The unconstitutional and illegal proceedings of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society / by William Dickinson.

  • Dickinson, William.
Date:
[1853]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The unconstitutional and illegal proceedings of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society / by William Dickinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    either designedly or through sheer incapacity on the part of the Council to grapple with the subject, is drawn up so indefinitely that I am denied the opportunity of offering that explanation which they appear to require, and it is in the exercise of no little ingenuity (if I may be allowed so far to praise myself) that I have been enabled to pen a reply. Such as it is, I set it out here in extenso. TO THE PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL OF THE PHARMACEU- TICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Gentlemen,—I beg to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from your Secretary, dated October 6th, 1853, enclosing the document, of which the following is a copy : — “ PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN. (Extract of Minutes of the Council, held on the fifth day of October, 1853.) “ Resolved,—That Mr. William Dickinson be called upon to explain his conduct as a member of the Council, in his systematic opposition to its decisions, and his endeavours to obstruct the business of the Society, by joining in a hostile appeal to the Secretary of State, in defiance of the provisions of the Charter, line 96 to 101. “The explanation of Mr. Wm. Dickinson is also required with regard to the following passages, published in the periodical entitled I * * 4 Annals of Pharmacy,’ edited by William Bastick and William Dickinson :— “ 4 Annals of Pharmacy,’ July, 1853.— Vide No. xix. page 210, lines 34 to 42. “‘Annals of Pharmacy,’ August, 1853.— Vide No. xx. page 243. Article entitled ‘The Council and Bye-laws of the Pharmaceutical Society,’ to the end. “ Vide No. xx. page 256.—Answer to ‘Henry Cripps, Devizes,’ ‘Ajax,’ ‘ Bosh.’ “ Note.—A copy of the ‘ Annals of Pharmacy,’ Nos. xix. and xx., accompany this, the portions referred to being marked.” You require me to explain my conduct as a member of the Council. I presume the Council adopts the present course in virtue of Rule 1. —Sec. xvii. page 24, of the Bye-laws :— “ Every member of Council who shall commit any act or acts which appear to the Council derogatory to the honour of his office, shall give an explanation of the same to the Council, on being required so to do; and in default thereof, or if such explanation be unsatisfactory to the members present, he shall be liable to the cen- sure of the Council; or if it be deemed expedient, a notice may be given by any member of the Council for a motion of removal from the Society of the member so offending, which notice shall be inserted in the summons for the ensuing meetings of the Council until disposed of, and shall be taken into consideration at the first ensuing meeting of the Council at which twelve members thereof shall be present.” I beg in limine to protest against the power you have assumed to compel me to notice this communication. It is both informal and irregular, and I deny your right to call me to account, either as a member of the Council or of the Society, without specific charges being brought against me. To waive, however, all preliminary objections, I will endeavour to address myself to the purport and intention of the above resolution. I. I am “ called upon to explain my conduct as a member of the Council for my [alleged] systematic opposition to its decisions.” II. For 44 my [alleged] endeavours to obstruct the business of the Society, by joining in a hostile appeal to the Secretary of State, in defiance of the forms of the charter, line 96 to 101.”