Pharmacy Dinner.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 6, 2 October 1907, Page 3

Pharmacy Dinner.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION. The president of the Central Pharmaceutical Association, Mr. Leonard M'Kenzie, entertained the members of that body at Gndber.'s rooms, Cuba Street, on Monday evening. The function was highly successful, about sixty being present. Among the visitors were Hon. J. Rigg, M.L.C.; Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby, M.H.R.; and Mr. C. 11. Izard, M.H.R.

The loyal toast' having been duly honoured, Mr. Baillic (Carterton) proposed the health of "The Central Pharmaceutical Association" couplcd with the name of tha presidents After eulogising tho work of the president and committee in advancing the interests of the association, Mr. Baillie referred to the efforts of Mr. J. T. -M. Hornsby, M.H.R., in introducing the Quackery Prevention Bill, .and in general, promoting tlie welfare of the pharmaceutical profession. With regard to Clause 3 of the original measure, which placed registered chemists under serious disabilities, since the operation of that Clause would absolutely have prevented chemists from prescribing—and this, in the country districts, would have constituted a very great hardship—he was very glad that the promoter of the measure had agreed, in response to representations from the association, to amend that particular Clause in favour of the registered chemists.

The president, in liis reply, touched briefly upon recent legislation pertinent 'to the pharmaceutical profession. The Pure Food Bill had been ..n the whole acceptable to the chemists. There were, however, one or two exceptions, which, he contended, might be taken to the Methylated Spirits Bill. -Generally' speaking it was a commc.ndable thing, bnt it dealt somewhat harshly with those chemists who did a large dispensing business in veterinary preparations containing methylated spirits. He welcomed the Quackery Prevention Bill, although he woul d have liked to have seen added to the. Board of Control to be set up under that Bill a representative of the wholesale druggists. The much-debated-Tariff, was, speaking generally, a fair proposition as far as the chemists were concerned. There Was one. objectionable feature, however, and he felt sure that it was more the fault of the hailsplitting propensities of- the Customs officials than the design of the Legislature. He referred to the impost, of 3d. per lb. upon printed matter landed in the coi.ntiy. He instanced a shipmeut of Colgate's soap, with regard to which he stated that the Customs pcoplo had takenthe wrappers off the soAp, weighed them , and assessed the duty thereon. He was certain Parliament had not intended that. Tho association had protested to. the Minister, and was now awaiting his reply. The proposed Poisons Act'was too ambiguous. Opium was not dealt with, but its by-product, laudanum, cnmc under Clause 20 of the Bill. Laudanum was a common ingredient of many simplo remedies like paregoric. . The dispensing of these simple preparations would be impossible under that clause., while veterinary prescriptions would be seriously affected, lie thanked tho association for its unanimity of purpose in : protecting tho interests of tho trade. Replying to the toast of "Parliament, proposed by Mr. Castle, Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby referred to tho vast and-interesting mass of evidence tendered before the Parliamentary .Select Committee set U[>'- to deal with tli'e Quackery Prevention Bill. Although he could hold out no hope of tho passing of a general measure for somo time, yet ho was quite satisfied with what had been done, and that was the suppression of' thoso charlatans who-ex-ploited a. too credulous public. The first essential was the, creation-of- a healthy public opinion, and the rest would follow.

The Hon. J. Rigs, M.L.C.s and .Mr. C, 11. Izard, M.'11.R., also spoke.,-. The " Wholesale DrugeistsWwas.ihoJr proposed by Mr. Kames, and responded to by Mr. J. One.ii and Mr. E .E. Wootl, and the proceedings terminated shortly after. . . ■1 '■

During the evening songs were contributed by Messrs. Parlies and Burroughs, a rmriciol'nc solo by Mr. Rowe, n 'cello solo !>.- Mr. Cohen, a .flute solo by Mr. M'Donald, and a highly interesting exhibition of sleight-of-hand by Mr. Cowan.