174 Miscellanies. 



either Philadelphia or New York, must produce a favorable effect 

 throughout the country. There is perhaps no profession more liable 

 to abuse than that of the Pharmaceutist; — none in which the 

 deceptions that may be, and that have been practiced, are more 

 gross and deleterious, — none in which ignorance and negligence have 

 produced, and are producing more fatal agencies. The compounds 

 of pharmacy are held together by chemical affinities which, in nu- 

 merous instances are so easily subverted ; — the value, the absolute 

 qualities of these compounds depends so entirely upon the accurate 

 predominance of these atomic affinities ; — and the inertness or the 

 activity of medicine is consequently so dependent on the skill and 

 honesty of the manufacturer and compounder, there is surely no 

 earthly reason why the members of this profession ought not to enjoy 

 all the advantages, and be subject to all the restrictions, which can 

 and do arise from incorporated associations. It is unnecessary for 

 us here to define the nature, or urge the importance of these advan- 

 tages. They are so well set forth in an address delivered before the 

 Philadelphia college, by its president, Daniel B. Smith, published in 

 the first volume of the Journal of Pharmacy ; that we cannot do better 

 than to recommend to every one who is interested in the quality of 

 the medicine, which is administered to himself, or his family, (and 

 what rational being in the country is not so interested,) to peruse 

 this valuable discourse. 



In the commencement of its Journal of Pharmacy, it was the in- 

 tention of the Philadelphia college to rely chiefly on original contri- 

 butions, and to publish their numbers only as often as their materials 

 would warrant. Upon this scheme they issued four numbers, — the 

 first in December 1825, and the last in 1827. From this time there 

 was a suspension until April 1829, when the publication was resumed 

 under a resolution to continue the journal as a quarterly periodical ; 

 and to supply any deficiencies of original matter by selections, adapted 

 to the sciences, which it is the main object of the members of the 

 college to promote, by their associated efforts. These sciences are 

 stated to be those strictly connected with pharmacy, viz. chemistry, 

 (general and pharmaceutic) materia medica, zoology, botany and 

 mineralogy. Thus renovated, and placed under the able direction of 

 the gentlemen, whose names appear in the title, the Journal of Phar- 

 macy has regularly fulfilled the conditions of its prospectus, and has, 

 within the two or three years of its existence, presented, to die mem- 

 bers of this important and responsible profession, a body of memoirs, 



