346      Beneficent  Society  of  American  Apothecaries.  {Axa'i^;^tm' 
THE  BENEFICENT  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICAN  APOTHE- 
CARIES OF  THE  STATE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 
By  Wiwjam  B.  Thompson. 
Read  before  the  Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association,  June  15,  1894. 
The  Pharmaceutical  Association  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  has 
been  now  existent  17  years.  During  this  time  it  has  progressed  in 
all  the  objects  and  purppses  of  its  organization.  It  has  maintained 
an  increasing  enrollment  of  members.  The  usual  causes  of  deci- 
mation have  not  materially  lessened  its  ranks.  Active,  personal 
interest  has  at  all  its  sessions  been  conspicuous.  Its  work  and  influ- 
ence have  extended  to  other  and  similar  organizations,  and  its  zeal 
has  proven  a  stimulus  to  our  brethren  elsewhere,  to  prosecute  simi- 
lar labors  in  other  fields.  It  has  sought  to  give,  through  the  copious 
literature  of  its  many  papers  on  scientific  and  practical  subjects, 
information  of  value  to  its  members.  In  this  way  education  has 
been  diffused  among  a  large  number.  The  social  features  of  an 
organization  of  its  kind  have  created  many  personal  friendships,  and 
cemented  a  bond  of  fraternal  union,  based  upon  the  evidences  of 
unselfish  motives,  and  the  courtesies  and  amenities  of  a  polite  inter- 
course. It  has  carefully  guarded  legal  privileges  and  sought  to  throw 
around  the  prosecution  of  a  responsible  business  the  rights  and 
dignities  which  should  pertain  to  it.  But  one  essential  act  yet 
remains  unaccomplished.  It  should  identify  itself  with  some  well- 
formulated  scheme  of  benevolent  purpose,  so  that  its  ministrations 
may  be  characterized  by  the  exercise  of  humane  feeling,  and  each 
and  every  one  who  may  by  reason  of  fortuitous  circumstance 
become  its  beneficiary,  have  reason  to  feel  that  the  Pharmaceutical 
Association  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  is  a  living,  moving,  acting 
instrumentality,  not  for  the  promotion  of  selfish  interests  merely,  but 
for  good  and  virtuous  objects  as  well. 
The  formation  of  Guilds,  which  were  associated  bodies  of  crafts- 
men and  others,  dates  far  back  in  the  industrial  and  commercial 
history  of  England.  For  the  purpose  of  effecting  common  objects 
by  weight  of  numbers  and  of  influence,  to  protect  material  and 
mutual  interests,  and  to  regulate  the  status  of  particular  occupa- 
tions, constituted  the  original  design  ;  the  value  and  force  of  combined 
effort  was  then  well  understood,  as  well  as  the  utter  inability  of  single 
individual  influence  to  right  wrong  successfully  or  combat  error. 
