106 C. U. C. P. ALUMNI JOURNAL July, 1918 



THE FEDERATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL BODIES* 



By H. V. Arny 



It was the writer's fortune or misfortune to be honored with the chairman- 

 ship of the committee appointed by President A. R. L. Dohme of the American 

 Pharmaceutical Association to consider the federation of American pharmaceuti- 

 cal organizations under the aegis of the oldest national pharmaceutical body in 

 the country, the A. Ph. A. This Federation Committee began its work the early 

 part of the current year and is still continuing its deliberations. 



The idea of a federation of the several national bodies representing various 

 branches of the drug trade was put forward by Henry P. Hynson in 1916 in his 

 masterly address as chairman of the house of delegates of the A. Ph. A. Dr. 

 Hynson's idea was to make the house of delegates the rallying point at which all 

 pharmaceutical bodies, including State pharmaceutical associations, could gather 

 to their mutual advantage. 



In his presidential address at Indianapolis last year. Dean Wulling discussed 

 at length a plan of federation in which a Greater A. Ph. A. in iconj unction with 

 other national bodies would form a great organization of far-reaching influence, 

 v/ith journals, research laboratories and other means of disseminatmg pharma- 

 ceutical knowledge. He expressed the opinion that the raising of one million 

 dollars for these beneficent purposes was a task by no means impossible. 



Since assuming the presidency of the A. Ph. A. by reason of tne untimely 

 passing of our dear friend, Mr. Holzhamer, Dr. Dohme, with his characteristic 

 energy, has gone into the federation idea with all of the enthusiasm for which he 

 is noted. He has submitted a plan of federation that is familiar to most of us 

 here present since it has been given prominence by the pharmaceutical press dur- 

 ing the past few months. Briefly summarized Dr. Dohme's plan proposes feder- 

 ation more quickly than can be expected if the project is to depend upon the prior 

 raising of a large sum of money. He believes that the present national drug 

 associations with their already existing machinery of organization ; with the 

 wealth behind some of them ; the numbers behind others ; can be federated into 

 a great body wielding tremendous influence, potential of great good to the public 

 a? well as to pharmacy. His plan employs for the federating, the present council 

 and house of delegates of the A. Ph. A., with, of course, amended personnel and 

 with enlarged powers. He also suggests several bureaus of service ; a bureau of 

 chemical aid and research, a bureau of legal information, a bureau of employment, 

 a bureau for the exchange of certain goods and last but most important a legis- 

 lative bureau designed to protect pharmacy from the continual assaults made 

 against its interests by overzealous or half-baked legislation. 



That Dr. Dohme's plan is highly attractive goes without saying; that it will 

 be difficult to accomplish is obvious ; but that it is impossible as some of its critics 

 seem to think, is not the opinion of the writer, who has been forced by his work 

 on the Federation Committee to give it careful attention. 



It would be the height of bad taste for the writer or any member of the 

 Federation Committee to express positive opinions as to details of any federation 



*Read at the 48th Annual Session of The N. J. P. A. 



