48 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



For a long time the only chemical laboratories known were the 

 pharmacies, and of course all chemical work was then done by the 

 pharmacists. If any one desired a knowledge of chemistry, his only 

 way to acquire it was to enter a pharmacy, and this whether he desired 

 to practice the art or not. It was not until between the twentieth and 

 thirtieth year of the present century that there existed any laboratory 

 in which a student could acquire a special knowledge of chemistry. 



In another way we see the intimate connection which but a short 

 time ago existed between chemistry and pharmacy. The principal 

 chemical journal of the world, which was started in the year 1832 by 

 Liebig, was called during a period of forty years the "Annals of 

 Chemistry and Pharmacy," and only about ten years ago was its name 

 changed to the " Annals of Chemistry " ; and many other publications 

 might be mentioned whose titles give clear indications of the close re- 

 lationship existing between the two subjects. 



The fact is, the interests of chemistry and pharmacy were identical 

 during the period to which I have referred. What helped the one 

 helped the other. But, beginning as a partial offspring of pharmacy, 

 chemistry has attained to a position of great importance in the world, 

 and has become gradually the foundation of more than one occupation. 

 To-day not only pharmacists, but those of many other professions, have 

 to look to chemistry for that knowledge of substances and of kinds of 

 action which is necessary for their success. An extended examination 

 of the subject would show us that pharmacy played a very important 

 part in the founding, particularly of that field of chemistry which is 

 usually designated by the name " organic chemistry " a field in which 

 many of the brilliant modern victories of chemists have been achieved. 

 "Without the fundamental work of pharmacists in extracting from 

 plants their valuable constituents, organic chemistry would to-day be in 

 its infancy, instead of being what it is a giant of mighty strength, ex- 

 erting a controlling influence upon a number of important occupations, 

 including pharmacy. But what this subject is to-day is only a promise 

 of what it is to be when the results, which we now see plainly fore- 

 shadowed, shall have been accomplished. I think it is clear, then, 

 that Chemistry has much to thank Pharmacy for; but what has Chem- 

 istry done toward paying the debt she owes? Much, very much, 

 directly and indirectly. It is impossible to enter into details this 

 evening. I can only refer to a few features which seem to me worthy 

 of special notice. 



The accurate scientific study of chemical substances, whether these 

 are of use to pharmacy or not, has led to the introduction of more 

 accurate methods in pharmacy. The extraction and preparation of 

 medicinal compounds were at first very crude and simple operations. 

 These were gradually improved upon, of course, as time passed on, 

 but they were only perfected when the science of chemistry began to 

 exert its influence. The point to be particularly observed here is this, 



