Am.  Joui.  Pharm.  \ 
December,  191 7.  -* 
Editorial. 
561 
a  helping-  hand  to  the  druggist  who  is  battling  in  the  slough  of  com- 
mercialism ;  who,  probably  from  necessity  and  not  choice,  is  between 
the  upper  millstone  of  the  prevailing  unethical  practice  of  medicine 
and  the  lower  one  of  supplying  the  drug  needs  and  demands  of  his 
environment. 
G.  M.  B. 
THE  DEPARTMENTS  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  NEED  THE  ADVICE 
OF  THE  DRUG  TRADE. 
Many  of  the  rules  and  regulations  promulgated  by  the  Federal 
Departments  show  prima  facie  a  lack  of  actual  knowledge  of  the 
industries  affected.  This  is  especially  true  as  to  the  requirements 
of  the  drug  trade  and  the  prevailing  conditions  and  trade  customs 
under  which  the  supplying  of  the  needs  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  for  medicines  and  the  industries  for  drug  and  chemical 
products  has  to  be  carried  on. 
There  is  evidenced  in  many  ways  that  those  in  authority  in  the 
various  departments  of  our  government  have  failed  to  grasp  the 
importance  of  the  drug  and  chemical  industries  and  the  national 
necessity  for  conserving  these  and  encouraging  their  fullest  develop- 
ment. As  a  necessity  of  life,  medicines  must  be  classified  with  such 
other  prime  necessities  as  food,  fuel  and  clothing.  The  conservation 
of  all  materials  considered  as  necessities  of  life  or  as  needed  for 
war  and  the  providing  of  ample  supplies  of  these  for  the  needs  of 
our  country  and  our  allies,  has  been  recognized  as  a  great  national 
problem  calling  for  the  advice  and  aid  of  the  highest  scientific  ex- 
perts and  of  specialists  in  the  various  trades  and  industries.  Never- 
theless, in  the  organization  of  the  National  Council  of  Defense,  the 
drug  trade,  controlling  one  of  the  prime  necessities  of  life  and  of  no 
secondary  importance  in  providing  alike  for  the  needs  of  the  army, 
the  navy  and  of  the  civilian  population,  was  entirely  ignored.  Med- 
icine and  surgery,  whose  functions  are  the  application  of  drugs  in 
appropriate  ways  and  doses,  properly  has  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  the  real  problems  at  issue  here,  yet  medicine  boldly  attempts  to 
usurp  the  functions  of  pharmacy. 
In  the  National  Drug  Trade  Conference  there  is  always  avail- 
able for  consultation  by  Congress  and  the  departments  a  competent 
committee  of  gentlemen  representing  the  pharmaceutical  and  the 
various  drug  trade  organizations  who  are  thoroughly  conversant 
