430 
PHARMACY  IN  GERMANY  AND  PRUSSIA. 
In  those  countries  where,  as  in  Prussia,  the  number  of  phar- 
maceutists is  limited,  and  the  price  of  medicines  regulated  by 
authority  for  the  entire  kingdom,  the  pharmaceutists  may  be 
regarded  as  adventurers  who  at  their  risk  and  peril  provide  the 
public  with  medicines.  If  the  population  decreases  they  have  to 
bear  the  concurrent  diminution  in  their  income — a  depreciation 
of  their  property  of  which  no  account  is  taken.  Consequently 
it  appears  just,  if  the  population  increases,  that  they  should  not 
be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  that  increase,  and  that  if  it  is  re- 
quisite to  establish  a  new  pharmacy  for  the  service  of  the  public, 
that  it  should  be  established  by  them  and  to  their  profit. 
TAKING  THE  OATH. 
The  pharmaceutists  in  Germany  are  bound  to  take  an  oath 
upon  commencing  business.  This  oath  is  taken  before  the 
"Kries  Physicus,"  who  administers  it.  The  oath  is  likewise  re- 
quired by  the  French  Government ;  but  the  practice  has  either 
fallen  into  disuse  or  is  not  fulfilled  in  such  a  manner  as  to  effect 
the  desired  result.    In  most  instances  it  is  a  mere  formality 
V 
which  resolves  itself  into  a  certification  that  the  oath  has  been 
taken  appended  to  the  diploma  by  a  subordinate  official,  and  fre- 
quently there  is  not  even  any  mention  made  of  the  oat'i.  Never- 
theless, if  there  is  any  profession  in  which  an  appeal  to  the  con- 
science of  those  who  exercise  it  is  necessary,  it  is  certainly  that 
of  the  pharmaceutist.  It  is  too  often  forgotten  that  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  art  the  pharmaceutist,  in  spite  of  the  severity  of  the 
laws  which  relate  to  him,  may  very  readily  fail  in  the  fulfilment 
of  his  duties,  that  in  such  cases  there  are  frequently  no  other 
witnesses  of  his  acts  but  himself,  and  no  other  judge  but  his  con- 
science. To  it,  therefore,  must  be  directed  in  the  first  instance 
any  attempts  of  preventing  such  dereliction  of  duty,  without, 
however,  abandoning  the  means  of  repression  provided  by  the 
law.  It  would,  therefore,  be  desirable  to  re-establish  the  cere- 
mony of  taking  the  oath — to  attach  to  it  even  a  certain  solemnity, 
and  whatever  else  might  tend  to  insure  that  moral  influence 
which  is  sought  to  be  exercised. 
Certain  definite  periods  might  be  fixed  for  this  ceremony,  such 
as  the  opening  of  the  schools  of  pharmacy,  when  the  oath  might 
be  taken  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  professors  and  a  cer- 
