Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  19 17. 
Correspond  en  c  e . 
277 
It  should  be  considered  that  in  a  crisis  such  as  the  United  States 
finds  itself  in  at  the  present  time  it  is  unwise  for  the  country  to  risk 
the  possible  displeasure  of  so  large  a  part  of  the  representative  citi- 
zens as  pharmacists  constitute.  There  are  probably  in  excess  of 
500,000  persons  engaged  in  pharmaceutical  activities.  These  are 
represented  in  a  large  measure  by  a  number  of  strong  national  and 
state  associations — among  them  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Asso- 
ciation, the  National  Association  of  Retail  Druggists,  the  American 
Conference  of  Pharmaceutical  Faculties,  the  National  Wholesale 
Druggists'  Association,  the  American  Drug  Manufacturers'  Asso- 
ciation, American  Association  of  Pharmaceutical  Chemists,  National 
Drug  Clerks'  Association,  the  Drug  Trade  Conference,  the  several 
state  associations  and  others.  The  good  will  in  the  fullest  measure 
of  all  these  is  essential.  I  do  not  maintain  that  these  interests  would 
withhold  their  good  will  if  not  given  deserved  recognition  and  the 
opportunity  to  serve  in  their  fullest  capacity,  but  I  do  maintain  that, 
proper  recognition  would  greatly  stimulate  and  augment  their  help 
and  loyal  support. 
I  desire  to  further  direct  attention  to  the  unfortunate  fact  that 
the  United  States  has  not  a  pharmaceutical  corps  for  the  control  and 
direction  of  medical  and  pharmaceutical  supplies  service  such  as  all 
other  great  countries,  except  Great  Britain  and  Russia,  have.  In 
each  of  these  large  countries  a  corps  of  highly  trained  pharmacists 
with  commissioned  rank  has  the  medical  and  pharmaceutical  supplies 
service  in  its  hands.  The  head  of  the  service  in  Germany  is  of  the 
rank  of  Colonel ;  in  Japan,  of  the  rank  of  Lieutenant-Colonel ;  in 
Italy  and  France,  of  the  rank  of  Major-General.  These  officers  are 
experienced  pharmaceutical  chemists  of  high  attainments  and  quali- 
fications, capable  of  directing  their  respective  service.  Our  own 
country  contains  many  such  men  who  are  at  least  as  capable,  if  not 
more  so,  for  this  kind  of  service  as  a  surgeon  could  possibly  be. 
That  American  pharmacy  is  not  represented  in  the  country's  service 
in  the  form  of  a  pharmaceutical  corps  composed  of  men  equal  in 
rank  to  those  in  the  medical  service  is  undoubtedly  due  to  the  fact 
that  American  pharmacy  has  not  exerted  that  pressure  for  this 
merited  recognition  and  opportunity  to  serve  under  its  own  respon- 
sibility and  standard  that  it  is  capable  of.  Much  dissatisfaction  in 
this  respect  on  the  part  of  representative  pharmacists  in  all  divisions 
of  the  calling  has  been  reported  to  me  recently.  It  is  my  opinion  that 
the  country  cannot  afford  to  continue  to  ignore  American  pharmacy 
as  it  has  done  in  the  past. 
