THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL 
SECOND SERIES. 
VOL, VI.—No. IX.—MARCH 1st, 1S65. 
QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE PHARMACY BILL. 
It could not be expected, and certainly was not desired, in appealing to the body 
of Chemists and Druggists for their opinions on the proposed extension of the 
Pharmacy Bill, that simple assent or dissent should be expressed. There must 
be many differences of opinion on such a measure, many doubts entertained 
with reference to the probable effects of specified provisions or the best means of 
accomplishing desired objects, and difficulties experienced in forming settled 
opinions upon some of the questions that necessarily arise. The full and free 
discussion of the subject is calculated to dispel erroneous notions, to give a defi¬ 
nite character to expressed opinions, and to reduce the number of essential dif¬ 
ferences among those most interested in the issue. We believe much good has 
arisen in this way from the agitation throughout the country of the merits of 
the proposed Bill; but we cannot say, nevertheless, that the results or the ge¬ 
neral tendency of the discussions, as reported, have always appeared just and 
satisfactory. 
In the meeting of Chemists and Druggists at York, although a preference 
Avas expressed for the Bill of the Pharmaceutical Society over that of the United 
Society of Chemists and Druggists, yet neither Bill was adopted in an unaltered 
form, and the propositions that were made for amendments in some of the clauses 
Avere accompanied by remarks which Ave cannot alloAv to pass unnoticed. It Avas 
freely admitted that the Pharmaceutical Society, being an incorporated and le¬ 
gally recognized body, Avould, on these accounts, have an advantage in claiming 
the attention of the Legislature to their proposed measure. But then it Avas 
stated that the Pharmaceutical Society Avas a small body compared to the great 
mass of Druggists in the country ; this remark being apparently made Avith the 
vieAv of disparaging the claim to support which might be urged in favour of 
the Bill emanating from and supported by the Society. 
We have shown on a former occasion (March, 1864, page 383) that the mem¬ 
bers of the Pharmaceutical Society constitute fully one-third of the Avliole num¬ 
ber of Chemists and Druggists throughout the country. This calculation is 
founded, not upon the vague and absurd statements which have been made by 
some persons, who have represented the number of Chemists and Druggists at 
30,000, and even at 40,000, but upon the more reliable data furnished by the 
Registrar-General in the census returns. There were only 12,638 persons of 
twenty years of age and upAvards avIio, according to the census of 1861, Avere 
engaged in the practice of pharmacy at that time in England and Wales, and 
this number includes apprentices and assistants as well as principals. Noav, in 
London there is one Druggist to every 3500 of the population, and if the same 
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