364  THE  STATE  OF  PHARMACY  IN  RUSSIA,  ETC. 
every  town  in  Russia  there  is  a  limited  number  of  "  pharma- 
cies," and  a  "  Provisor  "  must  take  his  chance  in  buying  the 
privilege,  or  undertaking  the  management  of  one  of  these 
places.  In  Odessa,  for  instance,  a  town  of  about  100,000  in- 
habitants, the  number  of  "  pharmacies  "  is  limited  to  eleven, 
which  cannot  be  exceeded  without  the  sanction  of  the  medical 
authorities  in  St.  Petersburg.  The  responsibility  of  a  manager 
rests  in  the  observance  of  the  following  duties  : — 
1.  Keeping  a  stock  of  all  drugs  fixed  by  the  Medical  Board 
in  St.  Petersburg. 
2.  Dispensing  nothing  but  by  the  prescription  of  a  medical 
man. 
3.  Keeping  books  (as  prescription-book,  cash-book,  etc.)  con- 
firmed and  registered  by  the  Medical  Police. 
4.  Filing  and  keeping  the  original  prescriptions  for  a  period 
of  not  less  than  three  years. 
5.  Charging  for  medicine  according  to  the  Medical  Tax- 
Book. 
6.  Keeping  only  Patent  Medicines  which  have  been  analysed 
and  approved  by  the  Medical  Board  of  St.  Petersburg. 
Every  "  Pharmacy  "  receives  once  a  year  an  unexpected  visit 
of  the  members  of  the  Committee  of  the  Medical  Police. 
The  Pharmaceute,  as  well  as  the  medical  man,  is  exempt  from 
all  civil  duties,  taxations,  and  enjoys  many  privileges. 
This  system  works  very  well,  and  though  it  is  perhaps  im- 
possible to  introduce  it  into  this  country,  something  might  be 
done  approaching  it. 
After  a  careful  reading  of  the  pamphlet,  "  The  Pharmaceutical 
Society  of  Great  Britain,"  published  by  the  Society  in  1863, 1 
come  to  the  conviction  that,  with  a  few  alterations  in  the  system 
carried  on  by  the  Society,  and  with  an  additional  Pharmacy 
Act,  authorizing  the  sale  of  drugs,  or  the  dispensing  of  prescrip- 
tions by  those  only  who  have  passed  with  efficiency  the  "Major 
Examination"  incalculable  benefit  would  be  afforded  to  the 
public.  There  would  be  a  better  knowledge  of  the  profession, 
and  the  public  would  have  greater  means  of  safety  in  a  most 
important  matter  of  every-day  life. 
Should  such  improvements  be  introduced,  there  is  little  doubt 
the  majority  of  the  medical  profession  would  willingly  give  up 
