250

   4. Inspect licensed chemists' shops, manufacturing chemists, etc.,
by means of an inspecting staff of trained pharmacists
whose reports should be dealt with by the Council and issued
in the form of recommendations to the local authority con-
cerned.

The Pharmaceutical Council would be financed by—

    1. Examination fees,

    2. Registration and licensing fees, and

    3. Government grant, but this should be recouped by licensing fees
     of shops and premises.

Government through local authorities, i.e., municipal boards, etc., should
undertake the following responsibilities—

     1. Licensing of chemists' shops, drug manufacturers and dealers in
     patent and proprietary medicines.

     2. Collection of license fees, of which not less than two-thirds might
     be credited to Government for the maintenance of the
     Pharmaceutical Council.

Chemists, drug shops and manufacturing concerns should be required to
conform to regulations to be framed under the legislation on the subject
and to those relating to the Poisons Act and Excise regulations. Action
in regard to offences or misdemeanours should be dealt with by the police
and local authority.

   14. Since writing these notes the Select Committee of the Central
Legislative Assembly has considered the Bill referred to in paragraph 10
above and it has suggested that an enquiry should be made from the
provinces whether they would agree to a comprehensive legislation by
the Centre embracing such matters as are allocated to the provincial
power of legislation in respect of manufacture, distribution and sale of
drugs and medicines or whether they would themselves undertake the
necessary legislation. Further progress in the matter will depend on the
nature of replies to be received from the Provinces.

Pharmacists.

   While a few European trained pharmacists are employed by private
firms, the practice of pharmacy throughout India is mainly conducted by
compounders, who receive only an elementary training in Government
or private hospitals. That the accepted standard of preliminary education
is a very low one and the course of training inadequate is borne out by
the following table:—