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STATE  OF  PHARMACY  IN  GERMANY  AND  PRUSSIA.  327 
scrupulously  watched,  and  the  eleve  who  has  already  had  more 
than  four  years'  practice,  to  whom  may  be  intrusted  a  great  number 
of  operations,  and,  in  case  of  necessity,  even  the  superintendence 
of  the  business  during  any  temporary  absence  of  the  principal. 
In  fact,  pharmaceutists  draw  a  marked  distinction  between  their 
eleves;  and  although  this  distinction  is  not  authorized  by  law,  it 
would  be  very  advantageous  if  it  were. 
Under  the  general  denomination  of  eleves, a  pharmaceutist  may 
have  only  such  apprentices  as  are  entirely  ignorant ;  and  if  in  case 
of  momentary  absence  he  were  to  entrust  the  business  to  one  of 
them,  great  inconvenience  might  result.  It  is  therefore  requisite 
that  the  government  should  establish  a  legal  distinction  between 
the  eleves — between  those  who,  on  account  of  their  want  of  ex- 
perience, are  unable  to  carry  out  any  operations  except  under  the 
immediate  superintendence  of  the  principal,  and  those  who  are 
sufficiently  instructed  to  be  capable  of  assisting,  or,  in  case  of  ne- 
cessity, replacing  him.  The  latter  might  with  justice  assume  the 
title  of  "  aides  en  pharmacie,"  leaving  to  the  former  the  denomi- 
nation of  eleves.  Such  a  measure  would  be  conformable  with  the 
true  state  of  things,  and  would  at  the  same  time  establish  a  better 
internal  organization  of  pharmacies,  rendering  them  more  easy  of 
management  and  of  greater  service  to  the  public. 
In  Prussia,  as  in  France,  the  pharmaceutical  candidates  are  not 
strictly  compelled  to  pass  through  a  course  of  study  at  a  university 
before  presenting  themselves  for  examination;  but  in  both  countries 
the  necessity  has  been  felt  of  altering  this  state  of  things,  and 
making  theoretical  studies  obligatory,  long  experience  having  de- 
monstrated that  candidates  who  have  not  passed  through  a  regular 
course  of  study  are  altogether  incapable  of  undergoing  examina- 
tion with  any  chance  of  success. 
The  Prussian  law  requires  that  the  candidates  shall  have  had 
nine  years  of  practical  experience,  that  is,  four  years  as  eleve 
(apprentice)  and  five  years  ascommis  (assistant ;)  but  this  term  of 
nine  years  can  be  abridged  in  the  case  of  those  eleves  who  have 
attended  a  university  course. 
There  are  not  in  Germany,  as  there  are  in  France,  any  special 
schools  of  pharmacy;  the  pharmaceutical  eleves,  like  the  students 
of  medicine,  law,  and  others,  are  educated  at  the  universities, 
where  they  are  taught  in  a  general  manner  without  any  reference 
