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whose business it is to study drugs.

The first is that too many people endeavor to diagnose their own troubles from the patent medicine advertisement and fly to the medicine whether it is suited or not to their complaint. And the other good reason is the companion of the first, in that the general public and the average grocer are not acquainted with the composition of the medicines bought and sold. Yet many of them contain active drugs and chemicals, which should never be prescribed except by a physician acquainted with the idiosyncracies of the patient, e. g., strychnine and morphine. As an illustration of the danger attending an unre stricted sale of patent medicines, I may mention the case of a "kidney" preparation that had a run some years ago. It was a harsh "cheap" preparation of saltpetre, selling at a dollar a bottle, and unquestionably did much harm. Its composition was exposed in the drug journals. Another more recent case was that of a "fattening" preparation, which consisted of glucose alone. By the efforts of the American druggists its sale was suppressed by the United States courts.

But you are probably not aware that the movement for the unrestricted sale of patent medicines in this province has behind it the further demand of the unrestricted sale of all drugs whatsoever. And if the legislative sanction is given in the one case on the ground that everybody is competent to judge of patent medicines, it is difficult to see how it can be refused in the other case. It might, of course, be necessary to supplement such legislation by introducing brief courses on materia medica and pharmacy into the elementary and intermediate schools of the province. These courses, in addition to the chemistry already taught, would doubtless soon render it unnecessary to have any drug stores other than those which could be set up in the corner of every grocery. But if, on the other hand, it is recognized that the specializing tendency of the age works in the direction of greater competence, skill and economy of the general effort, it might be better to give (as is increasingly the fact in France, Belgium and Germany) the druggists the chance to live and to develop their work to a higher position. J. C. SUTHERLAND. Richmond, December 27th, 1898.

One notable exception is La Minerve, which in its issue of Jany. 21st devoted two columns to an able statement of the reasons why the amendments should not be adopted.

A REVIEW OF PHARMACY DURING THE YEAR 1898.

In looking back over the events of the past year, the most striking are the publication of the British Pharmacopoeia, which has brought out a large number of criticisms and suggestions; the organization of a new association of retail druggists in the U. S.; the improvement in the condition of naval apothecaries, brought about by the action of the A. Ph. A.; and nearer home, the attempt to modify the Quebec Pharmacy Act, in which department stores and grocers joined hands.

THE BRITISH PHARMACOPEIA, 1898. The Pharmacopoeia Committee in publishing this work adopted a few modern ideas, but in one at least the adoption was only half-hearted, that is the metric system, which is now used side by side with the imperial system in all the preparations, while it is the only one utilized in the paragraphs on testing. We suppose that the committee was actuated by motives of prudence, that with the conservatism so characteristic of English methods it was feared that the total adoption of the decimal system would be too great a shock; and, perhaps the committee was right in so doing. The adoption of assay methods for a number of preparations was a step in the right direction, although it is also a little short. Several others should have been included with belladonna, cinchona, ipecacuanha, nux vomica and opium, for instance, strophanthus, a most important drug, stramonium, coca, hyoscyamus and others. Several drug friends of our youth have been cast into oblivion and replaced by new comers, with advantage.

Of the preparations, it would appear that the book was published more for the benefit of prescribers than of dispensers. The innovations introduced in the strengths for the purpose of uniformity of doses has produced no end of changes in the proportion for tinctures and solid extracts particularly, while the processes for extracts, liquid extracts, syrups and tinctures in many instances leave much to be desired. The new concentrated liquors, as a rule, are anything but satisfactory from the pharmacist's point of view, both as regards the methods of preparation and keeping qualities; the former we find cumbersome and wasteful, and as for the latter, within a short while after being made, a heavy sediment forms in almost all of them.

The greatest improvement, however, has been in the description of the tests and characters of the drugs and chemicals, which are brought fully up to date, the greatest complaint being that several of them demand greater purity in the chemicals than is obtainable unless much higher prices are paid for the goods. Several criticism of this part of the work have been published in the English journals by

Howard, Warrington, Merck and others.

