AFebruar'yFi9ao7m*}      Discussion  of  Pure  Food  and  Drug  Law.  93 
macy  on  Tuesday  evening,  January  15th,  and,  as  previously 
announced,  was  devoted  to  a  joint  conference  of  members  and  com- 
mittees from  local  organizations  interested  in  the  enactment  of  a 
State  Pure  Food  and  Drug  Law.  Upwards  of  150  persons,  repre- 
senting 1 5  local  organizations,  were  present.  On  motion  of  Prof. 
Jos.  P.  Remington,  Mr.  Wm.  L.  Cliffe,  the  Treasurer  of  the  State 
Pharmaceutical  Examining  Board,  was  requested  to  preside. 
Mr.  Cliffe,  in  introducing  the  subject  matter  for  discussion,  said  : — 
This  meeting  is  distinctive  in  that  it  is  an  assemblage  of  representative  phar- 
macists of  the  State  as  well  as  representatives  of  various  medical  bodies,  called 
together  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  details  of  a  bill  suitable  for  pre- 
sentation to  the  legislature  for  the  purpose  of  harmonizing  the  present  law 
with  the  Federal  Pure  Food  and  Drugs  Act  of  June  30,  1906. 
It  is  known  to  many  of  us  here  this  evening  that  a  number  of  bills  have 
been  prepared  or  are  in  course  of  preparation  for  this  purpose,  and  in  con- 
sideration of  this  the  Committee  of  the  Local  Branch  of  the  American  Pharma- 
ceutical Association,  to  whom  the  matter  was  referred  at  the  December  meet- 
ing, have  tried  to  cover  the  situation  by  calling  this  meeting. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  the  best  results  from  every  point  of  view  are  to  be 
obtained  in  a  matter  of  this  kind  from  deliberate  consideration  of  the  various 
propositions  by  a  body  such  as  this,  possessing  the  technical  grasp  of  the 
practical  details  and  a  sincere  desire  to  deal  fairly  with  the  public  and  them- 
selves. 
It  is  also  of  interest  to  note  that  a  number  of  those  outside  the  professions 
mentioned,  who  have  been  active  in  advocating  and  promoting  legislation  of 
this  character,  have  accepted  this  view  of  the  usefulness  of  this  body  and  are 
looking  for  the  results  of  your  deliberations,  and  have  deferred  precipitate 
action  on  this  account.  For  the  purpose  of  facilitating  the  work  before  us  the 
Secretary  of  the  Committee,  Mr.  Wilbert,  has  prepared  a  preamble  and  resolu- 
tions that  will  be  properly  placed  before  you  for  amendment,  rejection  or 
adoption  as  expressed  by  your  votes  after  thorough  discussion. 
He  further  called  attention  to  the  apparent  need  of  revising 
the  existing  State  laws  on  foods  and  drugs  and  then  read  the 
following  extract  from  the  inaugural  speech  of  Governor  Stuart  of 
Pennsylvania,  which  had  just  been  published  in  the  afternoon 
papers : — 
No  appeal  to  the  lawmaking  power  for  relief  should  commend  itself  with 
greater  favor  than  that  for  the  prohibition  of  the  sale  of  adulterated  food, 
drugs  and  beverages.  No  more  serious  obligation  can  be  imposed  upon  public 
officials  than  devolves  upon  those  who  are  entrusted  with  the  protection  of  the 
public  health  by  al strict  enforcement  of  the  pure  food  laws.  An  innocent 
violator  of  the  law  should  not  be  made  a  scapegoat  for  the  real  culprit. 
I  therefore  recommend  to  the  careful  consideration  of  the  Legislature  the 
