580 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [January 13, 1372. 
I trust that these remarks may he of use, if but to draw 
forward more opinion on the subject, and apologize for 
trespassing on so much of your valuable space. 
Unit as. 
Belfast, January 2nd, 1872. 
Sir,— I observe in the Pharmaceutical Journal of 
last week, a few remarks by Mr. T. B. Stead, at the Leeds 
Chemists’ Association, regarding the early closing movement, 
insinuating that if the short-hour movement was adopted, a 
squandering of time would be the result. This is an argu¬ 
ment so shallow and narrow-minded that it ought to be re¬ 
sented. Surely druggists’ assistants do not need to be kept 
down with such an iron hand. 
Assistants who would squander their time if they closed at 
8 p.m., squander it, and have more opportunities of so doing 
at present, under the despotic reign of long hours. What was 
Scotland prior to Forbes M‘Kenzie’s Act and the general 
eight o’clock movement in other trades ? It was then that 
time was squandered. Even at the present time in the class 
of trades as druggists, where the long hours are kept up, 
what can a young man do at night ? Energy is not left him 
for study and no time for healthy recreation, so he drops into 
a beer-shop and there spends his evening, rising in the morn¬ 
ing with an aching head. 
A word on the Sunday trade as far as Glasgow is concerned, 
would the young men squander their time on that day P If 
they did, it could not be worse squandered than at present in 
the retailing of hair-oil, liquors and Seidlitz powders. That 
such should be required from a class of men claiming a stand¬ 
ing in society is disgraceful. 
If the assistants in the several large cities would form them¬ 
selves into associations, they could show the public that they 
will not serve it for so many hours as they have hitherto 
done. Such an Association has been formed in Glasgow, and 
met with fair success. In conclusion, I would recommend 
Mr. T. B. Stead to study the opening address of Mr. E. C. C. 
Stanford, F.C.S., given at the Glasgow Chemists and Drug¬ 
gists’ Association, published in the Journal some short time 
since. 
Glasgoiv, January 2nd, 1872. Gignosko. 
Sir,—Some twenty years ago I had a conscientious belief 
in the value of physic, and in consequence felt it to be no 
other than my duty to be prepared to supply a penny’s worth 
of castor oil or an eighteenpenny mixture at all hours, night 
or day, Sunday included, till business became a veritable 
curse. Increased personal experience and more extended ob¬ 
servation have materially altered my views, and I am now 
firmly convinced that if physic and physicians and all con¬ 
nected therewith (surgery excepted), were cast into the sea 
and heard of no more, the world would be a decided gainer 
thereby. I now, therefore, in a somewhat mechanical way, 
pursue my calling from 8.30 A.M. till 8 P.M. for six days of 
the week, and refuse to be bothered at all other times and 
seasons, and need scarcely add that my entire household is 
the happier for the change, and business, I am glad to say, 
none the worse. If my brother chemists would have the 
courage “ to go and do likewise,” there would be fewer cases 
similar to poor Elkington’s, mentioned last week in so kind 
and feeling a manner by Mr. Wilmott. 
An Old Chemist. 
The Benevolent Fund. 
Sir,—At p. 558 of last week’s Journal I was interested to 
see th& list of annuitants; and it would perhaps have been 
well if the residences had been given, to compare the propor¬ 
tion of London and the country. 
In looking over the life annuities granted by Government, 
it appears to me that our Benevolent Fund might be bene¬ 
fited by allowing a limited number of our members, elected 
annually by seniority of age and of membership, to purchase 
a small annuity, say of £10, at the same rate as given in the 
British Postal Guide, thus :— 
A man aged sixty can purchase an annuity of £10 for 
£105. 11s. 8d.; aged sixty-five for £88. 18s. 4 d., and so on. 
If the Council of our Society could lawfully do this, the an¬ 
nuitant might be made life member by way of bonus; that is 
to say, over and above what the Post-Office gives. 
