178 
WHAT HAS EDUCATION DONE? 
applied, and by them also the remedy was undertaken. The Pharmaceutical 
Society was organized by the leading chemists and druggists of the day, and 
one of the principal objects of the Society M^as to advance pharmacy by extend¬ 
ing the knowledge and improving the general qualification of those who devoted 
themselves to it as a profession or business. Lectures were established on che¬ 
mistry and pharmacy, botany and materia medica ; and subsequently practical 
instruction in laboratory operations was provided for those who desired to 
avail themselves of such assistance in their studies. This system of instruction 
was organized upon a liberal and efficient scale; and it has been thus maintained 
for twenty-five years, to the credit of those who, at a yearly cost of hundreds of 
pounds, have continued to afford to the rising generation advantages which they 
had not themselves enjoyed. The credit of having persisted in this course has 
been the greater on account of the opposition that has from time to time been 
offered to it. Sometimes the cost to the members of the Society, who were not 
personally partakers of the benefits, has been urged as aground for discontinuing 
the school, while at other times it has been represented that the standard of in¬ 
struction was raised too high or made too scientific to prove useful to men of 
business. Evils have been predicted as likely to result from imparting to our 
young men a love of science, the application of which, it has been contended, 
was not likely to find remunerative scope in the field of legitimate pharmacy. 
It was asked, would not all this learning raise expectations that would be 
doomed to disappointment? Would it not give young men notions that were 
inconsistent with habits of business, make them despise the apron and neglect 
many essential operations of the shop that might be thought to be mere 
drudgery ? You may raise up a class of philosophers, it was said, but will they 
be satisfied with the monotony, the drudgery, and the sparing remuneration 
which the practice of pharmacy presents ? If you retain them as members of 
your body, w'hich is doubtful, will they not become conceited and overbearing 
to those who have helped them to their position, and contributed to make them 
what they cannot themselves hope to be ? But many, if not most, of them, 
after partaking of your generosity, instead of remaining ornaments to the pro¬ 
fession of their early choice, will apply their acquired knowledge in more pro¬ 
mising pursuits than that of pharmacy, and thus the contemplated object will 
be frustrated. 
Now, after a lapse of a quarter of a century, it may be asked, how far have 
these predictions been realized ? What has education done ? Have we pro¬ 
gressed or gone backwards? If, as will readily be admitted, there are notable 
signs of progression, has the general advancement been marked by attendant 
evils, either incidental or pertaining to the means that have been adopted ? 
We shall not attempt to give explicit answers to these questions ; it forms no 
part of our object on the present occasion to do so. What we have purposed is 
to induce a general inquiry among those concerned with reference to the past, 
so that they may the better judge of the fitness of means already tried for ac¬ 
complishing what is required in the future. With an institution firmly esta¬ 
blished, and objects the importance and desirableness of which cannot be gain- 
sayed, we need not fear to look the case fully in the face, nor to meet those who 
may be disposed to cavil on minor points of detail, while we can refer to great 
and obvious results. 
AVe are about to enter upon a new session, and those who avail themselves of 
the means of instruction provided by the Society may profitably take example 
from those who have preceded them as students, and who now occupy promi¬ 
nent positions as promoters of whatever tends to the advancement of pharmacy. 
The means of instruction provided are designed to supply the knowledge which, 
in addition to that acquired only at the counter, forms the necessary qualifi¬ 
cation for an accomplished pharmaceutist. Scientific instruction is furnished 
