Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  I 
December,  1910.  f 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
57i 
"  Science  and  the  Public  Service/'  expresses  the  belief  that  as  a 
nation  we  should  do  as  much  to  promote  the  conditions  for  health- 
ful living  among  our  people  as  to  stimulate  the  development  of 
our  national  resources.  He  points  out  that  every  citizen,  irrespec- 
tive of  vocation,  is  vitally  concerned  with  those  scientific  facts 
that  mean  better  sanitation,  better  facilities  for  overcoming  and 
preventing  the  spread  of  infectious  diseases,  in  short,  with  all  that 
knowledge  which  will  enable  us  to  live  better,  longer,  and  happier 
{Science,  1910,  v.  32,  pp.  609-621). 
National  Association  of  Retail  Druggists. — The  Pittsburg  Con- 
vention of  the  National  Association  of  Retail  Druggists,  held 
September  12-16,  1910,  has  been  characterized  as  being  the  most 
harmonious  ever  held. 
The  proceedings  throughout  evidenced  conservatism  and  the 
convention  will  no  doubt  go  far  to  strengthen  the  association  with 
the  retail  druggists  of  this  country. 
The  opposition  of  the  N.  A.  R.  D.  to  public  health  legislation 
was  considerably  modified,  and,  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
Committee  on  National  Legislation,  it  was  resolved  that  this  com- 
mittee carefully  consider  proposed  legislation  and,  if  necessary, 
prepare  and  submit  amendments  thereto,  to  the  end  that  in  the 
organization  of  such  department  or  government  division,  pharmacy 
be  properly  recognized  and  represented. 
Materia  Medica  in  Medical  Colleges  and  in  State  Board  Ex- 
aminations.— The  Committee  on  Materia  Medica  of  the  National 
Confederation  of  State  Medical  Examining  and  Licensing  Boards 
and  a  similar  Committee  of  the  Council  on  Medical  Education  of 
the  American  Medical  Association  present  a  report  that  is  de- 
signed to  foster  a  more  thorough  knowledge  of  the  really  impor- 
tant drugs,  such  as  are  commonly  conceded  to  be  practically  in- 
dispensable in  the  general  practice  of  medicine  at  the  present  time. 
The  list  contains  less  than  150  drugs,  but  includes  practically 
all  of  the  really  important  substances,  and  a  medical  practitioner  who 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  uses  and  the  limitations  of  the  several 
substances  that  are  enumerated  would  be  thoroughly  well  equipped 
to  meet  any  possible  indication  or  need. 
An  editorial  in  commenting  on  this  list  points  out  that  the 
medical  student,  or  even  the  physician,  who  tries  to  gain  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  ridiculously  large  and  bewildering  number  of 
drugs  on  the  market  is  attempting  the  impossible.    He  acquires 
