THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[April 27, 1872. 
S71 
Coal Tar; to Dr. MTvendrick for his experiments and 
lecture on Neurotics ; to Mr. James Mackenzie for his 
paper on Pharmacy in Edinburgh in the Olden Time ; 
to Mr. Vm. Gilmour for his paper on Volumetric 
Analysis; to Mr. Paton for one on the Museum, its po¬ 
sition and requirements; and, lastly, to Mr. John Gibson 
for the lecture on Sponges we have just listened to with 
so much interest. 
I need not remind you how attractive, as well as in¬ 
structive, these lectures were ; and although the attend¬ 
ance on them was not so numerous as the Council could 
have wished, still, upon the whole, it has been an im¬ 
provement upon previous years. 
I hope the time is not very far distant when the mem¬ 
bers of the Pharmaceutical Society will have made so 
much progress in the scientific and practical knowledge 
of their profession as to be able to advance the science 
of pharmacy by original papers and researches, so as to 
•obviate the necessity we at present labour under of draw¬ 
ing so largely upon the kindness of our professional 
friends who are not directly connected with the Society. 
I am the more sanguine of this result from the firm | 
stand we are now making against permitting any to 
enter the portals of our Society who are not able to pass 
with credit the Preliminary Examination. This is not 
only an act of kindness to the youth, but is a guarantee 
that he has received a liberal education. It is also very j 
desirable that, in making his selection of this particular 
department of science, he should follow the bent of his 
disposition, and that he should not pursue it from a 
lower motive only. Should he be fond of his profession, 
he ought to be able to pass his Minor Examination before 
the expiry of his apprenticeship, if he avails himself of i 
the advantages open to him in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aber¬ 
deen and other large centres; and I hope the London 
■Council will soon be able to make such arrangements as 
will facilitate the education of those who are placed at a 
distance from these centres. 
I regret to state that the statistics of the last Session’s 
Examinations show a result less favourable than the 
Council could have desired. We find that out of 189 
•candidates, only 124 passed. This shows a large per¬ 
centage of failures, and indicates but too certainly that 
there is still much to be accomplished before we can re¬ 
alize the existence of scientific pharmacists throughout 
the length and breadth of the land. 
I have now the pleasure of stating that, after a good 
deal of consideration, the Council have agreed, with the 
approval of the London Council, to acquire a lease of 
very commodious premises in St. Giles Street—a new 
.street made by the directors of the Bank of Scotland, and 
which is central to both the old and new town. The 
Council have found it very difficult to obtain premises 
in all respects eligible. It trusts these may prove to be 
so. The building is a new one, and it will be November 
before the Society take possession. 
This, you are aware, is a preliminary step in carrying 
out our friend Mr. Dean’s views towards the formation 
of an extensive museum and library of reference worthy 
•of the North British Branch of the Pharmaceutical 
•Society of Great Britain. These spacious rooms will be 
•open both during the day and evening to all the mem¬ 
bers of the Society. 
I wish to remind both Assistants and Apprentices that 
ihe same liberality as formerly is continued by Professor 
Balfour and Dr. Stevenson Macadam; and I would urge 
upon all those who have not availed themselves of these 
advantages, to do so without delay. The best thanks of 
the Council are due to these gentlemen for the liberal ar¬ 
rangements they have made to facilitate the acquisition 
of a knowledge of botany and chemistry. It now only 
remains for me to offer you my sincere thanks for the 
kindness shown me during this my second tenure of the 
honourable office of President of the North British Branch 
of the Pharmaceutical Society. 
Mr. Young, in a few remarks, moved a vote of thanks 
to Mr. Baildon for his efficiency as Chairman, which 
was seconded by Bailie B lan shard, and unanimously 
carried. 
The Secretary then laid on the table the Smithsonian 
Report, Report of the Proceedings of the American 
Pharmaceutical Association, and two numbers of the 
Pharmacist, also from America, all of which had been 
j resented to the Society. Having intimated the arrange¬ 
ments for the approaching Session, the meeting ad¬ 
journed. 
Annual Meeting. 
The Annual Meeting took place in Elliot’s Room, 16, 
Princes Street, on Friday forenoon, 19th April, at 12 
o’clock ; Mr. Baildon, President, in the chair. 
At the request of the Chairman, the Secretary read 
the following 
Annual Retort. 
“ The Council have again to bring before the Annual 
Meeting of the North British Branch of the Pharma¬ 
ceutical Society their usual Annual Report, and in doing 
so, desire to congratulate the members on the continued 
success and onward progress of the affairs of the Associa¬ 
tion. 
“ The compulsory nature of the legislation embodied 
; in the Pharmacy Bill of 1868 is now commencing to bear 
the anticipated fruit, and one has only to glance at the 
number of candidates for the various examinations in 
London and Edinburgh throughout the past year, to be 
1 assured that the statement now made is a correct one. 
Perhaps special allusion might be made to one branch of 
; the Society’s requirements in connection with this subject, 
viz. the Preliminary Examinations, or the foundation on 
which the real scientific knowledge of the future chemist 
and druggist must of necessity be based. 
“ Referring to these examinations, the Council cannot 
help expressing regret that there should be so many 
failures; and they are ready to do this all the more, 
because they feel that the questions set by the Examiners 
are neither numerous nor difficult, and such as any youth 
of ordinary ability and education ought to master with 
comparative ease. To those young men more advanced 
than the apprentice, the questions still retain the same 
character, and ought to form Ho barrier in the way of 
entering for the Minor Examination. 
“ Since April of last year there have been examined 
in Edinburgh 189 candidates. These comprehend the 
Preliminary, Modified, Minor and Major. Of this number 
124 passed and 65 failed. The percentage of failures 
continues to be so large that the Council hope considerable 
improvement will be made in this department ere the 
Report for another year is issued. 
“ Change in the accommodation necessary for carrying 
on the operations of the Society in Edinburgh, including 
Examinations, Museum, Library, Meetings, etc., has 
produced not a little discomfort and awkwardness. This, 
however, the Council are pleased to intimate is nearly at 
an end, as they have now the prospect before them of a 
more steady arrangement. 
“ The Society in London is about to lease the new 
rooms in St. Giles Street, in process of erection, near the 
Bank of Scotland, being not only a central position for 
the old and new town of Edinburgh, but in close proximity 
to the general railway terminus; occupation will, it is 
hoped, be obtained in good time to commence the next 
winter session of 1872-73. 
“The same opportunities as to the teaching of Theo¬ 
retical and Practical Chemistry continue to exist, while 
the approaching summer course of Botany in the Royal 
Botanic Gardens will be open as before to all students in 
Pharmacy. 
“ The Council take this opportunity of expressing their 
thanks to Dr. S. Macadam and to Professor Balfour for 
their kindness in admitting pupils studying Chemistry 
and Botany on such advantageous terms to their classes. 
