Notes  and  News. 
/Am.  Jour.  Ptaarm. 
I      March,  1904 
NOTES  AND  NEWS. 
Heavy  Losses  by  Drug  Firms.— The  loss  sustained  by  the  drug  trade  of 
Baltimore  as  a  result  of  the  recent  disastrous  fire  there,  is  estimated  as  not  far 
short  of  $i,ooo,ooo.  Various  wholesale  houses  were  burned  out,  and  also  a 
large  number  of  retail  stores,  including  the  two  leading  ones  in  the  city.  The 
three  leading  wholesale  firms  whose  properties  were  entirely  destroyed,  were 
Muth  Brothers  &  Co.,  the  Stanley  &  Brown  Drug  Company,  and  James  Bailey 
&  Son.  These  firms  all  had  a  large  local  patronage,  and  the  loss  has  been 
seriously  felt  by  the  retail  druggists  of  Baltimore.  Fortunately,  the  large 
manufacturing  firms  of  Sharp  &  Dohme,  and  Gilpin,  Langdon  &  Co.,  were  not 
reached  by  the  fire,  and  these  firms  are  able  to  carry  on  business  as  heretofore. 
The  Baltimore  branch  of  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.  was  destroyed,  the  loss  being 
$50,  coo. 
The  St.  Louis  Exposition.— The  list  of  European  savants  who  have  accepted 
invitations  to  deliver  addresses  at  the  International  Congress  of  Arts  and 
Science  at  the  St.  Louis  Exhibition  are  the  following  :  In  Department  9 
(Physics),  Professor  Dewar,  the  Royal  Institution,  London;  M.  Becquerel, 
member  of  the  Institute  of  France.  In  Department  10  (Chemistry),  Professor 
Moissan,  Paris  ;  Professor  Fittig,  Strassburg  ;  Professor  Van  t'Hoff,  Berlin  ; 
Professor  Kossel,  Heidelberg  ;  Professor  Mendelejeff,  Technical  School,  St. 
Petersburg.  In  the  biological  section,  the  name  appears  of  Professor  Bower,  of 
Glasgow,  one  of  the  examiners  in  Scotland  to  the  Pharmaceutical  Society. — 
The  Pharmaceutical  Journal. 
The  Scientific  Attitude  in  Everyday  Life. — Prof.  Francis  E.  Lloyd,  of 
Teachers'  College,  Columbia  University,  in  an  address  to  the  recent  graduating 
class  of  Northwestern  University,  described  the  method  of  thought  used  by  the 
scientist,  and  showed  that  this  method  is  used  by  all  of  us  in  everyday  life  ; 
that  it  is  the  method  which  we  use  as  children.  When  used  by  the  scientist, 
it  comes  under  careful  scrutiny  and  control.  We  therefore  see  the  meaning  of 
Huxley's  statement  that  the  method  of  the  scientist  is  refined  common  sense. 
All  studies  may  be  prosecuted  by  this  method,  since  it  is  common  to  all.  Any 
advantages  which  one  study  may  offer  beyond  another  must  be  due  to  its 
subject  matter 
The  strict  application  of  the  scientific  method  makes  for  ideals  in  life  and 
character,  since  it  enforces  upon  the  mind  standards  of  honesty  which  are  of 
the  highest,  and  are  impersonal.  Those  who  have  had  the  advantage  of 
scientific  training,  should  see  clearly  that  they  are  under  the  obligation  to 
carry  the  ideals  thus  gained  into  their  everyday  lives. 
The  pharmacist,  who  stands  in  a  peculiar  relation  to  human  life,  must  have, 
with  the  physician,  the  same  impersonal  attitude.  His  scientific  training  should 
bring  him  to  recognize  this  obligation.  The  oath  of  Hippocrates,  which  binds 
the  physician  to  do  no  mischief,  is  binding  also  upon  the  pharmacist,  who 
shares  the  responsibility  of  the  physician. 
