THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
633 
the “ Chemists and Druggists Act ’’ of this year will take its place in the Statute 
Book as the consummation of the Pharmacy Act of 1852. During the progress 
of the Bill through Parliament it is difficult to speak with any certainty, and as 
to the proceedings of the Council, they have been amply reported and com¬ 
mented on from time to time in the Journal and Transactions. The work has 
been one of no small labour and anxiety. There is always a difficulty in in¬ 
fusing a knowledge of special subjects into the minds of men who have no 
practical acquaintance therewith, and although the demand for the educational 
qualification of chemists and druggists, put forth by the Medical Council in 
1864 and at once indorsed by the public, has been earnestly taken up in Par¬ 
liament, there yet remains much more for the Council to do. 
During the past year one of the oldest members of the Council has been re¬ 
moved. It would be unreasonable to mourn the loss of him who goes down full 
of years and honour to the grave, but a feeling of regret comes over us when 
we miss a cheery voice to which we have long been accustomed. Among the 
founders and supporters of the Pharmaceutical Society there was not one more 
active, more earnest, or more honest than Thomas Herring, of whose assistance 
and encouragement we are now deprived. His memory will remain, and it 
may be that some will say, with justice too, that Thomas Herring worked hard 
for the advancement of Pharmacy years before the Pharmaceutical Society was 
thought of. 
Mr. Hollier, in moving the adoption of the Report, congratulated the meeting upon 
the very satisfactory position of the Society with respect to its income and expenditure, 
the former being much larger than that of last year, whilst the expenditure had not 
been, perhaps, much more this year than it was last year. That was a fact upon which 
they might safely congratulate themselves ; and with regard to the Report that had been 
read, he felt certain it would be received with great pleasure by all the members and 
friends of the institution. He must, however, express his regret at so small an attend¬ 
ance of country members, especially as he had always looked upon their annual meeting 
as one of the high holidays of the year. It was but natural that a larger number of 
Loudon members than country members should assemble on these occasions, but on the 
present occasion, when they had a Bill before Parliament, which was of vital conse¬ 
quence to them, he certainly anticipated seeing a very large attendance of country mem¬ 
bers. It was, however, satisfactory to find that the country members felt they were 
so ably supported by the Council, in whose hands they were disposed to place them¬ 
selves, that they could safely leave what was best to be done to them, and if it were 
possible to carry a Bill through Parliament that would not interfere with the pri¬ 
vilege and influence of the Pharmaceutical Council, he thought that it would not only 
be acceptable to the public, but also to the great body of the chemists and druggists. 
He felt certain that many of the latter would rather have such a Bill carried than tha 
promoted by the United Society. It had been stated in the ‘ Chemist and Druggist ’ that 
the support given to the Bill now before Parliament had been obtained, in some in¬ 
stances, by misrepresentation, and as he had taken a great interest in the matter, he 
wrote to the editor upon the subject, informing him of the mistake he had made, and he 
(Mr. Hollier) had taken care to communicate his opinion upon the matter to the proper 
authorities. He had taken a great interest in the Society, and he had taken part in the 
country in the agitation that had occurred with reference to further legislation. He 
wished to see the privileges of the Society maintained, but at the same time he was de¬ 
sirous of seeing the outsiders admitted into their ranks, if it could be done, and it was 
the opinion of some that by an amalgamation it would be possible to get a Bill that 
would work satisfactorily for all parties. The sale of poisons was a very difficult ques¬ 
tion, and if they could legislate satisfactorily with reference to it and dangerous drugs, 
it would advance materially the interests not only of Pharmaceutical Chemists, but also 
the chemist and druggist generally. He could state from his own knowledge in his 
own district, that drysalters distributed these poisons and dangerous drugs at great 
risk to the public and themselves ; but he thought it might be prevented by the intro- 
