PROGRESS OP PHARMACY IN GREAT BRITAIN. 277 
powder, or it will do well enough for the tincture or 
syrup, or if perchance he purchases four ounces of the 
•better sort only to keep in a glass and show his customers, 
has he not four pound of the worst sort with it ? * * * 
If the Druggist beats in the dross with the drug, where has 
he the dross to beat in by itself? You know the Apothe- 
cary bought that, and could he be supposed to beat in the 
dross by itself, what the devil becomes of the drug ?" 
The first Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia was published in 
1699, and new editions have appeared in 1722, 1736, 1744, 
1756, 1774, 1783, 1792, 1803, 1804, 1806, 1813, 1817, 
1839, 1841. 
The next epoch in our history has reference to the 
general meeting of the [Apothecaries in 1794, held at the 
Crown and Anchor Tavern^ London, to devise means to 
put a stop to the encroa- hments of the Chemists and 
Druggists. The following extract from their Report will 
show the rapid increase in numbers and power of that class 
of men, who we have seen originate as assistants in the 
Dispensaries of 1696. 
That this unjust and innovating usurpation of the 
Druggists, together with the intrusion of uneducated and 
unskilful persons into professional practice, called loudly 
for some speedy and effective act, which should at once 
destroy the obtrusions complained of, and restore credit and 
respectability to the profession." 
"If we regard personal views, it was stated to be a fact, 
the proof of which was in the tables of calculation then 
present, that were the aggregate sums obtained by this in- 
fringment of the Druggists, and divided amongst the Drug- ' 
gists of this metropolis, (a body of men unknown to the 
world till about the end of the last century, unauthorized 
by any public charter, and almost undefined by any public 
act,) were these sums equally divided, as they ought to be 
divided, amongst the Apothecaries of the metropolis, every 
