268 
Editorial, 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
\      May,  1877, 
EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 
State  Pharmaceutical  Societies — In  the  present  number  we  publish  a  brief  ac- 
count of  the  meeting  of  a  State  Pharmaceutical  Society  in  the  Southern  section  of  our 
country,  Georgia,  and  have  occasion  to  note  the  prompt  publication  of  the  trans- 
actions at  the  recently-held  meeting  of  a  State  Pharmaceutical  Society  in  the  East- 
ern part,  Connecticut.  Neither  of  these  associations  has  been  in  existence  much 
over  a  year,  but  both  appear  to  be  vigorous  and  full  of  energy,  and  it  is  a  pleasure 
to  note  that  in  this  respect  they  follow  in  the  wake  of  nearly  all  their  older  sister 
organizations,  none  of  which  has  as  yet  attained  a  riper  age  than  eight  years. 
There  are  now  in  existence  State  pharmaceutical  associations  in  California,  Con- 
necticut, Georgia,  Kansas,  Maine,  Michigan,  New  Hampshire,  New  Jersey,  Rhode 
Island,  South  Carolina,  Tennessee  and  Vermont,  twelve  altogether,  and  with  the 
exception  of  one  or  two,  which  seem  to  be  affected  by  the  hard  times,  all  are  pros- 
pering, and  the  majority  have  had  important  trusts  confided  to  them  by  the  Legis- 
latures of  their  respective  States.  Aside  from  the  Colleges  of  Pharmacy  and  the 
Associations  of  its  Alumni,  we  have  a  number  of  local  societies,  embracing  certain 
cities  or  counties,  in  which  meetings  for  scientific  and  social  intercourse  are  regu- 
larly kept  up. 
It  seems  strange  that  similar  organizations  have  as  yet  not  been  formed  in  any  one 
of  the  most  populous  States  ;  in  fact,  the  territory  in  which  no  State  pharmaceutical 
association  is  in  existence,  forms  an  almost  unbroken  belt  from  New  York  to  North 
Carolina  in  the  east,  and  westward  to  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri, not  taking  into  consideration  the  thinly  populated  States  farther  West.  What 
may  be  the  cause  of  this  ?  It  certainly  cannot  be  that  there  is  less  occasion  for  the 
union  of  pharmacists  there  than  in  the  States  enumerated  above  5  it  is  not  that  they 
are  less  intelligent,  or  care  less  for  social  and  scientific  intercourse ;  but,  most 
likely,  it  finds  its  explanation  in  the  fact  that  the  pharmacist  and  druggist  is  so  much 
confined  to  his  business,  that  he  has  little  inclination  to  cultivate  the  acquaintance 
and  friendship  of  others,  more  particularly  of  those  who,  to  some  extent,  may  be 
considered  his  rivals  in  business.  And  still  the  old  adage,  familiar  to  all,  "All 
work,  and  no  play,"  etc.,  is  peculiarly  applicable  to  the  members  of  our  profession. 
Those  who  have  attended  the  annual  gatherings  of  the  migratory  American  Phar- 
maceutical Association  all  speak  with  pleasure  of  the  pleasant  intercourse  between 
its  members,  and  of  the  healthful  recreation  incidental  to  the  respite  from  business 
cares,  and  notwithstanding  the  labors  connected  with  the  meetings.  The  same 
would  be  the  result  of  the  meetings  of  State  societies  5  they  could  not  meet  oftener 
than  once  or  twice  a  year,  and  if  a  suitable  time  be  chosen,  they  could,  and  doubt- 
less would,  be  well  attended.  Such  meetings  would  probably  be  hardly  ever  pro- 
longed beyond  a  day,  and  the  territorial  limits  and  railway  facilities  are  in  nearly 
all  the  States  such  as  to  admit  of  such  a  meeting  with  but  little  expenditure  of  time 
and  money — an  argument  which  has  been  well  advanced  by  Mr.  Dikeman,  of 
Connecticut,  in  his  late  presidential  address. 
And  how  is  the  object  to  be  consummated?    We  would  suggest  that  the  drug- 
