Introductory sessional address delivered at the commencement of the 42nd session of the School of Pharmacy, October 6, 1883 / by Michael Foster.

  • Foster, M. (Michael), Sir, 1836-1907.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Introductory sessional address delivered at the commencement of the 42nd session of the School of Pharmacy, October 6, 1883 / by Michael Foster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    were not able to be present, but they desired him to express to Mr. Howard their extreme regret at not being able to assist at this award. It would ill become him to attempt to enumerate Mr. Howard’s qualifica- tions, but he might just say that his scientific work had been very largely, almost exclusively, in the chemis- try and natural history of one single bark, the cin- chona bark, the importance of which everyone present thoroughly recognized. He had before him three volumes with which Mr. Howard was more or less, identified, and in one of them there were illustrations and a description of no less than forty-two species of cinchona. These, with many others, had been studied by Mr. Howard for many years at an enormous expense, for the benefit not only of those who were interested in pharmacology, but all mankind. For having regard to. the value of the barks themselves, and the alka- loid quinine, it would have been impossible for the Government of India, and private growers of bark in Ceylon, to have carried on their operations with satisfaction and certainty if they had not been assisted from first to last by Mr. Howard, and the skill he had brought to bear upon the whole sub- ject. Without saying more he would ask Mr. Howard to receive this medal and offer him most cordially not only his own respectful congratulations, but those of every pharmacologist in the world. Mr. J. E. Howard said words would fail him to express the deep gratification which he experienced in receiving this proof of the appreciation of those for whose judgment he had so great respect. With regard to whatever he might have done in the way of scientific labour, he must say he considered him- self still a student, and though he was happv to say be had not been subjected to an examination, he was a member of that Society. He was particularly grati- fied at receiving ^iis medal, because it reminded him. of the great assistance and sympathy he had received from the illustrious man in whose honour it was founded. His own love for science had sprung up spontaneously, and he followed it, not with any expectation of reward, but simply from the pleasure it afforded him. But he was induced and helped forward to publish the results of his observations more by Mr. Hanbury than any one else, and it was therefore, to him very specially and exclusively that in looking back he might say he owed what- ever advantage might have accrued to himself or others—from the publication of his researches. At that late hour he ought not to detain the meeting longer, though he should have liked to say a few words for the encouragement of his fellow students. He trusted they would all find the same interest that he had found in the study of the works of the Great Creator, and that they would all feel that which he would particularly seek to impress upon them, that there was no real contradiction between Christianity and Science. For himself he consi- dered it the highest honour to be a Christian. IF. Johnstone.—(1) Rhamnua catharticus. (2) C'lematis Vitalba. (3) Artemesia vulgaris. (4) Odontites rubra. Biberon.— Viburnum Lantana. P— Section xv. of the Pharmacy Act, 1868, enacts that any person who shall take, use, or exhibit the name or title pharmaceutical chemist,’ ‘pharmaceutist,’ or ‘ pharmacist,’ shall be liable to pay a penalty of £5. JS. V. Z.—In all English colonies where Pharmacy Acts are in force, we believe without exception, the Minor quali- fication is accepted as entitling to registration without further examination. In the United States this is not {,€ aerally the case. Jfrumbtngs uf Stimtifu Sorifttes. BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. A meeting of the Executive Committee was held at 17, Bloomsbury Square, on Wednesday, October 3. Present—Mr. J. Williams, President, in the ihair; Professor Attfield, Messrs. S. R. Atkins, Borland, Hills, Naylor, Radley, Schacht, Taylor and Young; Mr. Ekin (Treasurer), and Mr. Plowman (Hon. Secretary). The minutes of the previous meeting was reid and confirmed. Letters of apology for non-attendance were read from Messrs. Benger, Payne and Stephenson. With regard to the distribution of the presidential addresses, delivered by Professor Attfield at the South- ampton and Southport meetings, it was move! by Mr. Schacht, seconded by Mr. W. Hills, and carried:—“That in accordance with the generally expressed wish of the general meeting of the Conference at Southport, it is desirable that the two addresses delivered by the late President, Professor Attfield, E.R.S., be distributed to members of both Houses of Parliament.” Professor Attfield presented the Conference with a sufficient number of copies of his first address for this resolution to be carried out. It was further resolved that the cost of printing, enclosing the two addresses in a cover, and adding any press notices, etc., be defrayed by the Conference. Professor Attfield was requested to distribute the copies either direct or, as far as pos- sible, through gentlemen personally acquainted with members of Parliament.* A Sub-Committee, consisting of the President, Pro- fessor Attfield and the Honorary Secretaries was ap- pointed to arrange details. Professor Attfield announced that he had already re- ceived applications from thirty individual chemists and druggists and two local associations for parcels of the Southport address, with added press notices. Twenty of these requests were for parcels of fifty, eight for packages of one hundred, one for two hundred copies, one for two hundred and fifty, one for five hundred, and one request for one thousand copies. The Committee agreed that the type of the ‘Year-Book’ should be used for such reprints, allowed the extension of the pamphlet from twenty-eight to thirty-two pages for the addition of press notices, and authorized the printers, Messrs. Butler and Tanner, Frome, Somerset, to supply the parcels requested and any others for which they might receive applications from chemists and druggists at the following rates, carriage paid :—Fifty for 4». 6d. ; one hundred for 7s. 6d.; five hundred for 32s.; one thousand for £3. Applications to be made to Messrs. Butler and Tanner as soon as possible. The following gentlemen having signified their willing- ness to act as Honorary Colonial Secretaries for the undermentioned districts were unanimously appointed:— Mr. H. Shillinglaw, Melbourne, for Victoria; Mr. L. B. Bush, Bathurst, for New South Wales; Mr. T. M. Wilkinson, Dunedin, for New Zealand; Mr. A. Walsh, Port Elizabeth, for the Cape; Mr. H. S. Evans, F.C.S., Montreal, for Canada; and Mr. D. S. Kemp, Bombay, for Bombay. The President and Honorary Secretaries were em- powered to add to this list, before the next meeting of the Committee, the names of any gentlemen who had already been communicated with and who might announce their willingness to give their services to the Conference. # Any pharmacist willing to assist in thus approaching members of Parliament should write for copies to Professor Attfield, 17, Bloomsbury Square, as early as possible. Communications, Lbttees, etc., have been received from Dr. MacMunn, Messrs. Benger, Quinlan, Umney, Symons, Haydon, Stanford, Wood, Baker, Quina, J. A. H.