50 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



Scarcity of Drug Clerks. 



Cuban pharmacies have great difificulty in obtaining good clerks. 

 The pay is $25 to $100 per month. They are free three times a week 

 after 6 p. m., and also every second Sunday. Pharmacies are open 

 from '6 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night, Sundays included. 

 The educational requirements of pharmaceutical students are as fol- 

 lows : The prospective student must first go through the whole 

 course of the high school, the same as engineers, lawyers, etc. He 

 must also put in four years at the university, and then stand a prac- 

 tical examination in materia medica, some microscopical examina- 

 tions, in Galenical pharmacy, all the LTnited States Pharmacopoeia, 

 including chemistry and the full qualitative analysis and all the an- 

 alytical parts. 



Government Supervision. 



The supervision of pharmacies by the government is nominal. A 

 pharmacist's license can not be revoked. His store may be ordered 

 closed, or he may be punished by a fine, but he has the right to op- 

 en a nev^' store. The standing of pharmacists socially is like that 

 of any other professional men. The pharmaceutical boards consist 

 of pharmacists only. The only board in Cuba at present is formed 

 by the professors of the university. No Cuban pharmacopoeia yet 

 exists, but the Society of Pharmacists in Cuba is engaged in the 

 translation of the United States Pharmacopoeia from English into 

 Spanish. When this is completed it will be put into use. 



MENINGITIS. 



A report by Dr. J. S. Billings, of New York, upon the epidemics 

 of this disease in New York during 1904-5, shows that clinical inves- 

 tigation has thrown very little light on the disease, or has any effectual 

 mode of treatment been discovered. A very important point that has 

 been brought out, is that in all probability the disease is much more 

 infectious during the first two weeks of its course. 



Guided by this, the Department of Health of New York, enforces 

 quarantine for at least the first two weeks in all cases in which the 

 patient remains at home. 



The disinfection of the room and bedding follows on termination 

 of the disease. 



