682 
Editorial. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  19.18. 
macy  is  likewise  going  through  its  process  of  refinement  and  change, 
and  those  who  have  the  hope  of  a  professional  pharmacy  evolving 
therefrom,  have  faith  that  as  a  result  of  these  various  internal  up- 
heavals and  exterior  movements,  pharmacy  will  be  more  firmly  es- 
tablished upon  a  scientific  professional  foundation. 
G.  M.  B. 
THE  OPINION  OF  AN  EMINENT  FOREIGN  PHARMA- 
CEUTICAL AUTHORITY  OF  AMERICAN 
PHARMACY. 
Dr.  J.  J.  Hofman,  Secretary-General  of  the  International  Phar- 
maceutical Federation,  has  recently  published  a  review  of  the  Phar- 
macopoeia of  the  United  States  IX. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  his  opinion  of  the  United  States  Phar- 
macopoeia and  his  impression  of  American  pharmacy,  despite  some 
of  the  rather  derogatory  remarks  of  certain  of  our  presumed 
leaders  in  American  pharmaceutical  circles  as  to  the  status  of  phar- 
macy in  the  United  States.  This  eminent  foreign  pharmaceutical 
authority,  after  reviewing  the  various  titles  and  subjects  as  treated 
in  the  several  parts  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  some  of  the  important 
preparations  of  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia  IX,  makes  the 
following  comment : 
"  Like  every  pharmacopoeia,  the  U.  S.  P.  IX  contains  an  his- 
torical sketch  which  shows  how  pharmacy  has  developed  in  the 
United  States.  It  gives  a  good  impression  of  American  pharmacy, 
and  proves  that,  next  to  good  salesmanship,  which  distinguishes 
the  American  apothecary,  the  striving  for  substantial  scientific  work, 
coupled  with  a  practical  mind,  is  also  held  in  high  esteem  by  the 
pharmaceutical  profession  there." 
G.  M.  B. 
ERRATIC  ALCOHOL  LEGISLATION. 
The  United  States  Congress  is  commonly  looked  upon  as  a  body 
of  able  legislatures  who  give  careful  consideration  to  the  various 
problems  presented  to  them,  and  presumably  they  are  acquainted 
with  the  past  history  and  precedents  that  should  influence  their 
action.  It  is  difficult,  indeed,  to  conform  this  estimate  of  the  Amer- 
ican Congress  with  the  erratic  legislation  on  distilled  spirits  which 
