PRESENT STATE OF PHARMACY IN ENGLAND. 
7 
jommittee that the idea of a National Society was broached, 
and the project talked of on several occasions. One of the 
great obstacles to such a design, in previous movements, 
had been the jealousy and mistrust that existed between 
the members of the pharmaceutical body in different cities, 
and even in the same place; but in this instance local pre- 
judices seem to have been hushed almost entirely ; and this 
chief difficulty removed, nothing was needed to establish 
an institution but a wise and efficient action on the part of 
the central committee. 
One of the ostensible grounds for interference with the 
chemists and druggists, was their want of a scientific educa- 
tion, and of any regular means of instruction — charges 
which were but too true. Indeed, each establishment was 
an independent school for pharmaceutical study ; innova- 
tions in the old routine were slow to gain credence, especi- 
ally as no pharmaceutical organ existed on whose pages 
the dispensers could become acquainted with the discove- 
ries of the day. In March, 1841, several members of the 
committee met at a " pharmaceutical tea party," at Mr. 
Bell's, and discussed the principles on which a society 
might be started, and on the 5th of April following, the 
committee met, and in a series of resolutions decided that 
the general interests of the profession required the forma- 
tion of a Society ; that this Society be founded forthwith 
under the title of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great 
Britain ; that the objects of the Society be chiefly to benefit 
the profession by furnishing the means of proper instruc- 
tion ; to protect the individual and collective interests of 
the profession, and to relieve distressed members. They 
further resolved to call a general meeting of chemists and 
druggists for the purpose of forming a Society, &c. 
In accordance with these resolves, a meeting was held at 
the Crown and Anchor tavern, on the 15th of April, 1841, 
whereat a report of the above mentioned committee was 
read, and it was resolved, on motion of William Allen, that 
