268 
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. 
to tlieir employers, a miicli greater and more lasting advantage would be se¬ 
cured for themselves. 
TWENTY-EIVE YE AES AGO. 
Sometimes we gain time by standing still; in the career of a society, as in 
that of an individual, there is occasionally a positive advantage in taking a 
retrospect of past trials and successes, in order to be better prepared for the 
emergencies of the future. Eive-and-twenty years ago the Pharmaceutical 
Society was established; the results are now before the world, of which the 
practical details are chronicled in a recent publication called the Calendar. 
This little pamphlet, issued under the authority of the Council, contains a 
short but sufficient statement of official arrangements, and various lists, in¬ 
cluding those of Council, Committees, Local Secretaries, Honorary and Cor¬ 
responding Members, Officers, and Professors ; together with all such infor¬ 
mation as may be likely to prove of use or interest to the pharmaceutist. It 
is needless to draw attention to its separate paragraphs, though we may be 
allowed to advert with unfeigned pleasure to the sessional prizes and certifi¬ 
cates. Full particulars, are given with regard to the award of these honour¬ 
able distinctions, whose real value consists in their being the symbol of recog¬ 
nition of patient and successful study. 
The Society has done itself no slight honour in paying a tribute of respect to 
one whose name, according to the grand old university phrase, cui nomen in Jidc 
UniversUate semjper est in honorem, is ever entitled to be remembered with 
respect. No one certainly is more entitled to be held in perpetual reverence 
amongst us than the late Jonathan Pereira ; and rightly therefore a medal is 
granted in his honour. The day, we hope, will come when they will form but 
one of the series of special rewards the Society may have to oner. 
We feel some difficulty in so frequently alluding to the late Jacob Bell. 
Here, at least, his services must be gratefully recorded. Such a record exists 
in the two Memorial Scholarships that were founded in connection with the 
Laboratory, for which we are indebted to his wise munificence. We say ivise 
advisedly, for that is the truest wisdom which seeks to establish pharmacy on 
the basis of sound learning ; all other plans must fail, having no vital element 
of success. One day, not possibly so very distant, we hope to see on the 
title-page of a future Pharmacopoeia, the same inscription as that which now 
adorns the Paris Codex (1866):—“ Edited under Official Sanction ; the Edi¬ 
torial Commission being composed of the Professors of the Faculty of Medi¬ 
cine and of the High School of Pharmacy at Paris ; of Members of the Im¬ 
perial Academy of Medicine, and of the Pharmaceutical Society of Paris.” 
This is as it should be. There can be no antagonism between pharmacy and 
medicine, if the teaching of our Society obtains, and the requisite qualifica¬ 
tion exists on our part. The trade (in its highest sense) must supplement the 
profession; and just in proportion as we elevate our standard, the two will 
walk hand in hand together. 
To what extent this higher tone exists we may refer the reader to the re¬ 
marks of Mr. Edwards, made at the opening of the session. The few but 
pregnant words of that gentleman were characterized by the grace and 
exquisite finish with which we are happily so familiar. We commend his 
admirable observations to every Pharmaceutical student. 
“You wish, no doubt,” (he remarks,) “that your character, as chemists, 
should give you a higher position in society, and raise you in public estima¬ 
tion above mere traders. Show yourselves men of education and sound 
knowledge, and you will be likely to attain it; there will be that silent 
