EDITORIAL. 
189 
the  combined  action  of  the  medical  and  pharmaceutical  institutions  which 
are  invoked  by  the  law  itself,  whenever  such  institutions  might  offer  their 
services  and  advice  in  filling  the  offices  in  their  respective  districts.  This 
is  precisely  the  course  which  will  probably  be  adopted  by  all  the  medical 
and  pharmaceutical  organizations  of  this  district  with  unanimity  and  de- 
cision.   The  Academy  of  Medicine  and  Kings  County  Medical  Society 
have  already  discussed  the  subject,  and  fully  recognising  its  importance, 
have  appointed  committees  to  confer  with  each  other,  and  with  the  Col- 
lege of  Pharmacy,  with  the  State  Medical  Society,  and  all  other  so- 
cieties that  may  be  accessible.    These  committees  have  power,  after  due 
conference,  to  lay  before  the  new  administration  the  full  appreciation  by 
the  bodies  they  represent,  of  the  importance  of  the  law,  and  the  very 
great  importance  of  having  it  faithfully  executed  at  this  port  by  a  com- 
petent otficer  ;  and  to  offer  to  the  appointing  power,  if  such  service  be 
desired  or  permitted  at  their  hands,  the  nomination  of  a  proper  person 
to  fill  the  ofiice.    By  this  joint  committee  the  whole  medical  and  pharm- 
aceutical, and,  as  far  as  these  can  represent  it,  the  whole  public  interest 
of  this  district  will  be  concentrated  and  represented,  and  will  thus  be 
rendered  easily  available  to  the  appointing  power,  if  that  power  should 
decide  to  accept  their  proffered  suggestions  'and  advice  in  the  important 
local  duty  of  selecting  a  proper  person  to  fill  the  local  office.    By  reserv- 
ing their  nomination  until  it  is  either  asked  for  or  admitted,  the  com- 
fnittee  places  itself  and  the  bodies  it  represents,  upon  the  high  ground 
which  is  inaccessible  to  the  indignity  of  a  refusal  to  recognise  its  true 
spirit  and  intention  in  the  matter  ;  whilst  in  making  the  Government 
fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  the  law,  and  the  difficulties  of  getting  it 
properly  enecuted,  it  fulfils  the  whole  duty  of  the  medical  and  pharm- 
aceutical professions,  and  imposes  the  whole  moral  responsibility  upon 
the  appointing  power.  At  the  same  time,  if  it  should  be  permitted  to 
make  a  nomination,  and  if  that  nomination  should  be  confirmed,  the  medi- 
cal profession  through  it  assumes  a  most  important  responsibility  to  the 
public  at  large.    Scch  responsibility,  however,  legitimately  belongs  to 
the  medical  and  pharmaceutical  professions,  because  their  true  interests 
unite  them  with  the  public  interests  at  large,  and  because  from  education, 
and  from  daily  familiarity  with  the  subject  in  all  its  various  bearings, 
they  are  the  most  competent  to  form  a  correct  judgment.    Besides  this, 
their  local  position  gives  them  additional  knowledge  of  the  requirements 
of  a  local  office  in  their  midst,  and  of  the  character  of  any  person  whom 
they  would  be  willing  to  nominate  and  endorse  for  such  an  office. 
In  a  close  scrutiny  of  this  law  "  to  prevent  the  importation  of  adulter- 
ated and  spurious  drugs  and  medicines,"  its  excellent  objects  and  inten- 
tions are  prominently  apparent,  and  the  general  means  by  which  it  pro- 
vides for  the  accomplishment  of  its  objects  are  wise  and  good,  and  are  as 
practical  and  sufficient  as  any  ordinary  foresight  could  make  them,  inde- 
pendent of  experience  in  actual  application.  But  in  the  course  of  some 
ten  years'  experience  in  application,  certain  points  and  portions  of  the 
law  appear  to  need  amendment  and  amplification  to  meet  the  necessities 
of  a  more  faithful  and  thorough  application ;  and  such  amendments  and 
alterations  have  been  proposed,  and  are  still  strongly  advocated  by  the 
New  York  College  of  Pharmacy,  and  by  persons  most  familiar  with  its 
operations,  including  Dr.  Bailey,  who  for  many  years  held  the  office  of 
examiner  at  this  port.  Some  of  these  amendments  and  amplifications,  in 
the  order  of  the  writer's  estimate  of  their  importance,  are  as  follows  : — 
First.  The  appointing  power  should  be  in  the  President,  with  a  confir- 
mation by  the  Senate  ;  and  the  President  should  be  legally  authorized  to 
seek  for,  or  admit  of,  the  advisory  nomination  of  candidates  for  the  office, 
