832 
Editorial. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1918. 
AN  EDITORIAL  CAMOUFLAGE. 
In  the  current  issue,  our  esteemed  cotemporary  the  Northwestern 
Druggist  publishes  an  editorial  under  the  caption  "  Camouflage  in 
Pharmacy."  In  this  the  learned  editor  has  painted  a  disparaging 
word  picture  of  the  practice  of  pharmacy  in  the  United  States.  If 
his  portrayal  be  true,  then  to  say  the  least,  it  cannot  be  considered 
as  at  all  creditable  to  the  pharmaceutical  educators  of  the  country, 
among  whom  we  include  the  editor,  who  have  devoted  so  many  years 
to  the  teaching  of  "technical  and  scientific  pharmacy." 
That  pharmacy  as  practiced  in  many  drug  stores,  does  not 
measure  up  to  proper  ideals  is  granted;  but  is  not  a  similar  state- 
ment equally  true  regarding  the  practice  of  every  profession?  In 
his  attempt  to  discredit  commercialism  in  pharmacy,  our  editorial 
friend  has  permitted  his  earnestness  to  lead  him  into  vehement  state- 
ments and  wholesale  denunciation  which  will  not  withstand  deliberate 
analysis  and  a  comparison  with  the  established  facts. 
The  following  extracts  are  examples  of  the  specious  arguments 
presented : 
"  In  the  construction  of  the  U.  S.  P.  IX,  the  peer  of  all  national 
pharmacopoeias,  he  has  been  conspicuous  by  his  absence.    Scientific  » 
prescription  dispensing  of  a  very  high  order  is  wTell  known  but  rarely 
practiced. 
"  Our  present  pharmacopoeia  has  been  held  up  as  a  criterion  of 
the  professional  standing  and  scientific  qualifications  of  the  retail 
druggists  of  America.  This  is  pure  camouflage.  On  the  entire 
revision  committee,  which  committee  is  responsible  for  the  U.  S.  P. 
IX  there  are  only  two  retail  pharmacists  and  one  is  a  professor  in  a 
college  of  pharmacy. 
"  The  U.  S.  P.  IX  reflects  the  progress  which  scientific  and  pro- 
fessional pharmacy  has  made  during  the  past  fifteen  years  in  this 
country.  It  is  the  work  of  professional  pharmacists  who  are  with 
our  colleges  of  pharmacy  and  our  pharmaceutical  manufacturing 
houses.  It  is  an  indication  of  the  required  professional  qualifica- 
tions which  the  public  has  a  right  to  expect  of  those  who  compound 
and  dispense  medicines." 
By  no  means  are  we  willing  to  admit  that  "  scientific  prescription 
dispensing  is  rarely  practiced."  Neither  are  we  as  American 
pharmacists  willing  to  admit  that  the  dispensing  in  the  United  States 
is  not  as  scientific  and  as  exact  as  in  any  other  country.    In  an  ex- 
