524 
Pharmaceutical  Service  in 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
November,  191 7. 
tude  of  the  pharmacists  and  their  professional  education  and  has 
utilized  them  as  chemists  and  hygienists.  Every  means  that  could 
be  developed  by  science  was  applied  by  German  ingenuity  to  the 
production  of  barbarous  war  instruments  and  methods.  The  irri- 
tating, asphyxiating  and  poisonous  gases  and  the  pollution  of  water 
supplies  are  notable  examples  of  the  methods  initiated  by  the  enemy 
and  requiring  scientific  counteraction. 
This  demanded  extension  of  the  sanitary  service  could  not  be 
imposed  upon  the  military  physicians  who  were  too  fully  occupied 
with  the  problems  of  their  own  practice  and,  likewise,  it  was  admitted 
that  they  were  but  poorly  prepared  for  this  field  of  work.  Conse- 
quently, it  became  the  duty  of  the  pharmacists  of  the  sanitary  serv- 
ice to  make  the  innumerable  chemical,  microscopical  and  bacterio- 
logical examinations  necessary.  It  was  soon  learned  that  the  analyt- 
ical outfit  accompanying  the  ambulance  was  insufficient  for  satis- 
factory work  under  the  conditions  existing.  A  complementary 
cadre  was  organized  consisting  of  200  additional  pharmacist  aide- 
majors  and  220  portable  laboratories  were  equipped.  These  con- 
stitute a  special  formation  of  the  sanitary  service  on  the  front  and 
they  are  charged  with  the  constant  daily  surveillance  of  the  water 
consumed  by  the  troops  and  the  providing  for  the  purification  and 
sterilizing  of  any  that  are  doubtful  or  purposely  contaminated  by 
the  enemy. 
Despite  this  scientific  work  which  became  more  and  more  over- 
whelming, and  the  complex  problem  of  regularly  furnishing  the 
medicines  and  surgical  supplies  for  all  of  the  sanitary  formations, 
some  other  researches  have  been  carried  on  and  a  number  of  sug- 
gestions of  importance  to  the  industries  of  the  nation  have  emanated 
from  this  corps.  Withal  there  has  been  no  abatement  of  the  rigid 
rules  of  administration  and  the  strict  methods  of  making  records 
and  the  rendering  of  surgical  assistance  as  well  as  purely  pharma- 
ceutical service. 
The  writer  is  indebted  to  L.  Guignard  for  the  accompanying 
diagram  which  graphically  portrays  the  service  that  the  pharma- 
ceutical corps  of  the  French  army  is  rendering  to  that  nation. 
The  preface  to  the  able  work  of  Major  Leon  Varenne  was 
written  by  Prof.  P.  Cazeneuve,  senator  from  Rhone.  It  is  a  con- 
cise review  of  the  service  being  performed  by  the  military  pharma- 
cists. He  pays  a  deserved  tribute  "  to  their  devotion  and  patriotic 
service,  although  silently  given,  to  which  the  historian  must  in  jus- 
