Chapter II: Front Matter (2)

_The Food and Drugs Act, June 30, 1906_, continues to be the leading topic for discussion in pharmaceutical journals and in pharmaceutical circles generally. In many of the larger cities special meetings have been held at which the probable effect of the law, directly as well as indirectly, on the several branches of pharmacy have been discussed at length.

Wholesale druggists and manufacturing pharmacists appear to be heartily in favor of the underlying principles and of the general provisions of the Federal pure food and drug law, despite the fact that it has imposed an enormous amount of additional work and expense for which they can scarcely expect to be adequately recompensed.

The proposition to endorse the Federal law, by corresponding laws in the several States, has aroused considerable opposition on the part of retail pharmacists, who appear to be either indifferent or else fearful lest the additional obligations that would be imposed on them might be too exacting or else involve an undue amount of work or expense to comply with.

In this connection we should remember that pharmacists, as such, have taken little or no part in securing the enactment of the Federal pure food and drug law, and that, as a consequence, they have thus sacrificed no little of their professional independence and prestige.

This apathy on the part of pharmacists is even now being taken advantage of by members of boards of health, Food and Dairy Commissioners and well-meaning but frequently misinformed reformers who are actively at work to secure food and drug legislation along the lines of the National law.

In by far the greater number of State legislatures, now in session, bills for laws of this kind have been introduced, and whether enacted into laws or not, will tend to show the wants or desires of retail pharmacists, and, if opposed or ignored, will seriously reflect on the ability and professional disinterestedness of pharmacists themselves.

Retail pharmacists should, and if they desire to maintain their standing in the community they must, favor pure food and drug legislation that is designed to protect the public. By themselves taking an active interest in the securing of legislation along these lines they could readily prevent the enactment of ill-advised measures that would tend to hamper or restrict them in the pursuance of their business.

That the medical profession in all sections of the country is clearly in favor of pure food and drug legislation was plainly evidenced at the Conference of the Committee on Medical Legislation, of the American Medical Association, with the National Legislative Council, held at Washington, D.C., December 13th to 15th inclusive.

State legislation was discussed at some length and the representatives of the several State Medical Associations who were present expressed themselves in no uncertain way as being in favor of the individual States endorsing the Federal Food and Drugs Act.

The proceedings of this conference have been published in pamphlet form, comprising sixty-eight pages of closely printed material. This pamphlet contains much that is of interest to pharmacists, and may be obtained from the Secretary of the Bureau of Medical Legislation of the American Medical Association, 103 Dearborn Avenue, Chicago, Ill.

The available literature on pure food and drug legislation is rapidly assuming huge proportions. In addition to the liberal space that is devoted to the question in the current numbers of pharmaceutical journals, a number of reprints of material of this kind have appeared. Not the least interesting of these reprints is a pamphlet of sixty-four pages entitled:—

_The Food and Drug Act as it relates to drugs_, examined and explained in connection with the rules and regulations for its enforcement. This pamphlet is published by the _National Druggist_, St. Louis, Mo., and contains in addition to the law itself and the regulations pertaining to it, a number of interesting decisions and much additional material bearing more or less directly on the proper interpretation of the Food and Drugs Act.

_Digest of National Food and Drugs Act and Regulations_, by Mahlon N. Kline, is the title of a pamphlet containing upwards of seventy-two pages that has recently been sent out with the compliments of the Smith, Kline, French Company, Philadelphia. In addition to a transcript of the Food and Drugs Act, and of the rules and regulations for the enforcement of the same, this pamphlet also contains a number of additional opinions, replies and explanations that have been published from time to time; also a legal exposition of the Food and Drugs Act by George L. Douglas, attorney for the Proprietary Association of America; extracts from the recently published “Standard of Purity for Food Products,” and much additional information of interest to retail pharmacists.

