BENEVOLENT FUND DINNER. 
527 
none of them had filled the oflfice with greater honour and usefulness than the gentleman 
whose health he asked them to drink. Any one could sit at the helm when it was fine 
weather, but when it was otherwise it required a man of courage and ability, and tasked 
his energy and skill. Their President, in his term of office, had had to devote his time 
and attention to a Bill which was promoted in Parliament, and involved waiting on 
Cabinet Ministers, and an attention to those who opposed it, besides other claims upon 
his time and patience; to all of which he had given a constant and sedulous attention. 
Whoever might hereafter fill the office, he felt satisfied they would never have a more 
worthy representative than Mr. Sandford. He could name many circumstances, if neces¬ 
sary, to commend the toast to their notice, but of all of them none would be greater 
than the announcement of the fact that yesterday all opposition to the proposed legis¬ 
lation ceased. He called upon them to drink with all their hearts the health of the 
worthy President. 
The President, in returning thanks, said, that however much he might have been 
prepared for their reception of the toast, he was altogether unprepared to respond to the 
manner in which Mr. Edwards had proposed it, and had alluded to his past services. 
He must confess that he accepted the office with many misgivings, and a feeling 
that there were many others better able to fill it than he was. All he could say was, 
that whatever he had done for the Society had been done in the hope that the Society 
would fulfil the object for which it was established, viz. the advancement of pharmacy, 
which was only to be accomplished by bringing all its followers into union, and by their all 
working for one object. Allusion had been made to what had been done in Parliament, 
and also to what took place yesterday, and it afforded him great pleasure to be able to 
state that from it they might look forward to success, and that all who practised phar¬ 
macy would be united in one society, and do their best to maintain the dignity of the 
profession. It would have been a great reward to him if he could have seen a Pharmacy 
Bill passed this session, but he feared they must not expect that, under the present state 
of things in the political world. 
Mr. Hills proposed the health of the visitors, and begged to thank them for their 
support that evening. They were honoured with the presence of a member of the 
House of Commons, and also members of the medical profession. He also thanked the 
country members, who had come from all parts of the country, and some from great 
distances, to be present and to help the important object of that day’s festival. When¬ 
ever the members of the Pharmaceutical Society were required, they were always ready 
in furthering the objects of the Society. There were also present gentlemen of the same 
trade, who although not members of the Pharmaceutical Society at present, yet he hoped, 
from what had taken place at the interview between the deputation of the “ United 
Society ” and members of the trade with the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society, that 
the next time they met in that room all would be members of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, and he welcomed them that evening. Then there was a gentleman represent¬ 
ing a great institution of the State—he meant the Church. He was delighted to see 
him there, for he was not only a great ornament to the profession to which he belonged, 
but he was also a great crystallographer, and. consequently he might be claimed as one 
of the Pharmaceutical body. He had great pleasure in proposing the health of the 
visitors, and thanking them for their presence and support on that occasion, and in coupling 
that toast with the name of the Rev. Mr. Mitchell, of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. 
The Rev. Mr. Mitchell acknowledged the compliment, and adverted to the great 
advantages which such a Society conferred upon the public generally as well as upon 
its members. 
Dr. Langdon Down proposed the School of Pharmacy. Allusions had been made to 
various departments of the institution—such as the Benevolent Fund, and the advantages 
to be gained by more specific Parliamentary enactment, but the most glorious thing in con¬ 
nection with the Society was its school of pharmacy. He was happy in being able to 
say that he had been a working pupil in that school, and he could bear his testimony to 
its great value. The Society did not seek to make itself a close corporation, but 
to educate the rising members of the profession. He would connect with the toast 
the name of Professor Redwood, who appeared to have been created for the benefit of 
the Society. That gentleman combined the practical knowledge of pharmacy with the 
highest attainments in chemistry. 
Professor Redwood, in returning thanks, said he thought credit was mostly due for 
