BATH CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
423 
ference, composed of nearly every chemist of Bath, pharmaceutical or not. After the 
meeting of the Conference, this temporary association, having fulfilled its purpose, was 
dissolved, and under a sense of the advantage and pleasure derived from meeting to¬ 
gether, the chemists of Bath formed themselves into a society. 
At the second meeting of the Society the following address was delivered by the Pre¬ 
sident, Mr. Tyler:— 
Gentlemen,—As you have done me the honour of placing me in this position as Pre¬ 
sident of the Bath Association of Chemists and Druggists (though I much doubt the 
prudence of your choice), I can only assure you that nothing shall be wanting on my 
part, so far as in me lies, to perform the duties incumbent upon me so as to render our 
evenings at once pleasant and instructive. It gives me great pleasure (and perhaps I 
feel it more than many) that I shall have associated with me a gentleman, whose un¬ 
tiring energy and zeal is so well known and duly appreciated by all those who have 
worked with him. I need not say how fortunate we are in having the services of Mr. 
J. C. Pooley as our Secretary. It is owing to his indefatigable exertions that we thus 
meet together this evening, and the formation of this Association of Bath Chemists and 
Druggists for social enjoyment and friendly intercourse is solely to be attributed to him; 
and if the spirit-in which he has laboured can be perpetuated, there can be no doubt but 
that good feeling and reciprocity of sentiment will pervade our little circle. 
It is pleasing to see how city and town throughout the country are now holding 
meetings of a similar character, with a view to promote more social intercourse and 
advancements; and I do sincerely trust that Bath, in proportion to its population, will 
not be second to any, but that our members will each do something towards promoting 
the best interests of our Society. We start with one advantage which few similar 
societies possess,—I mean the use of an excellent library, belonging to the Bath mem¬ 
bers of the Pharmaceutical Society, but kindly and freely placed open for the use of the 
members of this Association. It contains valuable standard works on materia medica, 
chemistry, botany, etc.; and I trust the time is not far distant when we shall enjoy the 
privilege of having a room of our own, on the table of which we may lay our periodicals 
and papers, and in which we may meet to enjoy the advantages of social intercourse 
and discuss such topics as may be desirable, and consider any suggestions that may'be 
of practical importance. 
Prance has repeatedly been held up to us as a pattern and model of pharmaceutical 
intelligence, and superiority inlaws and pharmaceutical governments; certainly many of 
their pharmaciens are far before us in intellectual pursuits, but are there not very many 
pharmaceutical chemists taking a much higher standing amongst us? In the ‘Phar¬ 
maceutical Journal’ for December last, there is a very interesting letter from Mr. Charles 
Ekin, “ On the State of Pharmacy in France,” which is well worth perusal; it states the 
high attainments expected from all members entering the profession (as it is there 
called), and many advantages to be obtained by passing a first-class examination. There 
is one curious privilege, that when a patient dies, among the first claims to be settled 
are those of the physician and chemist,—a law worthy to be introduced into our Codex. 
Following this letter is another from Mr. J. S. Weston on the same subject, viz. “The State 
of Pharmacy in France,” but giving a most unsatisfactory account of the law on phar¬ 
macy ; a commission having been appointed to inquire into the operation of the existing 
law, has presented a report, which shows the extreme weakness and imperfection of the 
present regulations. According to this report, the law prohibits secret remedies, and 
they swarm. It forbids the advertisement of secret remedies or new preparations, and 
the newspapers are filled with them. Pharmaciens ought not to supply medicines 
but with a physician’s prescription, yet, for the most part, as much medicine is sold 
without as with them; they ought to confine themselves to the Codex, yet many use 
other formulas; and it thus happens that a medical man does not always obtain for his 
patients the medicines he desires. “ Finally, as the law neither defines a secret medicine, 
nor a required medicinal weight, it results that mineral-water manufacturers, druggists, 
colour merchants, photographers, perfumers, grocers, herbalists, with a crowd of pre¬ 
tended chemists and charlatans, exercise medicine and pharmacy more or less illegally, to 
the great dishonour of these honourable professions.” The report closes with this ob¬ 
servation :—“ A new legislation, giving greater protection to pharmacy and medicine, is 
thus become necessary.” It really appears, gentlemen, as if France were taking a leaf 
out of our book in thus demanding a new legislation in pharmacy. 
