THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL 
SECOND SERIES. 
YOL. VI.—No. VI.—DECEMBER 1st, 1864. 
SEPARATE EXAMINATIONS FOR CHEMISTS ALREADY IN 
BUSINESS ON THEIR OWN ACCOUNT. 
When, in August last, the resolution of the Council of the Pharmaceutical 
Society to hold separate examinations for chemists in business on their own 
account (who had been so for five years, or were not less than thirty years of 
age) came forth, we took occasion to consider fairly the question in all its 
bearings;—first, as to such chemists themselves ; secondly, as to its effect on 
the character and standing of the Society ; and lastly, as to our duty to the 
Legislature and the public, to which we were pledged by our acceptance of the 
Pharmacy Act of 1852. Fully alive to the temptation which might beset the 
Council when members were to be added to the Society, we yet ventured to 
believe that our tried men would not be found wanting ; that they would feel 
the examinations were “ f/ie very foundation of the Society , and the maintenance of 
their integrity the tenure by which its privileges are held .” 
Three months ago this could be but a matter of faith, and we now return 
to the subject because we have proof before us that our confidence was well 
founded. The assurance given was, that the subjects of examination should be 
the same as in the ordinary Major and Minor, but treated practically rather 
than theoretically. To make this distinction might be easy enough to an examiner 
with his candidate before him, but it did not seem so easy to reduce the differ¬ 
ence to a written synopsis; that was a task requiring great care and time for 
consideration, and the examiners wisely declined to issue any hastily arranged 
instructions to those who wished to avail themselves of the new privilege. Such 
a synopsis is, however, now in existence, has been handed to every candidate, 
and put into the hands of the Local Secretaries for general diffusion throughout 
the country. 
This, then, is the general outline of the proceedings :— 
PRESCRIPTIONS. 
1. Reading. 
2. Translating literally. 
3. Methods of Dispensing the Prescription. 
4. Detection of Unusual Doses. 
3 LATER IA MEDICA. 
1. Recognition of Drugs. 
2. Names of Plants or Animals yielding them. 
3. Habitats and whence imported. 
4. Preparations into which they enter. 
5. Indications of the Commercial Characters and Qualities of Drugs. 
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