45<d  Research  in  Pharmacy  Colleges.  {AmoJtoUberP^9i™' 
work.  This  condition  confronts  almost  every  energetic  teacher  in 
a  college  of  pharmacy.  The  more  willing  he  is,  the  more  adminis- 
trative work  is  placed  upon  his  shoulders ;  the  more  alert  he  is,  the 
more  opportunity  there  is  to  materially  increase  his  income  by  out- 
side work;  and  between  these  two  grindstones,  the  original  desire 
to  do  research  work  becomes  extremely  attenuated. 
Again,  as  the  teacher  grows  older  and  better  known,  a  fourth 
factor  hindering  research  comes  into  being:  the  constant  interrup- 
tions, telephonic,  social,  pedagogic  or  administrative,  that  are  a  part 
of  a  busy  man's  day.  In  fact,  if  an  older  man  is  to  do  research 
work,  there  are  but  two  ways  in  which  he  can  accomplish  his  desire ; 
he  has  either  to  become  an  unsocial  recluse,  or  he  has  to  have  a 
helper  to  do  the  actual  work  under  his  directions.  The  latter  plan 
is  not  entirely  unfeasible ;  in  fact,  in  the  busiest  years  that  the  writer 
has  had,  he  did  his  most  prolific  research  work,  since  he  had  the 
income  to  pay  a  competent  assistant  to  give  his  entire  time  to  the 
problems  at  hand.  Subordinates  on  the  teaching  staff  are  usually 
slender  reeds  upon  which  to  lean  as  far  as  research  work  is  con- 
cerned, since  as  a  rule,  under  our  present  college  methods,  in- 
structors have  their  hands  more  than  full  if  they  conscientiously 
carry  out  their  routine  duties. 
Can  the  situation  be  remedied?  To  solve  this  problem  our  new 
Committee  on  Research  has  been  appointed,  and  the  writer  does  not 
wish  to  arrogate  to  himself  the  functions  of  that  committee.  To 
promote  discussion,  however,  the  following  thoughts  are  suggested : 
First.  That  it  should  be  expected  of  each  teacher  that  each  year 
he  publish  some  article  reporting  original  research.  The  research 
need  not  be  necessarily  complex.  The  improvement  of  a  pharma- 
copceial  formula  is  sometimes  of  more  practical  value  than  the  un- 
tangling of  a  complex  chemical  formula. 
Second.  If  college  authorities  demand  this  research,  it  is  ob- 
vious that  they  should  encourage  such  work  rather  than  hinder  it 
by  placing  greater  and  greater  responsibility  on  willing  shoulders. 
Third.  Research  fellowships,  either  in  pure  or  applied  science, 
should  be  established  at  each  college  of  pharmacy  and  these  fellows 
should  perform  their  investigations  under  the  directions  of  the  regu- 
lar members  of  the  faculty,  who  thus  will  have  the  opportunity  of 
displaying  originality  as  demanded  in  the  first  requirement  given 
above. 
Fourth.    A  systematic  campaign  should  be  inaugurated  among 
