030 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[May 13,1872- 
scquently, copies of the Register are supplied by the simultaneously throughout the kingdom. Roprescnta- 
Governmcnt to magistrates, coroners, and others. Cases 
brought 
of doubtful registration arc from time to time 
before the Parliamentary Committee by the Registrar 
for investigation, and reported on according to their 
merits; whereupon, the Council, as may have been seen 
in the monthly reports, order the erasure of names im¬ 
properly inserted. But there is a still more laborious 
work thrown on the Registrar. Although it is the duty imperative to check it, 
of every Registrar of Deaths to send notice to Blooms¬ 
bury Square of the decease of Pharmaceutical Chemists 
and Chemists and Druggists which may occur in his dis¬ 
trict, many names still remain on the Register of persons 
who cannot be found at the addresses given; and it has 
therefore recently been deemed necessary to issue 1262 
registered letters according to the 10th section of the 
Pharmacy Act, 1868, in order that the list may he freed 
from errors. Should the application lately made for 
the extended exemption from jury service be successful, pamphlet, setting 
a still greater necessity for accuracy will arise. The 
Council would urge on every chemist changing his 
residence to send his new address at once to the Regis¬ 
trar. A classified Register, according to towns, is in 
the course of preparation; it is found to be a work of 
great labour. The Council, however, trust that in a a 
short time it will be completed. 
tions had been made that on more than one occasion the 
questions propounded to the candidates at a place where 
the examination was held in the morning were tele¬ 
graphed to another place at which the afternoon was- 
fixed for holding it. As the questions for each exami¬ 
nation are alike throughout the country, this irregu¬ 
larity is such an evident source of mischief, that it was 
For this purpose it is now ar¬ 
ranged that these examinations shall be everywhere 
held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the appointed days. 
The Benevolent Fund as usual has claimed and re¬ 
ceived its share of attention; the receipts during the- 
year are larger in amount from interest in invested 
property, and, at the same time, several new sub¬ 
scribers have been added, evincing—what is most 
desirable—the sympathy of the many. In order to 
keep it more prominently before the members, a 
forth the objects of the fund, rules, 
etc., has been published and distributed; and the sub¬ 
scriptions and donations are also published monthly. 
It is hoped that by these means the fund during this- 
present year will be much increased. 
In accordance with the expressed wish of the Society, 
reporter has been in attendance at all the CouneiL 
meetings of the year, taking full notes of the proceedings; 
The subject of Exemption from Service on Juries by and such portions as the Publication of Council Minutes- 
all Registered Chemists and Druggists has been con- Committee deemed proper have been published in the 
sidered ; and after the resolution passed by the Council | Journal; the whole being carefully preserved for refer- 
in April, immediate steps to secure that exemption were ence if required at any future day by the Council. In 
taken. The Council sincerely hope that a request so carrying out this part of their duty, the Committee have 
reasonable and important in the interests of the public 1 been governed by the general interest of the members of 
will be granted. j the Society, avoiding as far as possible the publication 
The granting of aid to provincial associations for faci- of matter partaking more of the character of private- 
litating the technical education of assistants and ap- , than public business. 
prentices unable to avail themselves of the opportunities The Council desire to tender their hearty thanks to • 
afforded by the Society in London, has engaged the at- those gentlemen who have performed the important, and 
tention of the Council. It is eminently one of consider¬ 
able difficulty, requiring much careful thought, for 
whilst the desirability of carrying out such a project is 
generally admitted, it is obvious that it should be 
equitably, and to be done equitably, it must be 
The claims of small 
systematically, 
considered as well as 
those 
of large 
at first sight, the larger would 
done 
done 
towns should be 
ones; and, indeed, 
seem to require help 
less than the smaller. 
The Council regret that the regulations which have 
been agreed to from time to time by the Council, on the 
recommendation of the Provincial Education Committee, 
have not worked as satisfactorily as could be desired. An 
alteration was agreed to by the Council at its last meet¬ 
ing, the effect of which will be to remove the restrictions 
which the Council believe have prevented the full bene¬ 
fit originally anticipated. The whole question, however, 
must be more fully gone into by the incoming Council. 
The Council invite attention to the result of the 
examinations of the past year, as shown below. The 
examinations will always be a matter of the greatest 
interest to Pharmacists, and importance to the well¬ 
being of the Institution. 
sometimes difficult, duties of Local Secretaries 
The members of the Parliamentary Committee have 
met regularly, considering most attentively all cases 
which have come before them, endeavouring without 
illegal sale 
off 
of 
Presented themselves. 
Passed. 
Major. 
50 
Minor. 
231 
M dified .... 
123 
Preliminary .. 
. 1163 
766 
The Council having fully considered the nature of the 
examinations, believe them to bo sufficient for the pre- 
sent requirements. The preliminary examination has 
received especial attention; and a report was published 
by order of the Council, by which it is hoped that 
all. who have to undergo the ordeal will be 
assisted. 
The Council desire to draw attention to a regulation 
recently issued that these examinations should be held 
greatly 
being needlessly stringent to restrict the 
poisons by unqualified persons, and protect the titles 
Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemist and Druggist. 
The Petroleum Act of 1868 contained restrictions as- 
to the keeping of petroleum that were found to be par¬ 
ticularly oppressive and vexatious when applied to the 
storing of Benzol and allied preparations in small quan¬ 
tities ; and it is satisfactory to be able to report that 
Clause 7 of the Petroleum Act of 1871 contains the ex¬ 
emptions promised to the deputation which waited on the 
authorities at the Home Office, and removes these restric¬ 
tions. A Bill, relating to the adulteration of food and 
drugs, has been introduced into Parliament by Mr. 
Muntz, containing clauses that would be prejudicial to- 
the interests of the pharmaceutical body. At present, 
its progress has been postponed, to allow of the subject 
being dealt with in the Government Public Health Bill.. 
These Bills will require the careful attention of the- 
Parliamentary Committee. 
For some time past the Pharmaceutical Society has- 
had but very insufficient accommodation for carrying 
on its affairs in Scotland, and more especially for con¬ 
veniently and properly conducting the examinations. 
This fact has long been felt by the Council; and they 
received at their meeting, on November 1st, a letter, 
which was afterwards published in the Journal, from 
their former esteemed colleague, Mr. Henry Deane, 
representing that the rooms occupied by the North 
British Branch in Edinburgh were altogether inadequate 
to its requirements. After due consideration, the Council 
authorized Mr. Mackay, Hon. Secretary, to make in¬ 
quiries with the view of obtaining premises more 
worthy of the Society, affording proper and sufficient 
accommodation for conducting the examinations, and 
large enough for a library and museum. The Council 
