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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 282. 



plication of libraries, on the one hand, and the 

 increasing scarcity of available books of remoter 

 ages, on the other hand, tend constantly to in- 

 crease these difficulties. The stock of ancient 

 works in these domains of history is rapidly 

 absorbed by the older standing libraries, and is 

 becoming scarcer and less available fiom cen- 

 tury to century. As these works are of para- 

 mount value, and indispensable in historical 

 research and study. It should be the common 

 aim of American scientists interested in the 

 history of applied chemistry, of medicine, phar- 

 macy, and materia medica, to conscientiously 

 gather, preserve and, as much as possible, to 

 unite whatever much or little of such ancient 

 books as has been accumulated in American 

 book collections, with a view of ultimately con- 

 solidating the scattered parcels of these literary 

 treasures into one American historical library 

 of chemistry and cognate sciences and arts, in- 

 stead of leaving them 'dispersed and screened 

 in a multitude of petty private book collections. 



Such a desideratum might be realized by the 

 initiative and joint action of the American 

 Chemical Society, of the American Associa- 

 tion for the Advancement of Science, and of 

 the American Pharmaceutical Association, and 

 should be undertaken in time. An excellent 

 and rare chance, perhaps never to become 

 available again is fortunately close at hand. The 

 various university, and other public, libraries 

 may possess some stray volumes of such histor- 

 ical literature, and in the common interest may 

 consent to transfer them to a central historical 

 library of chemical and cognate literature. But 

 the main stock for the foundation of such a 

 library might be obtained, sooner or later, by 

 the acquisition and the consolidation of two 

 collateral historical libraries of superior extent 

 and value, accumulated by individual efforts 

 and means, during many years of unostenta- 

 tious, patient, and discriminating collecting. 

 They are the comprehensive libraries of Pro- 

 fessor H. Carrington Bolton, in Washington, 

 D. C, and of Professor John Uri Lloyd, and 

 Mr. Curtis G. Lloyd, in Cincinnati, O. ; the for- 

 mer embracing, especially, the history of al- 

 chemy and chemistry, the latter that of materia 

 medica, pharmacy and botany. 



By themselves and in the prevailing drift of 



indiscriminate multiplication of public and pri- 

 vate libraries these two choice libraries would, 

 perhaps pass to coming generations as uncom- 

 monly valuable yet separate, and fragmentary 

 book collections in a special domain of historical 

 bibliography and would hardly ever attain to a 

 maximum of usefulness. When united and sub- 

 sequently completed by further additions in the 

 way of purchases, donations and bequests, they 

 will form in the course of years a national histor. 

 ical library of chemistry, and materia medica 

 unequalled in America, and on a par with other 

 kindred achievements of American enterprise 

 and munificence. This would add a potent 

 factor for fostering that ' historical sense ' so 

 much appreciated in European civilization and 

 culture and largely needed in the materialistic 

 drift prevailing in our country and time. Nor 

 would American students of the remoter eras 

 of history in these domains of knowledge and 

 application any longer be obliged to resort for 

 historical researches to the libraries of foreign 

 countries. 



Another somewhat correlated subject is the 

 collection and preservation of historical articles 

 of all kinds relating to the history of chemistry, 

 pharmacy and materia medica, as well as to 

 objects of remembrance of men eminent in these 

 domains of application. Whoever is familiar 

 with the valuable and interesting historical 

 collections of this kind in the ethnographical 

 and art museums of the European capitals, of 

 the National Museum at Nuremberg, and a 

 number of Continental public and private col- 

 lections will appreciate their usefulness and 

 significance. How many interesting objects of 

 remembrance of eminent chemists and natural- 

 ists of the past are still astray and concealed in 

 family and private custody, perhaps never to be 

 gathered in accessible collections as mementos 

 to coming generations ! At the occasion of the 

 annual meeting of the Swiss Pharmaceutical 

 Society at Bern in August, 1898, there was in 

 addition to the customary display of apparatus 

 and implements an exhibit of the miscellaneous 

 objects left by the late Dr. Fred. Fluckiger, till 

 1891 professor of pharmaceutical chemistry and 

 pharmacognosy at the university of Strassburg 

 and one of the foremost scholars and writers in 

 these special domains. It comprised laboratory 



