YORK chemists’ ASSOCIATION. 589 
ANNUAL REPORT. —186G. 
The Committee of the York Chemists’ Association, in presenting to the members their 
second annual report, offer their congratulations on the continued prosperity and success 
that has attended their efforts for the promotion of unity and harmony, and for the 
furtherance of the interests of the trade in the city of York. 
During the past year your Committee has held several meetings for the transaction of 
business, and for the discussion of subjects interesting to the members generally; and at 
the annual dinner, held on the 27th February last, a most successful and pleasant 
gathering of the trade took place, and the utmost cordiality and good feeling prevailed. 
Your Committee would draw the attention of the members to the provisions of the 
Petroleum Act, passed by the Legislature two or three years ago, wherein powers are 
granted to Local Boards of Health, and other authorities, to grant permission for the 
storing of petroleum in certified places, and which imposes penalties on those storing 
petroleum in quantities exceeding 40 gallons, without a proper licence. Prosecutions 
have taken place in some towns, and penalties inflicted on chemists for non-compliance 
with the provisions of the Act. 
In York, your Committee are grieved to say that the Excise, authorities proceeded 
against several of your members for selling methylated spirits of wine without a licence ; 
and, though legally liable to the penalties inflicted, they are bound to add that in every 
case there was no intentional wish to evade the Act or defraud the Kevenue. 
The new regulations regarding methylated spirits of wine having caused some difference 
of opinion in the trade as to their operation, your Committee instructed the Secretary to 
write to the Board of Inland Revenue in London for an explanation, and the reply re¬ 
ceived may be deemed satisfactory. It is hoped that the trade will observe the provisions 
of the Act in the use of methylated spirits of wine for external use only, as the penalties 
imposed under its authority are very heavy, either for making methylated medicines for 
internal use, or for in any way altering ‘finish,’ except by adding gums thereto. 
During the past year, the progress of kindred societies for the improvement of the 
trade, and the advancement of pharmacy, has been greatly developed; and a most 
successful meeting of the British Pharmaceutical Conference took place at Nottingham 
on the 4th August and following days, calculated to stimulate the exertions of all those 
who are interested in the education of the future race of chemists. 
Those of our members who belong to the United Society of Chemists and Druggists 
would be grieved at the want of unity exhibited at their annual meeting in July last, 
and which was likely to produce division and discord in that useful body; but there is 
one cause of congratulation to counterbalance this apparent mischief, in the fact of the 
Pharmaceutical Society having forwarded propositions for an amendment of the Pharmacy 
Act, and which seem calculated in some degree to bridge over the gulf that has so 
long divided pharmaceutists and chemists and druggists. Should there be some further 
necessary concessions, it is the opinion of your Committee that the present session of 
Parliament may witness the united trade intent upon the procuring of a Bill giving 
equal rights to all, and placing it in the position of honourable usefulness so long desired, 
and thereby advancing the moral and material interests of our successors, to the great 
benefit of the public welfare. 
Your Committee append a statement of accounts for the past year, showing a balance 
in hand of £6. 8s. lid. and would recommend the annual dinner to be held on Tuesday 
the 2Gth inst., at the King’s Arms Hotel. 
Receipts. 
To Balance in hand, 18G5.£4 3 6 
Subscriptions, 1866 . 12 16 0 
£16 19 6 
Expenditure. 
To Postages, Stationery, Sundries, Annual Dinner, etc. £10 10 7 
Balance in hand . 6811 
£16 19 6 ' 
(Signed) George Dennis, Chairman. 
Thomas Cooper, Treasurer. 
Jno. Brown, Secretary. 
York, Feh. Sth, 1867. 
