638 
THE TWENTY-FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF 
than a mere resolution. He would rather throw the Bill over than be dishonest towards 
the present body of Pharmaceutical Chemists; and he could assure them that he should 
be the last man to feel pleasure in thrusting his tongue in his check, as Mr. Collins had 
advised them, tie thought it would be desirable if they could now let in the outsiders 
• on the same terms as were proposed in 1852, but he confessed he was at a loss to see 
how it could be done. He advised the meeting to re-elect every member of the Council, 
who he felt certain would go back and complete the work that they had well and 
earnestly begun. 
Mr. Pedler said he had the greatest confidence in the Council, and so far from ap¬ 
pearing to sanction the kind of compromise that had been thrown out, he w r ould rather 
lose fifty Bills than lower the standard of the Society. He hoped the meeting would 
place implicit confidence in the Council, and leave the matter in their hands. 
The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously. 
Mr. Pedler then moved the next resolution :—“ That the thanks of the meeting be 
tendered and are hereby given to the President and Council, for their active and zealous 
services on behalf of the Society during the past year.” 
He said he was rejoiced to hear the statement just made by Mr. Flux, the solicitor, 
because he was a gentleman who, from his position with regard to the Society, was 
enabled to give a disinterested opinion with regard to the labour and the attendance of 
the members of the Council. There could be but one feeling with regard to the conduct 
of the Council during the past year, and that was that they had carried out to the very 
letter the views expressed by the meeting of last year. There could be no two opinions 
with reference to the two Bills before Parliament, and he thought it would be better to 
have no Bill at all than to be compelled to agree to the alteration mentioned by the 
President as required by the United Chemists and Druggists’ Society. The manner in 
which the Council had transacted the business of the past year entitled them to the 
thanks of every member of the Society. 
Mr. Boyce seconded the motion. He concurred in what had been stated by the last 
speaker, and he felt satisfied the meeting would have much pleasure in unanimously 
agreeing to the motion. 
The motion was unanimously agreed to. 
The President acknowledged the compliment on behalf of the Council. He heartily 
thanked them for the gratifying manner in which they had acknowledged the past 
services of the Council, and he assured them that what the Council felt to be their 
interest was and must be the interest of the whole profession. "What they had now 
to do would be done in a liberal spirit, but at the same time in a conservative and 
just spirit towards those who enjoyed privileges under our present Act of Parliament. 
The Council, strengthened by the expression of the approbation and confidence of the 
meeting, would, he hoped, successfully terminate the work they had commenced. There 
was no intention on the part of the Select Committee to introduce such a clause as Mr. 
Collins imagined, and the proposition of the Medical Council would not interfere with 
a chemist’s prescribing over the counter, as in certain circumstances he is compelled to 
do now. All that was intended was that Pharmaceutical Chemists and druggists should 
not take authority under the Bill to do so. • The Bill, if carried, would prevent dispensing 
by men who had not passed an examination. Dr. Quain, when before the Select Com¬ 
mittee, said it was utterly impossible to prevent chemists from prescribing over the 
counter altogether, but what was objected to was, chemists going out to visit patients. 
That was no part of their profession, and if they asked Parliament to restrict persons 
from encroaching on their grounds they ought to respect the preserves of others; but 
there was a case on record, brought before the Medical Council at its late sitting, where 
a chemist had gone beyond the legitimate range of his duties and taken charge of a 
benefit club ; it was found, on inquiry, that the person referred to had been educated 
as a medical practitioner, though he had not passed his examination as such. The 
Medical Council, however, gave chemists credit generally for discountenancing such 
practice. 
Mr. Orridge moved the thanks cf the meeting to Mr. Bremridge, the Secretarv. It 
was but due to that gentleman that they should recognize his valuable services. 
The President hoped he should not be considered out of order if he seconded the 
vote of thanks to their estimable Secretary, Mr. Bremridge. He had been as much, if 
not more, in communication with him, than any member of the Council or of the 
