MEETING or CHEMISTS AND DEUGGISTS. 
537 
maceutical chemist and druggist, or any title to imply that he is a compounder of medi¬ 
cines, and on the register, would wellnigh satisfy the wishes of those who advocate 
compulsory examination in the science and art of pharmacy.” 
Now, in the Address, to which so much exception is taken, I spoke rather approvingly 
of the Government as stepping in to “force some men to be honest against their will, so 
that the public might be able clearly to distinguish the learned from the unlearned.” A 
very little extension of the Pharmacy Act, as here suggested by Mr. Orridge, -would put 
pharmacy in the exact legal position of medicine, and, if such extension could be shown 
to be useful, I, for one, am quite ready to promote it, assured that it would not be at 
all inconsistent with anything I have brought before you. I think we might even go a 
step further in the same direction. On the Act respecting titles might be engrafted 
some regulations providing that none but registered persons should sell poisons, and that 
they should keep a written account of all such sales. 
An amended Pharmacy Act, extending to .the assumption of titles and the sale of 
poisons, would be quite in accordance with the “course of modern legislation” (see J. 
S. Mill on ‘Liberty,’ ed. 1867, p, 56), and would answer most of the purposes for which 
any further enactments are required ; and especially would prevent any apparent neces¬ 
sity for a new Poison Bill, which might, like its unfortunate predecessors, be devised in 
utter ignorance alike of the requirements or conveniences of the trade, and the necessities 
of the public. I might comment upon other passages, but I forbear. 
I think I need scarcely add that my objection to Mr. Orridge is purely logical, and 
not at all personal. I have no love for controversy for its own sake, and shall be satis¬ 
fied if I have made any suggestion which may lead to a measure calculated to benefit 
ourselves as a class, whilst, at the same time, it does no violence to those economical 
principles that lie at the basis of every enactment which really conduces to the public 
weal. 
Some discussion took place respecting a Poison Bill, after which Mr. Yewdall, 
Honorary Secretary, read a communication on the propriety of forming a museum of 
Materia Medica in connection with the Association. The proposal was generally ap¬ 
proved of, and as the museum was intended chiefly for the benefit of the Associates, it 
was resolved that they should be invited to solicit subscriptions, and assist in making 
arrangements for carrying out the plan. 
MEETING OE CHEMISTS ANI) HIIUGGISTS. 
On Thursday, the 24th of January, a public meeting of the trade was held, 
at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate Hill, to consider and adojrt certain re¬ 
solutions which the Executive Committee of the United Society had agreed 
to at a meeting held by them on the 17th January last. The President, 
Mr. H. Matthews, in the chair. The meeting was attended by about sixty 
persons. The first two resolutions might be said to have been agreed to 
w'ithout any discussion; Mr. C. F. Buott, jun., however, taking occasion, in 
moving the second resolution, to refer at some length to the third resolution 
as to the right of nominating and voting for members of the Council. 
The Seceetaey (Mr. Cyrus Buott) having read the circular convening the 
meeting, stated that he had received between forty and fifty letters upon 
the subject of the meeting. As the correspondence w'as somewhat of a per¬ 
sonal character, he should abstain from reading it at the meeting. He had 
however received an ofiicial document from Sheffield, -w hich could not be 
overlooked on that occasion. It was signed by the Chemists and Druggists 
of Sheffield, and stated, with reference to the 4th clause suggested by the 
Pharmaceutical Society, they could not agree to it, and that they also objected 
to any Bill th.at did not give equal rights and privileges with the unexamined 
members of the Pharmaceutical Society. They agreed that those members 
who had passed the Major examination of the Pharmaceutical Society should 
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