330 
PlIAEMACEUTICAL MEETING, EDINBURGH. 
Special notice on the present occasion. Indeed, ever since the two Pharmacy Bills were 
so keenly discussed by the rival interests, and so quietly shelved by the Select Committee, 
there has been quite a lull of the pharmaceutical atmosphere, which neither party seems 
inclined to disturb at present, probably because the forces on both sides were somewhat 
exhausted in the struggle. If so, let us, without grudging them a little repose, enter¬ 
tain the hope that when they gather strength and courage for a new effort to obtain 
improved legislation respecting pharmacy, it may produce more satisfactory results. 
In the absence, then, of any important pharmaceutical events to record, and therefore 
of interesting topics for an opening address, it occurred to me that it might not he 
amiss to deviate slightly from the usual course, and, instead of speaking generally of 
matters connected with the progress of pharmacy, to say a few words relative to the 
efficient practice of it, and the principles which ought to guide the pharmaceutist 
in the discharge of his important duties. Unfortunately for me, however, this point 
was just settled when Mr. luce’s able paper on Pharmaceutical Ethics, read at the Con¬ 
ference, appeared in the Journal,—a circumstance which, on account of the kindred 
nature of the subject, and the well-known ability of the author, at once suggested to 
me the propriety of seeking some other theme. Knowing well, however, from previous 
experience, that it is much easier to seek one than to find it, especially when there 
is little time and less leisure, I scarcely ventured to hope that the search would be suc¬ 
cessful, in time to be available on this occasion. 
I was, therefore, as you may imagine, considerably relieved when, after some-conside¬ 
ration, it occurred to me that it was perhaps unnecessary after all to make the attempt, 
and that the best course, in the circumstances, might possibly be just to adhere to the 
original subject, and modify it, so far as it might be necessary, to avoid going over the 
ground which has been already so extensively and carefully surveyed. As this view 
seemed, upon the whole, a satisfactory solution of the difficulty, it was adopted, and 
therefore I now, with your permission, proceed to offer a few observations on the quali¬ 
fications, duties, and responsibilities of pharmaceutists. 
Assuming, at the outset, that the pharmaceutist has received a fair education, and is 
well acquainted with the science and practice of pharmacy, and therefore, in these 
respects, qualified to perform his various duties with intelligence and accuracy, I think 
it will be generally admitted that he would be still better fitted for his position by 
having, in addition to his other qualifications, wdiat is usually called moral principle. 
Of course this may be said of every man, whatever be his profession or employment, but 
it seems to have peculiar force when applied to the pharmaceutist, whose position is one 
of the highest trust, and the interests committed to his charge so important as to 
require that, even in minute and apparently trifling details, his duties should be con¬ 
scientiously performed, but for which, on account of their peculiar nature, and the 
difficulty of determining whether they have been so or not,—the best, and in many 
cases the only, guarantee to the public, is his professional and moral character. 
There are, doubtless, many cases in which these duties are well discharged, from a 
sense of honour and from motives of expediency; but the great advantage of moral 
principle is, that it tends to secure that this shall be done in all circumstances, even 
when a strict regard to its claims seems opposed to present advantage, and to involve 
the sacrifice both of profit and patronage. It is, therefore, the best securitv for his 
ntegrity in all departments of duty, whether scientific, commercial, manufacturing, 
dispensing, or advertising, and the safest rule of conduct in the relation in which ho 
stands to the medical profession, the public, and his pharmaceutical brethren. 
Moral principle ought, therefore, to be regarded, not merely as a desirable but neces¬ 
sary qualification for all engaged in the practice of pharmacy ; one for which even ex¬ 
tensive experience, a high degree of scientific knowledge, or the best code of conventional 
rules, will not serve as a substitute. Such rules may and often do exist, apart from 
moral principle, and are, no doubt, in their own place both useful and valuable ; but that 
place is to accompany, not to supersede moral principle, which, so far from diminishing 
their usefulness and value, furnishes the highest motives for their observ^ance, and thus 
tends very much to enhance both. 
Notwithstanding, however, the great importance of moral principle, as a qualification 
of the pharmaceutist, it must be allowed that it is one which it is not the province of 
the Pharmaceutical Society directly to impart, or even to test hy examination, because 
it cannot be measured by an educational standard, or ascertained by any board of ex- 