If this hint is worth entertaining, you can insert this in 
the Journal or submit it to the Council, as you think proper. 
Chilcompton, Bath, Joseph Leat. 
Tuesday, January 9th, 1872. 
Sir,—I have read your editorial remarks with regard to 
the “ Benevolent Fund,” and have, since doing so, added up 
the donations given by about 660 individuals, and I find that 
the total amounts to about £527; from this deduct £77 
given in temporary relief, and there is a balance left avail¬ 
able for capital account of £450. The interest on £12,000 
Consols would amount to £360, and be sufficient to meet the 
£347. 10s. paid to the annuitants during the past year. 
I find from the Register that we have 12,000 registered 
chemists, and I should like to see our Benevolent Fund esta¬ 
blished on a broad basis. Suppose each of the 12,000 
chemists were to give one shilling per annum, there would 
be a sum of £600 each year available for the Fund. At the 
present time I believe there are 660 persons contributing,— 
only about one-twentieth part of the whole body of chemists. 
I have looked over the list of towns where chemists contri¬ 
bute, and find that York, with 36 chemists and 3 wholesale 
druggists, contributes nothing; Manchester, with 200 or 
more chemists, has only 20 contributors; Liverpool, with. 
200 or more, has only 10 contributors; our little city, 
“ Ripon,” with 6 chemists, “contributes nothing;” and so 
on all through the kingdom. Surely, Mr. Editor, it is pos¬ 
sible to remedy this state of affairs ! I hav e lived in Lanca¬ 
shire, and seen splendid churches built out of funds provided 
from weekly subscriptions of twopence from each member of 
a poor congregation. 
Would it not be well to send a circular to each local secre¬ 
tary, and request him to collect at least a shilling from each 
chemist in his neighbourhood? Of course, where a chemist 
is local secretary in such places as Manchester, Liverpool, 
Birmingham, Newcastle and other large towns, I would 
empower him to employ a trustworthy agent to collect the 
subscriptions, and allow a small percentage. 
I am convinced the foregoing project is feasible, and, if 
properly carried out, would put our Benevolent Fund on a 
solid basis, and provide assistance for any of our members 
who, by sickness or misfortune, may in future be brought to 
destitution. 
I would also suggest that at the end of the year, when the 
list of subscriptions is published, the figures should be added, 
and the total amount shown. 
If my suggestions should be of any service, and at all 
instrumental in augmenting the funds of our excellent insti¬ 
tution, I shall be much pleased. 
North Street, Ripon, Thomas Stevenson. 
Jan. 10 th, 1872. 
John Bradshaw (Congleton).—The thick consistence is 
preferred by many medical men. Probably your difficulty 
might be overcome by making the preparation in the phial 
brought for it. 
T. A .—We know of no better book for the purpose than 
the one you possess. 
“ Bcosse .”—We do not exactly understand what you mean 
by the deodorization of alcohol. 
W. J. Dale .—The provisions of the Act were only intended 
to apply to substances that are of a poisonous nature. Yellow 
prussiate of potash is not a poison, and is, therefore, not sub¬ 
ject to them; the red prussiate of potash is a poison, and 
must, for that reason, be dealt with accordingly. 
O. P. Q. (Halifax).—The effect you speak of was probably 
due to the liberation of acid from the nitrate. See an article 
on the subject by Professor Redwood, Pharm. Journ. 1st 
Series, Yol. YI. p. 419. 
“A Student of the Society .”—We do not know of one. 
“A Duly Registered Assistant” has not sent his name and 
address. 
Erratum. —List of subscriptions to the Benevolent Fund, 
for “ Muter, John, 289, Eennington Road,” read Muter, Dr. 
John, 231, Eennington Road. 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received from 
Mr. H. Pocklington, Dr. De Yry, Mr. R. G. Mumbray, Mr. 
F. B. Benger, Mr. L. Hooper, Mr. T. Beesley, jun., L. S. R., 
C. C., ‘“Ferrum ” “Ebur,” C. C. 