_The Ladies’ Home Journal Bill_, or a corresponding measure to regulate the manufacture and sale of so-called patent medicines, has been introduced in upwards of ten of the State legislatures now in session. This bill, originally published in the _Ladies’ Home Journal_ about a year ago, is essentially a formula on the label bill and provides, in addition, that preparations containing one or more of certain specified drugs be labeled poison.

_Anti-narcotic legislation_ is also receiving a fair proportion of attention. The most drastic of these measures is probably the one that has been introduced into the legislature of the State of New York, at the instance of the _Evening Journal_. This bill prohibits the sale of opium, chloral, cocaine, eucaine or acetanilid, or any preparation containing them, except on the original written prescription of a physician, dentist or veterinarian.

In several States, notably Texas and Missouri, bills are pending that are designed to improve or to revise the laws governing the practice of pharmacy.

_Patent Reform Bill._—Representative Currier, Chairman of the House Committee on Patents, has introduced a bill to substitute the much discussed Mann bill. This bill, popularly known as the Currier bill, is practically a revival of the reciprocity feature of the original Mann bill, but is not restricted to medicine, or medicinal products and includes patents of all kinds.

The Currier bill provides: “That any patent issued to a citizen or subject of a foreign country, shall be upon the same conditions and for the same term as are patents issued by such country to citizens of the United States.”

This single provision, it is said, would effectually correct the evils arising from our present system of process and product patents, but would be contrary to the terms of the International Convention for the protection of industrial property and will no doubt be vigorously opposed on this ground.

_Incorporation of the Public Health Defense League._ A bill has been introduced into the Legislature of the State of New York providing for the incorporation of the Public Health Defense League, under a special charter patterned after that of the Red Cross Society.

The object of this new society is announced as being an organized movement against medical and surgical quacks, frauds in patent medicines or nostrums, and an effort to obtain and to disseminate accurate information concerning practices and conditions of every kind that are dangerous to the public health and morals. (_Journal A. M. A._, 1907, page 236.)

_Sunday Rest in France._—Pharmacists in France are not alone adapting themselves to the recently enacted Sunday Rest Law, but are even going farther and are adopting earlier hours for closing during the week.

At Grenoble, where Sunday closing has been in vogue for some time, the pharmacists have decided to close at 8 P.M. daily and to organize a night service by rotation.

The syndicate of Paris pharmacists recommends that its members adopt 9 P.M. as the hour for closing during the week and to close from midday till the following morning on Sundays and bank holidays. (_Chem. and Drug._, 1906, page 775.)

_Popularity of Pasteur in France._—The _Petit Parisien_ has taken a rather interesting plebiscite as to who is thought to be the greatest of nineteenth century Frenchmen. In the voting Pasteur took the lead from the first, followed by Victor Hugo, Gambetta, Napoleon I, Thiers and Lazare Carnot, in the order named. (_Chem. and Drug._, 1907, page 6.)

_Doses in the Codex._—The Codex Revision Committee has decided to include a list of maximum doses in a supplement to the Codex, and has delegated the work of drawing up such a list to a special committee including MM. Laudouszy, Marty, Bourquelot, Gilbert and Yvon. (_Chem. and Drug._, Dec., 1906, page 884.)

_The Druggists’ Circular_ has rounded out a half century of its existence. The January, 1907, number of this journal constitutes a fiftieth anniversary number and comprises a total of 320 pages. The 190 or more pages that are devoted to reading matter contain quite an exhaustive review of American pharmacy during the past fifty years. All of the more interesting articles are liberally illustrated and the number itself will no doubt be appreciated as an album of men who have contributed, or are now contributing, to the development of the science of pharmacy in America.

_Incompatibility of Pepsin and Pancreatin in liquid preparations._—A report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association (_Journal American Medical Association_, February 2, 1907, p. 434) calls renewed attention to the generally well-known fact that despite the frequently made statement that pepsin and pancreatin must be incompatible in liquid preparations a number of such mixtures are still being offered by manufacturers or retail pharmacists and are used by physicians.

