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ON  AMERICAN  PHARMACY. 
the  design  of  the  present  article  to  advert  to  the  present  position 
of  the  trade,  and  to  some  of  the  objects,  to  which  its  energies 
might  be  turned  with  advantage,  reserving  for  a  future  essay 
some  hints  toward  the  best  means  of  effecting  a  thorough  and 
effective  organization. 
The  natural  enemy  to  the  profession  of  Pharmacy  is  the  quack. 
Of  all  the  species  of  this  parasitic  genus,  (some  species  of  which 
infest  every  profession,)  the  most  characteristic  and  well  defined 
is  the  manufacturer  of  secret  medicines  or  nostrums ;  depending 
upon  ignorance  and  credulity  for  support,  the  medicine  quack  is 
interested  in  suppressing  the  growth  of  intelligence  among  the 
masses  of  science  and  a  high  code  of  honor  among  apothecaries 
and  druggists.  His  interest  would  be  promoted  by  reducing  every 
drug  store  to  an  agency  for  patent  medicines  or  a  store  for  gen- 
eral merchandizing,  and  every  Pharmaceutist  to  a  mere  salesman 
and  shopkeeper.  He  would  have  the  public  draw  their  ideas  of 
medical  practice  from  the  newspapers,  which  he  has  bribed  into 
the  propagation  of  his  favorite  ideas.  His  profound  philosophy 
has  succeeded  in  so  simplifying  this  complex  human  organism, 
that  all  the  mysteries  of  pathology  and  therapeutics  vanish  before 
his  magic  compound.  There  is  no  need  of  a  materia  medica 
beyond  the  ingredients  which  it  contains.  No  need  of  a  physician 
to  direct  or  an  apothecary  to  prepare  a  medicine  for  the  diseases, 
which  his  charm  can  so  soon  dispel.  This  philosophy  he  preaches, 
with  the  zeal  of  a  propagandist  through  the  many-tongued  news- 
paper press,  and  editors  whose  office  is  to  cultivate  the  public 
mind,  and  to  sow|therein  the  seeds  of  knowledge  and  virtue,  are, 
with  some  honorable  exceptions,  waked  by  the  potent  agencies 
behind  the  scenes,  into  strains  of  high  encomium  and  unmerited 
praise. 
What  wonder  then,  that  as  a  profession,  dependent  upon 
public  patronage  for  support,  we  are  completely  prostrate ;  that 
we  scarcely  can,  if  we  would,  act  a  manly  and  independent  part. 
The  druggist  must  make  a  living ;  this  is  the  great  motive  power 
in  his,  as  in  every  other  business,  and  in  many  instances,  his 
bread  and  butter  would  fail,  if  eschewing  all  quackey  he  should 
hold  up,  by  example  and  precept,  a  dignified  testimony  to  his 
honest  convictions.  It  is  true  that  he  may  keep  a  tolerably  clear 
conscience,  as  men  can  in  almost  any  pursuit,  by  a  sort  of  com- 
