492  British  Phar.  Conference.  I ^"^w ^'Jf-.""' 
'  (     Uctolier,  1911. 
John  Attfield.  Professor  Attfield  was  President  of  the  Conference 
for  two  years,  in  1882  and  1883.  He  was  one  of  the  best  minds 
in  the  scientific  circles  of  pharmacy,  a  leader,  with  great  ability,  and 
untiring  energy  in  the  cause  of  pharmacy.  "  As  a  teacher  he  had 
great  opportunities  of  bringing  the  best  out  of  his  pupils." 
Mr.  Wells  then  went  on  to  speak  of  the  craze  for  cheapness  in 
the  purchase  of  medicines  by  the  public ;  medical  records,  he  states, 
show  that  many  valuable  lives  are  sacrificed  by  this  craze  for  low 
prices  and  the  use  of  worthless  drugs. 
Specialization  is  the  tendency  of  modern  times,  and  he  argues 
that  if  pharmacists  want  success  in  their  calling  they  must  specialize. 
The  confidence  of  the  public  is  only  obtained  by  those  who  are  best 
fitted  to  serve  it  efficiently.  "  The  moment  pharmacy  is  lowered  to 
the  level  of  a  general  business,  as  is  being  done  so  largely  in  our  day 
by  department  stores  and  by  limited  companies  of  persons  without 
any  knowledge  of  pharmacy,  whose  sole  object  is  to  '  make  money — 
honestly,  if  ye  can,  but  make  money  ' — then  the  fine  art  of  profes- 
sional dispensing  is  lost,  and  in  many  cases  the  public  health  suffers." 
He  then  proceeded  to  deal  with  his  chief  theme,  namely,  the 
pharmacy  laws  of  the  United  Kingdom.  The  Pharmacy  and  Poison 
laws,  he  states,  were  passed  solely  for  the  protection  of  the  King's 
subjects  and  not  for  the  benefit  of  the  dispensing  chemist.  He 
then  contrasts  the  laws  with  those  of  French  and  German  Pharmacy. 
The  essential  difference  in  principle  between  their  own  pharmacy 
laws  and  those  of  France  is  that  the  French  laws  give  the  pharmacist 
a  definite  place  in  the  community,  certain  services  to  perform  for 
the  community,  and  ensure  that  none  shall  poach  upon  the  preserves 
fenced  by  these  laws.  No  one  may  commence  the  study  of  phar- 
macy in  France  until  satisfactory  proof  is  given  that  the  applicant's 
preliminary  training  is  adequate.  The  requirement  being  a  degree 
in  Arts,  Mr.  Wells  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  French  law 
confers  on  pharmacists  the  sole  right  to  dispense  medical  prescrip- 
tions, the  only  exceptions  being  in  remote  villages,  where  no  phar- 
macists are  in  business,  and  only  then  are  doctors  allowed  to  dispense 
medicines.  In  discussing  the  German  pharmacy  laws  the  interesting 
fact  was  brought  out  that  a  custom  exists  there  which  is  unknown 
in  Great  Britain,  France  or  our  own  country,  of  strictly  limiting 
the  number  of  pharmacies,  each  pharmacy  throughout  the  empire 
being  licensed  by  the  State.  The  result  is  that  an  apotheker  cannot 
start  business  until  a  vacancy  for  a  pharmacy  occurs  and  he  obtains 