The Council has investigated a number of preparations of this type and has invariably found them to be practically inert in at least some of the claims made for them. Having demonstrated that pepsin and pancreatin cannot exist in one and the same solution for any reasonable length of time and that preparations that are said to contain these two ferments are sold under impossible claims, the Council recommends:

(1) That the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry refuse to approve liquid preparations that are claimed to contain both pepsin and pancreatin.

(2) That the medical profession through the _Journal of the American Medical Association_ be advised of the fallacy of employing such combinations.

(3) That the attention of manufacturers be called to the worthlessness of such incompatible liquid preparations of pepsin and pancreatin and that they be urged to cease offering such products to the profession.

(4) That since the National Formulary has recognized a preparation of this kind under the title “Elixir Digestivum Compositum” the American Pharmaceutical Association be requested to instruct its committee on the National Formulary to omit this preparation from the next edition.

_Acetanilid Mixtures._—The mixtures of acetanilid and other ingredients that formerly were exploited as definite chemical compounds are now being marketed as mixtures, and, in some cases at least, have had their composition changed so as to be totally unrecognizable.

_Antikamnia_, under the regulations of the Pure Food and Drugs Act, is being marketed as a mixture containing 350 grains of acetphenetidin in each ounce. Pharmacists who are in the habit of filling prescriptions for physicians calling for “antikamnia” in solution will now experience the additional difficulty of being obliged to explain why the new antikamnia differs from the old in its physical properties.

_Ammonol._—This preparation is said to be Ammoniumphenylacetamid on one portion of its label and directly under it is said to contain 240 grains of paracetyl-phenetidin in each ounce.

_Phenalgin_, marketed as an ammoniated phenylacetamide, is labeled as containing 50 per cent. of acetanilidum.

_Benzosalin._—Methyl benzoyl salicylate occurs as a white crystalline powder having a slight aromatic odor and taste. The substance melts at from 84 to 85° C. It is nearly insoluble in water, but is soluble in 35 parts of alcohol and is readily soluble in chloroform but somewhat less so in ether. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906, p. 1053.)

_Borovertin._—This is the name that has been applied to hexamethylene tetramine triborate. The substance occurs as a yellowish white powder readily soluble in water and having a distinctly bitter taste. It may be given in doses of from 1 to 4 grammes daily. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906, p. 928.)

_Castor oil in form of powder._—A recently issued German patent describes a process for preparing a supposedly active preparation of castor oil in powder form. This is accomplished by the addition of light calcined magnesia to an emulsion of castor oil, or by adding a specific quantity of castor oil to the same weight of calcined magnesia that has been moistened with distilled water, and drying the resulting mixture and powdering the residue. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1907, p. 65.)

_Cystopurin._—This is said to be a combination of one molecule of hexamethylene tetramine with two molecules of sodium acetate. It occurs as white, nearly tasteless crystals that are readily soluble in either hot or cold water. Cystopurin may be administered in doses of 1 or 2 grammes three times a day. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 48.)

_Forgenin._—This is said to be tetra methyl ammonium formiate and responds to all of the known reactions for formic acid compounds. It is being recommended, in small doses, as a heart tonic. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 48.)

_Levurinose_ is a name given to a yeast that has been desiccated by means of a current of cold air so as to preserve the individual yeast cells intact. This preparation has been recommended to be used in affections of the skin, such as acne, eczema, furunculosis, urticaria, etc. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 47.)

_Mistura Strzyzowski_ is the formidable name, applied in Austria, to a mixture containing ferric pyrophosphate, quinine hydrochloride and sodium bromide. This mixture is directed to be prepared as follows:—

Sodium bromide 8·00 is dissolved in distilled water, 40·00; syrup of orange peel, 20·00; alcohol, 10·00. Mix and add a solution of quinine hydrochloride, 1·00 in distilled water, 40·00; and syrup of orange peel, 20·00. Mix, and then add the following, prepared by slightly warming: Ferric pyrophosphate with ammonium citrate, 4·00 in distilled water, 40·00. Mix, and add syrup of orange peel, 40·00.

