s?ptimbe?,ht89™'}    British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  459 
BRITISH  PHARMACEUTICAL  CONFERENCE. 
The  thirty-fourth  annual  meeting  of  the  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference 
was  held  at  Glasgow,  Scotland,  August  9  to  n,  1897.  For  the  following 
information  concerning  the  proceedings,  we  are  indebted  to  the  Pharmaceutical 
Journal  and  the  Chemist  and  Druggist  in  their  issues  of  August  14th. 
The  sessions  of  the  Conference  proper  were  begun  with  the  official  address  of 
welcome  on  the  part  of  the  city  authorities.  The  president  then  referred  to  the 
presence  of  Prof.  J.  P.  Remington  of  Philadelphia,  and  Mr.  Champion, 
President  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Natal,  who  were  introduced  and 
asked  to  make  some  remarks. 
Following  this  came  the  address  of  the  President,  Charles  Symes,  Ph.D.  In 
opening  his  address  Dr.  Symes  said  that  during  the  celebration  of  the  Diamond 
Jubilee  of  the  Queen  retrospective  views  had  been  taken  of  the  growth  and 
progress  of  science,  art,  literature,  professions  and  commerce,  during  her  reign. 
He  said  that  "  the  tendency  in  the  present  rapidly  progressive  age  is  to  rush 
forward  at  a  pace  which  leaves  little  opportunity  for  reflection,  for  looking 
back  on  the  experiences  of  the  past  and  endeavoring  to  find  therein  some  solu- 
tion of  the  difficulties  which  beset  us  in  the  present,  or  suggestions  to  assist  us 
in  developments  for  the  future."  He,  therefore,  felt  that  the  occasion  was  one 
on  which  an  historical  account  of  the  association  would  harmonize  with  their 
environment.  The  origin  of  the  society,  together  with  the  objects  had  in  view 
by  the  founders,  was  first  described,  after  which  the  salient  features  of  the 
annual  addresses  of  all  the  presidents  were  presented  as  best  showing  the 
progress  made  since  its  establishment,  in  1863. 
Having  concluded  this  part  of  his  address,  the  President  then  considered 
some  of  the  questions  with  which  British  pharmacists  are  concerned  at  the 
present  time.  In  the  matter  of  education  and  examination  he  thought  that  the 
standard  for  the  preliminary  or  arts  examination  was  too  low,  while  that  of  the 
minor  or  qualifying  examination,  which  cannot  be  taken  for  five  or  six  years 
after  the  first,  was  too  stringent,  and  that  an  intermediate  examination  in  two 
or  three  years  after,  the  preliminary  would  be  an  advantage. 
The  new  forthcoming  British  Pharmacopoeia  was  referred  to  and  the  speaker 
regretted  that  "pharmacists  have  not  yet  been  accorded  the  position  which 
justice  demands  that  they  should  possess  as  members  of  the  Pharmacopoeia 
Committee.  The  Pharmacopoeia  is  a  pharmaceutical  and  not  a  medical  work 
and  yet  no  pharmacist  has  any  legal  standing  or  position  other  than  that 
accorded  by  courtesy." 
The  speaker  said  that  the  Medicine  Stamp  Act  appeared  to  be  an  impediment 
to  trade  in  some  instances,  while  on  the  whole,  he  thought,  it  would  be  found 
to  be  a  friend  in  disguise.  His  attention  had  been  directed  to  some  of  the  evils 
which  would  follow  its  repeal,  could  this  be  obtained,  and  the  exemption  clauses 
in  one  of  its  provisions  were  looked  upon  by  him  as  "  a  distinct  recognition  of 
our  calling  as  a  responsible  profession." 
The  Pharmacy  Act  of  1868  was  a  disappointment  in  certain  respects.  As  a 
body,  pharmacists  were  better  educated,  but  the  titles  which  they  thought  had 
been  so  thoroughly  and  completely  safeguarded,  whilst  denied  to  unqualified 
individuals,  could  be  used  by  stores  with  impunity. 
Competition,  piracy  and  the  practice  by  physicians  of  accepting  ready-made 
