358 
Emphasizing  Value  of  Pharmacy.    {Am- l™r-^vm- 
That  there  is  a  tendency  to  ignore  pharmacy  is  evidenced  by  the 
Government  in  not  having  provided  even  in  our  present  crisis,  when 
the  cooperation  of  every  industry  and  profession  is  necessary,  a 
place  in  the  army  organization  for  the  professional  services  of 
pharmacists,  on  a  basis  that  will  prove  their  value  and  require  of 
pharmacists  to  show  their  ability  to  be  of  service. 
The  government  is  not  alone  in  this  lack  of  consideration  or  con- 
fidence, it  obtains  with  related  organizations  in  promotions  wherein 
pharmacy  should  have  a  part.  A  letter  of  Dr.  Edward  Kremers  to 
the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  under  date  of  March  27, 
191 7,  points  out  such  attitude  or  disregard  by  constituted  bodies  or 
associations ;  pharmacy  was  ignored  in  the  Committee  of  One  Hun- 
dred, organized  for  the  purpose  of  starting  a  movement  looking 
toward  the  establishment  of  a  Department  of  Health  and  Sanita- 
tion with  a  cabinet  officer  at  the  head.  Again,  in  the  Committee  of 
the  National  Research  Council,  appointed  by  the  National  Academy 
of  Sciences,  pharmacy  was  not  included,  though  even  astronomy 
was  thus  honored.  A  movement  has  been  started  for  organizing  an 
institute  for  the  history  of  science  and  civilization,  where  again  one 
looks  in  vain  for  the  name  of  a  pharmacist.  The  concluding  state- 
ments by  Doctor  Kremers  are  quoted  in  full : 
"  All  that  I  wish  to  point  out  is  that  the  emphasis  of  commercial  phar- 
macy, while  it  ma}-  place  a  dollar  in  our  pockets  to-day,  is  ruining  our  future 
as  a  calling.  Not  only  are  we  ignored  in  the  national  movements  referred 
to,  but  we  are  losing  locally.  Fifteen  years  ago,  the  food  and  dairy  com- 
missions took  over  part  of  the  duties  of  our  state  boards  of  pharmacy  and 
thereby  deprived  our  calling  of  so  much  home  rule.  To-day  the  state  boards 
of  health  are  ready  to  take  over  what  little  self-government  remains. 
"  Our  state  boards  were  told  twenty  years  ago  that  unless  they  made  a 
serious  business  of  drug-store  inspection,  this  aspect  of  self-government 
would  be  turned  over  to  our  food  and  dairy  commissions.  For  some  years 
past  they  have  been  warned  that  the  tendency  to  concentrate  state  commis- 
sions and  related  offices  would  affect  them  and  that  they  should  get  ready 
to  take  a  leading  part  in  this  constructive  movement.  They  have  heeded 
neither  warning  and  are  now  facing  control  by  the  medical  profession  as 
well  as  food  and  dairy  commissions." 
A  profession  is  a  vocation  in  which  a  professed  knowledge  of 
some  department  of  science  or  learning  is  used  by  its  practical  ap- 
plication to  affairs  of  others,  in  serving  their  interests  or  welfare 
in  the  practice  founded  on  it.  Accepting  of  this  definition,  pharmacy 
can  certainly  enroll.    For  this  association,  it  is  unnecessary  to  give 