Dose, one to two teaspoonfuls, with water, two or three times a day.

_Novaspirin_ is the name applied to methyl citric acid ester of salicylic acid. It occurs as a white powder having a slightly acid taste. It is nearly insoluble in water but is readily soluble in alcohol. Novaspirin may be given in doses of 1 gramme three times a day. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 9.)

_Quinine Phytinate._—Anhydro oxymethylene diphosphate of quinine occurs as a yellow powder, very soluble in water but almost insoluble in alcohol, ether, benzin or chloroform. The substance contains 57 per cent. of quinine and has an intensely bitter taste.

_Scarlatin Marpman_ is an antitoxin preparation that, given internally, is being used as a prophylactic for scarlet fever. It is said to be produced by inoculating animals with infectious material from scarlet fever patients and inoculating other animals with the serum taken from the first. The serum from the blood of the second animal is used to immunize other animals, and it is from these immunized animals that the antitoxin serum is prepared.

Scarlatin is a yellowish, opalescent liquid having a slight odor and a salty taste. The substance has a specific gravity of from 1·012 to 1·013, is neutral in reaction and gives a copious precipitate with reagents for albumin. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1907, page 69.)

_Solubility of Salicin._—D. B. Dott (_Phar. Jour._, 1907, page 79) finds that the solubility of salicin, as given in the British Pharmacopœia (1 in 28) is practically correct, while that of the U. S. P. (1 in 21 at 25° C.) is too high.

Using pure salicin, that melted at 201° C., he finds that it has a solubility of 1 in 24 at 25° C., or very nearly that called for by the British Pharmacopœia at ordinary temperatures.

_Substitutes for Cocaine._—Dr. Hugo Wintersteiner (_Wiener Mea. Wochensch._, 1906, page 1339) reports a comprehensive comparative study of the use of cocaine and its various substitutes in eye work. Of the numerous substances that have been proposed from time to time he describes tropococain, holocain, eucain, stovain, alypin and novocain at some length and concludes that while it is true that these substances are relatively more stable than cocain, and are therefore more readily sterilized, the numerous objectionable features, such as unreliability, irritating properties and the production of a hyperemia, are so much more objectionable that cocaine must be admitted to be by far the most satisfactory as well as the safest local anesthetic in all varieties of eye work.

_Tannisol_ is a reddish-brown, odorless and tasteless powder that is insoluble in water, ether or benzine, but is soluble in alcohol and in dilute solutions of alkalies or of the alkaline carbonates. It is directed to be used internally in cases of intestinal catarrh, and externally for a variety of inflammatory conditions of the skin. Internally it may be given in doses of 0·50 gramme (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906, page 1006).

_Theolactin._—This name has been applied to a double salt of theobromin sodium and sodium lactate. It occurs as a white hygroscopic powder, readily soluble in water and having a distinctly bitter taste. It is said to be an active diuretic, but is not free from occasional side effects in the form of gastric disturbances. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 49.)

_Tinctura olea Europeae._—A tincture made with 60 per cent. alcohol from the dried leaves of the European olive has been used as a febrifuge as well as a general tonic in place of the tincture of cinchona bark.

_Triacetyl morphin._—This substance has been isolated from a mixture of acetyl derivatives of morphin. Triacetyl morphin melts at from 206 to 208° C., is only slightly soluble in water or cold alcohol, but is readily soluble in acids. With hydrochloric acid it forms a salt that crystallizes in the form of long needles. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906, page 928.)

_Tulaselactin_ is the name given by Behring to a substance that is expected to immunize infants against tuberculosis. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1907, page 24.)

_Tulase_ (_A. J. P._, 1906, page 582) is the name given by Behring to his immunizing and curative serum for tuberculosis.

This preparation is said to contain all of the constituents of the Koch bacillus. It occurs as a clear fluid which has the general outward characteristics of thin honey. It may be given subcutaneously, intravenously or by mouth. The mixture of tulase with milk, mentioned above, is the form in which it may be administered to infants.

