Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  j 
August,  1 918.  f 
Editorial. 
553 
do  chemical  or  bacteriologic  work,  his  familiarity  with  drugs 
should  make  him  of  considerable  assistance  '  in  rendering  first  aid 
in  wound  treatment  and  the  making  of  diagnostic  and  chemical 
tests.'  The  provision  '  to  establish  and  maintain  a  systematic  course 
of  study,'  for  those  seeking  promotion,  follows  the  example  set  by 
the  Army  in  establishing  the  Army  Medical  School,  of  the  Navy  in 
establishing  the  Naval  Medical  School  and  of  the  United  States 
Public  Health  Service  in  providing  courses  of  instruction  to  the 
men  in  the  service  and  should  do  much  to  elevate  the  status  of 
pharmacy. 
Altogether  the  establishment  of  a  Pharmaceutical  Corps,  through 
the  enactment  of  the  Edmonds  Bill  or  some  similar  measure,  should 
make  for  greater  efficiency  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the  Army. 
Further,  the  commercial  training  of  the  pharmacist  should  also  make 
for  economy.  Thus  we  feel  confident  that  the  director  general  of 
the  Pharmaceutical  Corps  would  strongly  protest  against  the  pur- 
chase of  the  proprietary  acetanilid  mixture  'Ammonol,'  which  was 
included  among  the  medicines  in  the  '  List  of  Staple  Medical  and 
Surgical  Supplies,'  selected  by  the  Committee  on  Standardization 
appointed  by  the  Council  of  National  Defense." 
That  the  public-spirited  citizens  and  business  interests  of  the 
country  are  likewise  beginning  to  recognize  the  important  position 
that  pharmacists  fill  in  the  organization  of  society  and  that  the  pro- 
fessional services  of  pharmacists  are  demanded  alike  for  the  soldier 
and  the  civilian  has  also  been  shown  by  the  following  Resolution 
Adopted  by  the  International  Convention  of  Rotary  Clubs  recently 
held  at  Kansas  City. 
Whereas,  We  believe  that  one  of  the  most  important  duties  de- 
volving upon  the  governmental  authorities  is  to  provide  to  the  utmost 
for  the  conservation  of  the  lives  and  health  of  the  American  sol- 
diers, who,  sacrificnig  the  comforts  of  home,  are  jeopardizing  their 
all  for  the  principles  for  which  the  nation  is  contending,  and  as  our 
loved  ones  and,  as  the  soldiers  of  our  country,  they  are  certainly  en- 
titled to  the  very  best  medical  and  surgical  skill  and  to  expert  phar- 
maceutical service.  It  is  deplorable  that  in  the  United  States  Army 
medicines  are  continuously  dispensed  by  those  who  are  unfitted  for 
such  duty  and  who  lack  a  systematic  education  in  the  knowledge  of 
drugs  and  the  art  of  compounding  medicines. 
Whereas,  While  in  civil  life  each  state  protects  its  citizens  from 
incompetent  practice,  and  by  law  provides  for  the  required  expe- 
