REPORT ON MEDICAL EDUCATION, &C. 
65 
the granting of additional powers to a body which had failed 
in performing its duties, and which so far from being prepared 
to give effect to its provisions seemed to be overwhelmed 
with the trusts and privileges committed to it. Clear proof 
of this is found in the testimony of Dr. Burrows, who was the 
principal agent of the association to which the Society of 
Apothecaries is indebted for the act. Pie was asked, if between 
the passing of the act and his retirement from the Board of 
Examiners, the Society of Apothecaries were disposed to act 
in carrying the statute into effect, in a manner conducive to 
the public interest ? and his reply is " undoubtedly so; gene- 
rally speaking, most decidedly. It required some little 
trouble to convince them of the course they ought to pursue. 
In fact, it seemed to come upon them by surprise. For 
although they had solicited the bill, yet they had not prepared 
their minds for the extensive privileges which that act gave 
them, nor for the great benefit w^hich might accrue to the 
public by carrying the act into effect." He then states that 
the greater part did not know the important duties and powers 
that had devolved upon them. In a subsequent examination, 
he affirms that " the members of the Court of Examiners 
differed extremely in their interpretation of the act and 
that he thought that many of them had not sufficiently 
prepared themselves to administer a statute which was so 
important and gave such extensive privileges. They had 
obtained the act, but did not understand the spirit of it." 
He, however, asserts that " they have carried the act into 
effect in the most material matters, in a manner which has 
been most highly conducive to the benefit of the members of 
the profession, and to the benefit of the public." How far 
this statement is well founded, we shall have an opportunity 
of showing in the course of this article. In the mean time 
we proceed with our introductory remarks. 
We have already stated, that an apothecary at first was 
nothing more than the name really implies, an individual who 
kept a supply of medicines and compounded them as directed. 
The above mentioned act in reality made him superior td a 
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