptional provisions mean anything, they 
mean that pharmaceutists (who carry on trade), as well as 
-scientific chemists, professors and others (who do not carry 
•on trade), are entitled to exemption from the licence duty of 
105. upon every retort and still kept and used for purposes of 
scientific investigation, or in making the preparations of the 
P. B. other than spirits and spirit mixtures. 
The Commissioners and their officials, however, in direct 
opposition to the intentions of the Legislature, insist upon 
the licence duty being paid in all cases where the still or 
retort is used for purposes of trade,—this being the purport of 
the reply I received, first, from the officer of the district, and 
afterwards from the Board of Inland Revenue, on direct ap¬ 
plication being made for permission to keep a 1 gall, still 
•exclusively for the preparation of distilled water. Of course 
this is an article of primary necessity to all engaged in the 
preparation and dispensing of medicines, and no obstacle 
should be thrown in the way of any one so engaged, who 
wishes strictly to comply with the directions of the Pharma¬ 
copoeia. 
I think the matter is one of sufficient importance to be 
brought under the notice of the Council, for the purpose of 
accertaining the meaning of “may permit;” whether it 
means, “ wul not permit ” under any circumstances, or “ shall 
permit” in such cases as ours.—A qua Destillata. 
Preparation for Passing the Examinations. 
Sir,—I see, with much regret, that thirty-five out of sixty 
candidates failed to pass the Minor examination on the 12th, 
14th, and 19th of July. Surely it is time that our young 
men should know better how to prepare for this ordeal, and 
that their masters should urge upon them the need for real 
and fundamental preparation, rather than the cramming 
which I have no doubt the examiners easily detect. 
Some years since Mr. Ince advised the study of a language, 
in order to prepare the mind for the sciences a chemist must 
acquire, but, having tried the plan, I would rather advise, as 
J do to my ow r n pupils, the study of practical and systematic 
botany at as early a period as may be possible; this, with a 
master’s occasional supervision, leads to so much instruction 
about the drugs belonging to the same Natural Orders as the 
plants under notice, that botany becomes a pleasant and easy 
commencement of materia medica, into which study the pupil 
gradually passes as winter approaches and flowers become 
-scarce. Once started in Pereira or Royle, he works away, 
a’eminded at nearly every page of his work done in the sum¬ 
mer, gathering knowledge as he reads, and has difficult pas¬ 
sages explained, until he reaches the second or third winter, 
by which time he has gained in the shop sufficient acquaint¬ 
ance with trade chemicals to give an interest to chemistry. 
A schedule, drawn up by himself, showing, in parallel 
columns, the symbols, equivalent numbers, and specific gravi¬ 
ties of elementary substances is a great help to a student of 
chemistry; it should hang where it can be easily seen, and be 
learnt as perfectly as possible. 
Structural botany may be read alternately with chemistry. 
Practical pharmacy is best learned behind the counter. 
I cannot too strongly recommend the practice of making 
notes whilst reading, and of asking for advice or explanation 
whenever it is needed. This shows a master that his pupil is 
trying to help himself, and promotes good feeling on both 
sides; let it be understood that apprentices may read when 
business permits, the earnest ones will find time for it with¬ 
out neglecting their other duties, and when the examiners’ 
lists appear we shall see their names rank high “ in order of 
merit.” 
Perhaps some of the examiners, past or present, will favour 
us with their opinion on this subject. 
10, Nigh Street, Crediton, William Jackson. 
Devon, July 31s£, 1871. 
The Pharmacy Bill. 
Sir,—The statements made at the last meeting of Council 
by Mr. Groves, Mr. Smith and Mr. Sandford, as to the igno¬ 
rance which prevails in the country upon the provisions of 
the late Pharmacy Amendment Bill, are singularly confirmed 
by the correspondence in the last two numbers of the 
Journal. Mr. Mayliew in the number for July 29th, and 
Mr. Bell in the current number, protest against the inspec¬ 
tion threatened by that Bill! Would it surprise those gentle¬ 
men very much to learn that inspection is not so much as 
named in the Bill ? 
It is fair to assume that gentlemen, who have published 
forcible letters upon the subject, have taken a more than 
ordinarily intelligent interest in the course of events; and 
it is with no disrespect to them that I note their not insigni¬ 
ficant mistake. Incredible as it may seem, I believe that a 
majority of the petitioners against the Bill were equally ill- 
informed as to its provisions, and that still greater mis¬ 
apprehension prevailed as to the negotiations of which the 
poison regulations were the sequel. 
Loyalty to pharmacy will now be best shown by allowing 
excited feelings to subside, and to make way for calmer 
influences. When the atmosphere shall have recovered its 
natural serenity, there may still be an opportunity for conci¬ 
liatory and united action before a new Jbill can be submitted 
to Parliament. In the meantime, I would willingly assent 
to inspection—of the editorial sanctum—with despotic powers 
of fine and imprisonment, if you. Sir, should allow your good 
nature again so far to overcome your better instincts as to 
insert any more combustible correspondence. 
I beg to conclude by moving “the previous question,” viz. 
Scientific pharmacy,—too long banished from its happy 
home. 
52, Royal York Crescent, Clifton, Rich. W. Giles. 
August 8th, 1871. 
Sir,—In your last number Mr. Sandford refers to me at 
considerable length, and I must ask permission to reply. In 
his letter Mr. Sandford says, “ When I look back to the 
narrow majority which the non-regulationists obtained at 
the Annual Meeting, I think we may still claim to represent 
our constituents.” By the use of this argument Mr. Sandford 
says, just as if he declared it in more direct words, that he 
believes the division to which he refers was a trial of strength 
taken under fair conditions. Now, what are the facts? 
Firstly, that the opponents of the regulations protested, in 
the most definite manner, against the consideration of com¬ 
pulsory regulations at the Annual Meeting, because the 
Council and the Journal had assured the country members 
that compulsory regulations were withdrawn. But, secondly, 
the fact that that meeting could not consider compulsion, 
without a breach of good faith towards absent members, was 
shown by the speeches of the following gentlemen belonging 
to the pro-regulation'party:—Mr. Mackay said, “ I say it 
most emphatically, it would have been a much fairer course 
for the gentleman who has so ably and eloquently pleaded 
for this amendment, if due notice had been given oi it.” 
Mr. M. then spoke as to deputations that would have 
attended had this been the case, and concluded most impres- 
