THE TWO BILLS. 
495 
in our trade, it must surely be the establishment of an upper and lower Board 
of Examiners. A multiplication of grades of persons examined by one Board is 
common throughout the professions of Law, Physic, and Divinity, and creates no 
jealousy. M.D., M.B., F.B.C.S., and M.B.C.S. are all honourable distinctions ; 
but when we find by the ‘ Medical Directory’ that Dr. Dash went to the world’s 
end to take a degree which might have been granted to him of better quality at 
home, we begin to institute comparisons. 
Lastly, is Sir Fitzroy Kelly’s Bill oppressive to the men at present constituting 
the u trade”'? 
It proposes to place them on a register for as moderate a fee as may be, and 
has not an atom of future authority over them. Their present rights and 
privileges will be effectually preserved by this registration. The Pharmaceutical 
Society would gladly welcome.them into its ranks as members, and the way in 
is neither difficult nor degrading. 
THE TWO BILLS FOB BEGULATING THE QUALIFICATIONS 
OF CHEMISTS AND DBUGGISTS. 
We have inserted elsewhere two Bills -which are now before Parliament, 
both of which bear the same title, namely, “ A Bill to regulate the Qualifi¬ 
cations of Chemists and Druggists,” and each of which, if enacted, is to be 
styled, “ The Chemists and Druggists Act.” The Bill No. 1 was introduced 
by Sir Fitzroy Kelly on the 17th of March. It is substantially the Bill of 
the Pharmaceutical Society, and is strictly an educational measure. It pro¬ 
vides for the registration of all existing chemists and druggists, and assistants 
to chemists and druggists, in addition to Pharmaceutical Chemists who are 
already registered, and it secures to these the rights and privileges they at 
present possess. It provides that registered Chemists and Druggists shall be 
eligible to be elected Associates of the Pharmaceutical Society, but that 
those who in future enter the business shall be so elected only after passing 
the Minor Examination. It provides that Associates as well as Members of 
the Pharmaceutical Society shall have the privilege of attending all meetings 
of the Society, of voting thereat, and otherw ise of taking part in the proceed¬ 
ings of such meetings, but that Associates shall not otherwise have or exercise 
the rights or privileges which now are or may be possessed by members of 
the Society. It provides that any person keeping open shop for the sale or 
compounding of drugs by retail, w T ho shall use the name or title of Pharma¬ 
ceutical Chemist, or Chemist and Druggist, or Chemist or Druggist, etc., 
without being registered as such, shall be subject to a penalty. And lastly, 
it provides that no person, unless he be registered under this Act, shall keep 
open shop for compounding the prescriptions of duly qualified medical prac¬ 
titioners, and it imposes a penalty of five pounds upon those who infringe this 
provision. 
It will thus be seen that the objects of this Bill, the Chemists and Druggists 
Bill No. 1, of which Sir Fitzroy Kelly has charge, are to establish a register 
of all those who at present have a vested interest in the business of a Chemist 
and Druggist, and to require from all who in future use any of the titles 
specified, that they shall pass an examination and prove their qualification. 
It leaves the mere sale of drugs and simple medicines unrestricted as at pre¬ 
sent, so that the little village shopkeeper may supply salts and senna, and 
brimstone and cream of tartar as hitherto, provided he does not assume a 