On the whole the work is satisfactory, but it is to be hoped that during the next fifteen years some effort will be made to change the constitution of the Pharmacopoeia Committee so that pharmacists may have greater representation on it. The model of the Pharmacopoeia Revision Committee of the U.S. is one that could be copied to advantage.

INDIAN AND COLONIAL ADDENDUM.

When the preliminary notice was sent out some years ago, Indian and colonial, pharmaceutical and medical societies were asked to make suggestions with regard to the publication of an addendum for the colonies. In almost every case the request was complied with, except from Canada. Recently the committee has issued a draft of the addendum and again requests suggestions; we hope it is not too late for Canadian societies to take a hand in the work.

THE B. P. C. CONFERENCE.

This year's meeting was held in Belfast, and was most successful. The majority of the papers presented were on subjects suggested by the new B.P., which came in for a good share of criticism.

THE A. Ph. A. MEETING.

The meeting this year was at Baltimore and was one of the most successful in the history of the association, both from the number and value of the papers read, the attendance and the entertainment features. The weather was abnormally hot, but otherwise the meeting was a success.

SOCIETIES OF RETAIL DRUGGISTS.

Shortly after the close of the Baltimore meeting a representative assembly of western pharmacists was called to meet at Omaha, at which it was resolved to form a society exclusively of retailers Officers were elected, a constitution was adopted, and it resolved to meet again in St. Louis in January. In the meantime, however, notices were sent out by the Chicago Apothecaries Society calling a meeting of delegates of the various local bodies throughout the States to meet at St. Louis during the meeting of the N.W.D.A. and the P.A. A large number of societies sent delegates and the National Association of Retail Druggists was organized with Henry Hynson, of Baltimore, as president. Conferences with the wholesalers and proprietors were held, at which the retailers told their grievances and made demands for more honest treatment from the proprietors. The meetings were successful and the officers have been encouraged to push on the work of organization, till now it appears that the efforts will be successful. If the new organization be a success, and we sincerely hope it will, the druggists of the U.S. will be the gainers. But, there have been two similar organizations already in existence,

the remnant of one existing as the commercial section of the A. Ph. A., and the other, the Interstate League, has been practically dead for some years past. With these examples before them the officers of the new organization can steer clear of the rocks and shoals which wrecked their predecessors, and the adoption of the delegate plan of organization shows that they appreciate one of the greatest causes of the the previous wrecks. An organization nominally founded for the benefit of retail druggists, The Universal Trade Association, which cut a wide swathe some years ago, but which was denounced as a fraud, still continues in existence, but only in the courts, or rather in lawyers' offices, as by means of letters they threaten druggists, who were foolish enough to sign agreements with this organization, to sue if their subscriptions are not paid up.

What effect the organization and success of the N. A. R. D. may have on Canadian pharmacy is, at this early stage, difficult to predict, but we think there can be little doubt that it will be a good one, both by example, and by results on the methods of proprietary manufacturers in dealing with cutters.

The experiment will be watched with great interest by pharmacists on this side of the line.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE STATUS OF NAVAL
APOTHECARIES.

It is only in the English and American services that so little attention is paid to the pharmacal branch. In the military and naval services of all the continental powers and also in that of Japan, the pharmacist is an officer, ranking from lieutenant to lieutenant-colonel, according to ability and time of service, but in all probability it will be many years before we see this plan followed in the English army and navy. The Americans have made a start in the proper direction by granting warrant rank to twentyfive naval apothecaries with pay ranging from $700 per annum while on shore duty to $1,800, and a strenuous effort will be made to extend the same to the hospital stewards. The projected great increase in the strength of the American army will give a chance for pharmacal reformers to insist on changes in the standing of the army dispensers and also for a great increase in numbers.

This, of course, is only of general interest to Canadian pharmacists, but it may be mentioned that several of the dispensers on American warships are Canadians, so that the matter is of more importance than at first sight. Mr. Thomson, dispenser at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., is an old Quebecker, who has been over twenty-five years afloat, and has dispensed medicines for Uncle Sam's sailors in every clime under the sun, and there are several others from this side of the line.

NEW REMEDIES.

