AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION. 
513 
of  principle,  and  not  deserving  of  the  severe  penalty  expressed  in  the 
resolutions.  Each  must  judge  for  himself,  from  his  own  moral  standard, 
in  such  cases  ;  whatever  the  Association  did  he  would  have  to  bow  to, 
however  serious  the  result  might  be  to  his  feelings  and  interests.  He 
could  not  feel  that  he  deserved  any  such  extreme  action  as  these  resolu- 
tions call  for,  and,  if  carried  out,  his  sense  of  justice  would  be  outraged  ; 
he  thought  the  members  could  cause  their  action  to  take  a  milder  and 
more  charitable  course. 
Mr.  Colcord  asked  Mr.  Stearns  if  he  proposed  to  continue  his  present 
course,  or  whether  he  intended  to  abandon  it,  acknowledging  it  as  an 
error  against  the  Ethics  of  the  Association? 
Mr,  Stearns  replied  that  what  he  had  done  he  had  done ;  he  wished  to 
be  judged  by  that.  That  was  all  the  Association  could  reach.  His 
future  acts  would  speak  for  themselves.  He  went  into  the  business  re- 
flectively and  stood  square  on  the  position  then  taken.  He  might  have 
resigned,  but  that  would  have  been  cowardly. 
Mr.  Ebert  read  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Stearns  to  a  Cincinnati  Jour- 
nal, which  contained  views  contrary  to  the  Code  of  Ethics. 
William  Wright,  of  New  York,  thought  that  the  resolutions  of  expul- 
sion were  too  severe  for  the  offence,  and  offered  the  following  as  a  substi- 
tute, therefore  : 
"  Resolved,  That  in  the  manufacture  and  manner  of  advertising  the 
article  known  as  Sweet  Quinine,  Mr.  Frederick  Stearns  has  committed  a 
serious  offence  against  the  Ethics  of  this  Association,  and  is  deserving 
of  its  severe  censure." 
Mr.  Shinn  thought  the  Association  should  seriously  consider  which  of 
the  two  courses  would  best  subserve  its  ends.  If  it  is  to  have  any  future 
influence  with  the  Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Professions  and  the 
community  at  large,  it  must  set  its  face  against  any  attempt  to  deceive 
or  mislead  either  one  or  the  other.  In  his  estimation  a  vote  of  censure 
would  not  be  as  effectual  as  one  of  expulsion,  and  though  very  distasteful 
to  all  members,  it  is  due  to  the  public  that  we  should  set  aside  feelings 
and  vote  on  prin'^iple. 
Mr.  Colcord,  o'f  Boston,  thought  the  case  of  Mr.  Stearns  should  be 
dealt  with  as  a  matter  of  principle.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  Constitution.  He  stood  there  to  urge  the  penalty  of  those 
laws.  He  was  a  personal  friend  of  Mr.  Stearns.  To  inflict  a  penalty 
on  him  would  be  like  plucking  out  his  own  right  eye.  He  had  great  sym- 
pathy for  Mr.  Stearns,  but  the  Ethical  Code  of  the  Association  must  be 
upheld.  If  we  are  not  strong  enough  to  do  it,  we  had  better  cease  to 
exist  as  an  Association.  There  are  thousands  who  lie  sick  and  dying  and 
who  demand  pure  drugs  Mr.  Stearns,  as  he  says,  went  into  this  matter 
knowingly.  He  was  always  an  advocate  for  Ethics.  I  would  have  the 
Association  to  do  by  him  as  it  would  do  by  me.  It  is  a  question  of  prin- 
ciple. 
34 
