EDITORIAL. 
91 
would  show  plainly,  that  a  majority  of  dispensers  in  this  country  are  in- 
competent properly  to  perform  the  duties  intrusted  to  them.  For  this 
reason  we  are  accountable,  in  a  great  measure,  for  the  degree  of  con- 
tempt heaped  upon  us  by  them.  Were  we  to  change  places  with  them, 
we  should  hardly  be  willing  to  have  our  prescriptions  compounded  in 
ihe  manner  and  of  the  materials  that  too  often  falls  to  the  lot  of  theirs, 
even  when  the  most  common  articles  are  prescribed.  What  well  edu- 
cated pharmacien,  were  he  a  physician,  would  be  willing,  on  his  pre- 
scription, to  have  the  Spirit  of  Mindererus  put  up  as  frequently  found  in 
our  stores,  or  the  common  article  of  cathartic  pills,  as  found  in  many 
establishments  considered  quite  respectable,  or  infusions  made  doubtful 
by  using  fluid  extracts  or  concentrated  tinctures  to  save  trouble,  instead 
of  conforming  to  the  officinal  formula;  or  plasters  and  many  other  phar- 
maceutical preparations,  from  the  laboratories  of  men  of  doubtful  reputation, 
and  which  are  known  to  be  wanting  in  the  qualities  necessary  to  give  them 
remedial  value?  Then  again,  knowing  the  ignorance  and  carelessness  of  a 
large  portion  of  dispensers,  who  though  they  do  not  stand  well  in  our  pro- 
fession, yet  occupy  responsible  situations,  what  guarantee  has  the  physician 
that  his  prescriptions,  will  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  those  who  are  deficient 
in  the  knowledge  and  judgment  sufficient  to  select  articles  of  known  purity, 
and  who  are  incompetent  to  compound  them  so  as  to  insure  their  greatest 
remedial  power? 
"It  seems  to  me  that  the  temptation  is  a  very  strong  one,  for  a  good  physi- 
cian to  send  his  patients  where  he  feels  sure  their  wants  will  be  properly 
supplied,  even  though  he  may  pass  by  some  equally  deserving  member  of 
our  profession,  to  the  injury  of  his  business.  The  only  cause  for  censure 
that  we  can  have,  is  when  unfair  means  are  used,  or  when  the  physician 
wilfully  shuts  his  eyes  to  the  qualifications  of  his  nearest  apothecary,  for 
the  benefit  it  may  be  of  an  acquaintance  no  better  qualified. 
"I  must  say,  that  were  I  a  physician,  I  should  be  very  careful  into  whose 
hands  my  prescriptions  fell,  and  should  feel  it  a  sacred  duty  to  my  patients, 
to  know  who  were,  and  who  were  not  reliable.  If  physicians  would  take 
more  pains  to  ascertain  the  qualifications  of  dispensers,  it  would  soon  make 
a  manifest  improvement  in  our  profession,  and  in  their  success." 
We  would  like  to  quote  some  other  items,  but  our  space  does  not  per- 
mit. On  the  whole,  we  believe  Mr.  Oolcord  has  spoken  out  many  truths 
in  an  open  manly  way  that  will  carry  conviction  with  them,  and  though 
not  pleasant  to  hear,  will  do  more  good  than  harm  to  both  physicians  and 
apothecaries. 
The  papers  of  T.  P.  James  on  the  Culture  of  Liquorice,  and  F.  Stearns 
on  the  Application  of  our  Native  Wines  in  Pharmacy,  deserve  attention. 
Of  all  the  papers  submitted  to  the  Association,  none  were  more  practically 
useful  and  at  this  time  available,  than  the  excellent  contribution  of  Dr. 
Edward  R.  Squibb,  on  the  Processes  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  needing 
Amendment,  which  occupies  44  pages  in  the  proceedings.  Our  readers 
will  find  at  page  49  an  extensive  quotation  from  this  report.  The  re- 
maining items  are  Dr.  Guthrie  on  Indigenous  plants,  Dr.  Thayer  on  Con- 
centrated Medicines,  Mr.  Tilden  on  Medicinal  Extracts,  Mr.  Merrill  on 
Alcohol  as  a  Solvent  of  medicinal  matter  and  Mr.  Stearns  on  the  Pepper- 
mint Plantations  of  Michigan.  The  two  last  we  have  published  entire  in 
the  preceding  pages.     The  style  of  getting  up  this  volume  of  Proceedings 