Tulase is now being used in an experimental way, but Behring himself warns against too much reliance being placed on the curative properties of the substance.

CORRESPONDENCE.

_Editor of the_ AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

DEAR SIR:—I send you herewith the result of the votes of the Committee of Revision upon the first instalment of corrections in the U. S. Pharmacopœia, eighth revision, since the passage of the Food and Drugs Act.

Very truly yours,
JOSEPH P. REMINGTON,
_Chairman_.

CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES PHARMACOPŒIA.

(Eighth revision.)

Belladonna Leaf _now_ 0·3 per cent. mydriatic alkaloids.

Belladonna Root _now_ 0·45 per cent. mydriatic alkaloids.

Colchicum Seed _now_ 0·45 per cent. of colchicine.

Ipecac _now_ 1·75 per cent. of ipecac alkaloids.

Stramonium _now_ 0·25 per cent. of mydriatic alkaloids.

Fluidextract of Belladonna Root _now_ 0·4 gramme alkaloids in 100 c.c.

Tincture of Belladonna Leaf _now_ 0·03 gramme alkaloids in 100 c.c.

Fluidextract of Colchicum Seed _now_ 0·4 gramme alkaloid in 100 c.c.

Tincture of Colchicum Seed _now_ 0·04 gramme alkaloid in 100 c.c.

Fluidextract of Ipecac _now_ 1·5 gramme alkaloids in 100 c.c.

Fluidextract of Stramonium _now_ 0·25 gramme alkaloids in 100 c.c.

Extract of Stramonium _now_ 1·0 per cent. alkaloids.

Tincture of Stramonium _now_ 0·025 gramme alkaloids in 100 c.c.

Jalap Root _now_ 7 per cent. of total resin.

Under the article Petrolatum, p. 336, U. S. P., last paragraph, the sulphuric acid test has been dropped.

February 15, 1907.

BOOK REVIEWS.

ELEMENTS OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY WITH EXPERIMENTS. By John H. Long, M.S., Sc.D., Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Chemical Laboratories in the Northwestern University Medical School. Fourth edition, revised and enlarged. Illustrated. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston’s Son & Co., 1906.

That Professor Long was more than justified in writing this textbook is shown by the fact that since the appearance of the first edition in 1888 two other editions have been issued, and it has been necessary now to issue a fourth edition. The time has gone by in all of the sciences when it can be said that a student is acquainted with fundamental principles unless he has repeated some of the classroom work in the laboratory. As Dr. Long well says: “Repetition is necessary to fix elementary principles thoroughly in the mind of the beginner.”

The present edition contains some additional matter on the theories of solution, the conditions of chemical equilibrium, some newer views of chemical theory and the description of several new substances. The book is a remarkably good one for the beginner, and is well adapted to the needs of the Freshmen class in any of the colleges where a general course in inorganic chemistry is given.

CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS. Published by the American Chemical Society. Vol.
I, Nos. 1 and 2. Easton, Pa.: The Chemical Publishing Co. January 1
and 20, 1907.

Under this title the American Chemical Society has begun the publication of an independent semi-monthly periodical which shall furnish to American chemists at short intervals a full and comprehensive series of abstracts covering the whole range of pure and applied chemical science together with the titles of American, British, French and German patents on chemical subjects.

The importance and value of this undertaking can hardly be over-estimated. The Journal of the English Chemical Society has long covered somewhat similar ground, but hardly in the complete manner that our American society has now attempted; the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry has always made a feature of its abstracts and patent references, but these cover applied chemistry only; the German Chemical Society some years ago took over the publication along with its _Berichte_ of the _Chemische Centralblatt_ for this same purpose of furnishing a complete series of abstracts, but it was felt that our American Chemical Society should take up this work for its own membership, now numbering over 3000 chemists.

