634 
THE TWENTY-FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF 
ductiou of a clause into the present Bill. Between the two Bills he thought it was pos¬ 
sible to produce a good one. It had been urged against this Society that there were 
many members who had not passed an examination, but it should be recollected that 
those were the men who, twenty years ago, banded themselves together and paid their 
money with the view of founding this Society for the joint benefit of themselves and 
others. It was urged that apprentices and associates were put to a great expense in 
passing their examination, but it was done at a comparatively small cost to them, the 
gi'eater portion being paid from the subscriptions of the members. He cordially con¬ 
curred in the Report. As a local secretary he had called meetings of the profession 
within his own district, and he must admit that they had always listened attentively 
and carefully to everything he had put before them; and if they could so construct a 
clause as would meet the views of the outsiders, he felt certain that many of them would 
be heartily willing to join this Society. He concluded by moving the following reso¬ 
lution, “That the Report now read be received and adopted, and printed in the Society’s 
Journal and Transactions.” 
Mr. Humpage had much pleasure in seconding the motion. The financial Report was 
most encouraging, and it had been so completely analysed in the Report that had just 
been read, that it was unnecessary for him to enter into any details. The finances were 
increasing in the right direction, and it was a matter of congratulation to find that the 
large sum which at one time was charged against the Journal had been so materially 
reduced. The candidates for admission was another matter for congratulation. In 1862 
the examinations were only seventy-five, and in 1864 they had increased to 152, and the 
most surprising thing was to find that most of them had been able to pass without hav¬ 
ing first to attend the Society’s lectures or the laboratory, which was due to those exa¬ 
mined members who had taken apprentices being so thoroughly competent to instruct 
them in the various branches of the profession. It would have been impossible twenty- 
five years ago for eighty-nine young men to have presented themselves for examination 
without having first had to go through a course of instruction similar to that which was 
to be obtained by attending the lectures and the laboratory. In dealing with the ques¬ 
tion of what were termed the outsiders, two interests were to be considered. He had 
met with many of them who came up to the true ordeal which the Society had esta¬ 
blished, but he who could not ensure a few weeks’ attention which would enable him 
to take his true position ought not to be admitted a member. With regard to the sub¬ 
ject of legislation, he admitted it would be a very good thing if the sale of drugs and 
medicines could be confined to educated men only, but the question was, how was it to 
be accomplished ? It was, he admitted, a difficult question, but he thought the best thing 
the Society could do would be to leave it in the hands of the Council to solve. Their past 
conduct had been all that they could wish, and he felt confident they would do every¬ 
thing in their power for the advancement of the Society, and also of individual members 
of the profession. The Society was in a very healthy position, and the man who said 
to the contrary was—he would not say what. The Society was never more healthy 
than at present, and though the cost of legislation would be—must necessarily be— 
heavy, it would be the best mode of advertising that ever could have been adopted, for 
hundreds, nay thousands, now read about the Pharmaceutical Society who, prior to the 
agitation, knew nothing about it, and probably could not pronounce its name. He was 
confident that the more the Society was known the better it would be appreciated, and 
whenever he had come in contact with persons who really had inquired about it for the 
purpose of information, he had had no difficulty in proving to them that if the Society 
had not done everything that was wished, it had accomplished sufficient to make the 
profession and the public thankful for its existence. 
Mr. Collins said that a stranger would imagine, after having heard the speeches of 
the mover and seconder of the motion, that there never had been such a Society before, 
and that they were never likely to have such another. Now, with regard to the subject 
of legislation, he should be glad if information could be given to him and to the meet¬ 
ing with reference to the progress of the Bill now before Parliament. 
The President said that had already been done. 
Mr. Collins (who came in late) said then he must not complain. He must say, 
however, that he thought the Medical Council had put forward a most extraordinary 
recommendation with regard to the Bill. He hoped that those who had charge of 
the Bill would not allow such a monstrous clause to be inserted. He and many others 
