336  Argument  of  Dr.  J.  Madison  Taylor.  {Am'^™\^lrm' 
Among  the  particular  services  a  specially  educated  pharmacist 
could  render  are  these : 
He  could  supplement  and  contribute  to  the  correlating  data  for 
the  surgeon,  in  short  in  the  "paper  work." 
He  could  perform  a  large  part  of  the  clinical  laboratory  work, 
urinalyses,  blood  examinations  (morphologic  or  pathologic),  in  cytol- 
ogy, serology,  vaccine  preparation,  bacteriology  in  the  preparation  "of 
microscopic  slides ;  in  the  examination  of  gastric  contents,  feces, 
exudates,  transudates,  and  the  like. 
He  could  apply  tests  such  as  Wassermann,  Noguchi,  Widal,  etc., 
all  chemical  procedures ;  he  could  keep  all  the  material  for  these 
tests  up  to  date. 
He  could  supplement  in  X-ray  work ;  keep  the  mechanisms  of 
Roentgenology  in  order,  print  plates,  etc. 
Many  chemical  problems  arise  in  connection  with  poison  cases. 
He  could  prepare  all  special  materials  for  such  procedures  as  hypo- 
dermoclysis,  blood  transfusion,  Carrel-Dakin  solution,  etc.  He  could 
examine  water,  water  supplies,  all  articles  of  food  and  drink,  milk, 
meats  and  the  like,  which  must  be  critically  estimated. 
Those  who  desire  to  become  candidates  for  military  service  are 
already  seeking  instruction  and  experience  in  meeting  minor  sur- 
gical and  medical  emergencies,  in  the  dressing  of  wounds,  in  the 
adjustment  of  dressings,  solutions. 
One  surgeon  and  two  pharmacists  could  probably  do  as  much 
good  work  as  two  or  even  three  surgeons. 
The  claim  is  made  by  the  opponents  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Corps 
that  the  medicines  or  drugs  used  in  the  army  are  very  simple  and 
few,  and  served  mostly  in  tablet  form,  readily  handed  out  by  any 
bright,  alert  enlisted  man  selected  and  trained  for  the  purpose. 
How  about  the  poisons?  How  many  blunders  are  made  by  such 
an  elementary  form  of  dispensing?  Full  knowledge  of  the  prop- 
erties of  death-dealing  chemicals  is  an  absolute  essential  for  the  man 
who  handles  them. 
I  have  been  credibly  informed  that  the  official  Army  Drug  Table 
authorized  by  the  Secretary  of  War  comprises  nearly  600  drugs 
and  drug  products  of  all  kinds,  including  poisons  of  the  deadliest 
character.  Also  that  this  drug  table  or  list  is  admitted  to  be  only  the 
"  minimum  number  of  articles  essential  to  the  nation's  medical  ac- 
tivities." 
Obviously  the  preparation,  compounding  and  especially  the  dis- 