So the Society for the future will publish its Journal as a monthly for original papers and communications, of which it has as many as it can possibly find room for in its twelve issues, and the Abstract Journal as a semi-monthly, covering the whole field of pure and applied chemistry under some 30 subdivisions, of which pharmaceutical chemistry is one. That this subject will be cared for in an appreciative and intelligent way can be assumed, as we note that Prof. A. B. Stevens of Ann Arbor is in charge of the abstracts in this field. For those who are not members of the Society the subscription price is as follows: Journal of the American Chemical Society, monthly, $6; Chemical Abstracts, semi-monthly, $6; for both journals sent to the same subscriber, $10. Members of the American Chemical Society receive both journals for the annual membership fee of $8.

S. P. SADTLER.

THE PHILADELPHIA BRANCH OF THE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

The regular stated meeting of the Philadelphia Branch of the American Pharmaceutical Association was held on the evening of Friday, January 4, 1907, and was attended by 63 members and visitors.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and declared approved.

The Committee on Sunday Closing and the Committee on State Legislation made preliminary reports that were received and ordered filed.

On behalf of the Committee on State Legislation Mr. Cliffe said that members of the committee had had an opportunity to confer with the members of a special committee of the State Legislature on the subject and that a joint conference of members of committees interested in the enactment of a State Food and Drug Law would be held at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy on the evening of Tuesday, January 15, 1907.

The regular program for the evening was then proceeded with. This consisted of a discussion of “The Debasing Influences of Fraudulent Nostrums.”

The first communication, by Dr. Solomon Solis Cohen, was devoted to the consideration of “Secrecy and Fraud as Deterring Factors to the Progress of Medicine.” Dr. Cohen, in the course of his remarks, said that progress means an ascent from little or no knowledge to knowledge, and from knowledge to greater knowledge. Secrecy is the withholding of knowledge and breeds ignorance, while fraud is even worse than ignorance in that it is designed to mislead.

Dr. Cohen also asserted that therapeutics was difficult enough under the most favorable conditions and that in cases where a physician is confronted with secrecy or fraud, in the statements made in connection with medicinal preparations, he is likely to be misled himself and to do untold harm to his patients.

In concluding, the speaker referred to a number of specific preparations which have been discovered to differ materially in composition from what was claimed for them. He also expressed the hope that the Federal Pure Food and Drugs Law would be instrumental in leading manufacturers to more duly appreciate the need for a greater degree of honesty in the exploitation of their wares. If pharmacy is to make progress and if medicine is to make progress it will necessitate a full and complete knowledge of the composition and action of the substances used in the treatment of diseases.

The next communication, by Dr. Henry Leffmann, dealt with: “Known and Unknown Changes in the Composition of well-known Nostrums.”

Dr. Leffmann said that the question of secrecy was one of the most intricate problems and one that involved a number of factors.

Secrecy in connection with nostrums, the composition of which was known only to some one or more individuals, but not to all was an objectionable feature and frequently led to arbitrary and in many instances dangerous changes in the composition and the action of nostrums.

Dr. Leffmann then called attention to a number of specific instances in which it was known that changes had been made in the composition of widely advertised nostrums and also pointed out how these changes might be injurious to the consumer.

“Criminal Responsibility in the Sale of Abortifacients” was the subject matter of the communication by Dr. Henry Beates, Jr.

Dr. Beates referred to the various statutes relating to the use, sale or distribution of abortifacients and condemned, in no uncertain terms, the practice of advertising, in lay journals, articles designed to prevent conception or to produce abortion. He held that additional publicity might well be given to the serious nature of the questions involved, and urged that steps be taken to prevent the use of the United States mails by newspapers and magazines publishing advertisements of abortifacients or of instruments designed to prevent conception.

Dr. John B. Roberts, in opening the general discussion of the question, asserted that there certainly could be no difference of opinion on the degrading influences of practices that, as had been shown by the previous speakers, tended to convert pharmacists and pharmaceutical manufacturers into liars and medical practitioners into frauds and fakirs.