Of these the crop has been greater than ever, but

of the thousands discovered and introduced probably not half a dozen will prove of any permanent value. During the year the patent on antipyrin expired and with it came a great drop in the price, which is now less than a quarter of the former price. Phenacetin still continues in favor with both physicians and smugglers. Every once in a while one of the latter gets caught trying to defraud the American customs, but the U. S. patentee is still as active as ever in defence of the monopoly he has under the iniquitous copyright and patent laws. Among new remedies which have come into considerable use during the past year, although introduced previous to this, are orthol, orthoform, protargol, argonin and ferratin.

PHARMACY LAWS.

Pharmacy laws have been subjected to considerable criticism and changes. In France the old law dating back to the early days of the great Revolution has been under discussion and a new law introduced, one provision of which wipes out the distinction between pharmacien de premiere classe and seconde classe, so that in future all will be on the same footing.

In England, the Pharmacy Act Amendment Bill became law. It likewise does away to a certain extent with the grades of chemist and druggist and pharmaceutical chemist, in so far that the members of the former class can now become members of the Pharmaceutical Society and will have all the privileges of the latter.

Another bill introduced was the Poisonous Substances Bill, which was intended to put greater restrictions on the sale of poisons. It did not become law, as such opposition was shown that the government, despairing of passing the Bill, withdrew it for this session.

In Canada, the attempt made by certain cutters and department stores to alter the Quebec law was unsuccessful, although it was a very close shave. We have already referred editorially to this so that there is no need to again refer to it.

In Ontario the amendments to the Pharmacy Act were beneficial to pharmacists, but here again, if it had not been for the watchfulness of some of the Toronto pharmacists, the changes would have amounted to nothing.

In Quebec several prosecutions were undertaken against department stores and grocers for contravention of the Pharmacy Act, and judgments were rendered in favor of the Association.

An important step was taken by the Quebec Association when the matter of the sale of patents, and projected amendments to the Pharmacy Act, was brought before the College of Physicians and Surgeons and their aid requested in blocking any proposed amendments. The acquiescence of the College brings a powerful ally to the Pharmaceutical

Association, which will be effective in legislative work.

ADVANCES IN CHEMICAL SCIENCE.

In the line of research work in organic chemistry, the German are, as usual, accumulating facts bringing us nearer to a clearer conception of the constitution of alkaloids, volatile oils, and other organic compounds. In inorganic chemistry, Ramsay has augmented the number of known atmospheric constituents, by his discoveries of krypton, neon, and metargon. Brush, of Cincinnati, has also added another element which he calls etherion, and which may possibly be the ether of philosophers. Crooke, in continuing his researches on the rare earth, has separated an element for which he proposes the name Monium, the atomic weight of which, he states, is about 118.

THE DEATH ROLL OF THE YEAR.

The hand of death has been busy among the ranks of scientists during the past year, the roll of those who have at last solved the great mystery of life and whose names stood high in the annals of science is probably greater than for many years past. One of the first was Sir Richard Quain, President of the General Medical Council, who had been prominently connected with the publication of the British Pharmacopoeia since the first issue of 1867. He died early in March at the age of 82.

Sir Henry Bessemer died on March 15th, aged 86, full of honors and wealth. Bessemer's invention of the process for making steel, known by his name, has probably more influence on the advance of civilization than any other invention of the age, not even excepting the telephone, for by it it has become possible to gridiron the world with railroads, which could hardly have been done with steel rails at their former price.

George Dragendorf, the great teacher of pharmacal chemistry, and rector of the Pharmaceutical Institute at Dorpat till a few years ago, was one whose place in pharmacy will be difficult to fill.

Baron Playfair, noted as a chemist and authority, also died during the past year.

Dr. E. J. DeVrij, the eminent quinologist and Hanbury medalist, passed away after an active and useful life spent in the work of utilizing to their fullest extent the great medicinal properties of the cinchonas.

In Canada we have had to deplore the loss of Jno. E. Burke, a former well-known druggist of Quebec, but who retired several years ago, and Dr. J. D. Kellock, of Perth, and Hugh Miller, of Toronto, one of the oldest druggists in the country.

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

During the past year business was good and the opinion is general that we have at last entered upon

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