4 
THE MINOR EXAMINATION. 
point of registration have done so from ignorance rather than design, being 
under the impression that having passed the examinations of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, and paid the fees demanded on examination, they had thereby become 
entitled to all the privileges and benefits the Society affords to those who be¬ 
long to it. A slight investigation of the circumstances of the case would show 
how unreasonable such an expectation would be, and how impossible would be 
its realization. The maintenance of an establishment in Bloomsbury Square 
with all the means provided there for promoting the cultivation of pharmaceu¬ 
tical science, and the extension of pharmaceutical knowledge, including the gra¬ 
tuitous circulation of a scientific journal, are undertakings which could only be 
accomplished by the combined efforts and special contributions of an extensive 
association like that of the Pharmaceutical Society. 
THE MINOR EXAMINATION. 
Whatever differences of opinion may exist upon other measures connected 
with Pharmacy, all seem to be agreed that an examination of some kind is ab¬ 
solutely necessary, both for the sake of the public and for the best interests of 
pharmaceutists themselves. The Minor Examination has been specially brought 
into notice of late, and as many persons may have imperfect or mistaken ideas 
of its character, an account of it is subjoined from the pen of an eye-witness. 
“ When a young man presented himself for the Minor Examination, the course 
adopted was as follows :—He first took his seat with the examiner in prescriptions, 
and a book was presented to him, full of those which had been actually made 
up at the counters • of various dispensing chemists. They were not written to 
puzzle him. but were the actual prescriptions pasted into the book ; those which 
he might have had to make up if in a situation, or such as he might be required 
to make up the next day. He was asked to translate them in full and at 
length, to give the literal English, and to give also that translation of the 
directions which he would write upon the label. He then passed to the dis¬ 
pensing-counter, when a prescription was handed to him, and he was required 
to make it up, sealing, finishing, and directing, as he would to a customer. His 
correctness and neatness and readiness in doing this were noted by the examiner, 
with the order in which he mixed the ingredients, and every other particular 
which marks a trustworthy and competent dispenser, and then he passed on to 
the Pharmacy table. Here he was shown the tinctures, powders, extracts, etc., 
of the Pharmacopoeia, unlabelled , such as P. Rhei, P. Myrrhse, Pil. Ilydrarg., 
Pulv. Doveri, Ext. Hyoscy., Tinct. Opii, etc., and he was expected, by smell, 
taste, and appearance, to recognize them ; he was questioned as to their composi¬ 
tion, the manner of preparing them, the proportion of opium, mercury, or 
active ingredients in each, etc. ; and then he took his place to be examined in 
Chemistry. Here he was shown the chemicals Hydrarg. Bichlorid., Alum, Potass. 
Iodid., etc., and questioned in the same way about them. He next presented 
himself at the Botany table. This was covered with fresh specimens of medicinal 
plants in flower, Conium, Hyoscyamus, Digitalis, etc., and he was expected to 
name them. Information as to the outlines of the science was sought, such as the 
difference between exogenous and endogenous plants, the names of the various 
parts, and the marks of some of the common classes. Then he went to the Ma¬ 
teria Medica, where roots, leaves, gums, etc., were spread out before him, and he 
was expected to recognize them, and distinguish between different sorts,—Indian 
and Alexandrian senna, Turkey and Egyptian opium, good and bad Gum 
Arabic, etc., and to give some information about the countries and sources from 
whence they came. This was the plan for all; some began with one thing and 
some with another, but all went through exactly the same course. .Each ex- 