The subject matter was further discussed by Dr. Henry W. Cattell, Dr. F. E. Stewart, Dr. C. B. Lowe and Messrs. Remington, LaWall, Turner, Thum, Beringer, Vanderkleed, Cable, Westcott, Wilbert and Cliffe.

Mr. Cliffe presented the following resolutions, which, on motion, were unanimously adopted:

_Resolved_ that the Philadelphia Branch of the American Pharmaceutical Association condemns the advertisement in drug journals, magazines and newspapers of abortifacient medicines and deprecates their sale by reputable pharmacists.

_Resolved_ that all members of this branch be urged to exclude such medicines and articles from their stocks.

The secretary then read a communication entitled “Objectionable Side Lines to the Practice of Medicine,” specifically mentioning several profit-sharing and stock-distributing schemes that are now doing business in the city of Philadelphia.

This communication was, on motion, directed to be forwarded to the Secretary of the Philadelphia County Medical Society with the offer to submit additional evidence to the officials of that organization.

There being no further business the meeting was declared adjourned.

FEBRUARY MEETING.

The regular stated meeting of the Philadelphia Branch of the American Pharmaceutical Association was held on the evening of Tuesday, February 5, 1907, in the Hall of the College of Physicians.

The subject under discussion, “Higher Educational Requirements for Pharmacists,” has attracted considerable attention during the past year or more, and it was therefore not surprising to find that retail pharmacists attending this meeting were comparatively well informed on questions relating to education, and fully appreciated the need for more rapid advancement along educational lines in the future.

The first speaker on the subject, Mr. William L. Cliffe, in discussing “The Practical Needs for Higher Education in Pharmacy,” called attention to the fact that the people at large are rapidly becoming more thoroughly familiarized with the needs and the wants of the practice of pharmacy.

He believes that with the further elimination of empiricism and mysticism from the science of medicine more will be expected of pharmacists, and they in turn will be required to be educated in every way.

Prof. Henry Kraemer, in speaking on “Standards in Pharmaceutical Education,” (see p. 101) called attention to the fact that up to the present time the progress of pharmacy in this country had been comparatively slow and that we are now entering on an era of more rapid development. He believes that the enactment of pure food and drug laws will add great additional responsibility to the duties of the retail pharmacist and will also tend to more sharply define the corresponding duties of the colleges and of the boards of pharmacy.

Dr. Horatio C. Wood, Jr., in speaking on “The Future Elaboration of a Course in Pharmacy,” said that, as a commercial pursuit, the business of pharmacy must necessarily be one of limited scope and possibilities; as a profession, however, pharmacy can be developed into an occupation of laudable aims and high ideals. He believes that the pharmacist should develop as the assistant and the adviser of the physician, who in turn must depend more and more on the efforts of the pharmacist to select for him and to improve on the efficiency of the available articles of the materia medica.

Prof. I. V. S. Stanislaus, in opening the general discussion, gave it as his opinion that the pharmacist of the future would again hold the same relative position to the public as did the apothecary of old.

The pharmacist of the future will be the chemist of the people, the food and drug analyst, the assistant and adviser of the physician, in all matters relating to materia medica and chemistry, and will, therefore, practically be the sanitarian of the community.

The subject was further discussed by Messrs. John K. Thum, Franklin Apple, Jacob Eppstein, M. I. Wilbert, H. C. Blair, E. Fullerton Cook, John Hahn and Dr. F. E. Stewart. From the general trend of this discussion it was plainly evident that the better informed retail pharmacists deeply appreciate their responsibility to the public, and are willing and even anxious to meet their obligations fully. At no time in the history of pharmacy in this country has it been so evident that the mentally and morally poor man should not be allowed to jeopardize the health and even the lives of his fellow beings as now.

It is clearly evident that pharmacists are beginning to realize that a full and complete appreciation of their duties to society at large must of necessity react to their own pecuniary advantage and will in addition procure for them the respect and the admiration of their fellow men.