424 
Fharmaceuiical  Colleges,  etc. 
f  Am.  Jou*.  Phar*. 
t    Sept.  1,  J  872. 
Asa  principle,  it  was  contended  that  what  is  now  known  as  Pharmacy  should 
be  divided  inlo  two  branches,  to  be  known  as  Proiessional  Pharmacy  and  trade, 
or  Empirical  Pharmacy.  '1  he  professional  pharmacist  should  possess  a  scien- 
tific and  practical  knowledge  of  chemical  and  phaimaceutical  manipulations, 
and  be  practically  engaged  in  the  selection  and  preservation  of  medicinal  sub- 
stances, as  also  in  the  making  of  officinal  pieparations  and  the  dispensing  of 
physicians'  prescriptions  and  family  medicines.  The  compounding  of  prescrip- 
tions should  be  regarded  as  professional  services,  and  charged  for  accordingly. 
Trade  Pharmacy  should  constitute  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  nostrums  and' 
proprietary  remedies  (and  into  this  branch  it  would  be  weil  to  throw  the  bulk  of 
popular  elixirs),  and  should  be  regulated  as  a  trade  or  commercial  branch  of 
business,  and  distinctive  titles  should  be  giv^n  to  these  respectively.  All  ages 
had  a  Pharmacy  peculiar  in  some  respects,  and  to  illustrate  an  apprehension 
for  the  near  future,  an  ideal  Pharmacy  was  pictured. 
The  subject  of  Toxicology,  as  applied  to  Pharmacy,  was  next  referred  to, 
and  was  represented  as  being  of  unusual  interest  at  the  present  time,  from  the 
fact  that  the  most  potent  poisons  are  used  with  the  most  popular  remedial 
agents,  and  that  the  list  of  such  poisons  had  been  greatly  augmented.  If  the- 
trouble  of  a  life  time  in  the  storage  and  dispensing  of  poisons  would  be  the 
means  of  saving  one  confiding  customer  from  an  untimely  grave,  it  would  be  a 
great  accomplishment. 
A  strict  attention  to  the  discussions  which  are  being  conducted  upon  this 
question,  and  a  careful  inquiry  into  the  laws  which  have  been  enacted  bearing 
upon  the  subject,  were  recommended.  Reference  was  made  to  the  resolutions 
which  have  been  recently  adopted  by  the  College  of  Physicians  of  Philadelphia, 
and  the  American  Medical  Association,  as  also  to  the  Committee  appointed 
by  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,*  to  take  into  consideration  said 
resolutions,  and  he  suggested  that  the  Maryland  College  of  Pharmacy  appoint 
a  similar  Committee,  with  instructions  to  report  a  set  of  rules  and  regulations 
for  general  adoption.  Until  something  definite  is  done  in  this  matter  by  the 
College,  the  following  simple  and  inexpensive  rules  were  recommended  for  in- 
dividual adoption,  which  would  at  the  same  time  serve  as  a  means  of  directing 
the  mind  to  a  more  serious  consideration  of  the  subject. 
Rule  1.  Provide  a  cup  board  or  draw,  not  too  easy  of  access,  and  in  it  keep 
all  poisonous  chemicals  and  powders  for  use  in  prescriptions  and  general  dis- 
pensing, and  keep  it  under  lock  and  key.  2d.  Keep  all  poisonous  tinctures 
and  other  poisonous  liquids  that  are  used  for  dispensing  purposes  in  a  locked 
cupboard,  or  upon  a  high  shelf,  which  will  occasion  the  use  of  a  step  or  ladder 
to  reach  them.  3d.  If  bottles  or  other  poison  packages  are  kept  in  reserve 
from  which  the  dispensing  vessels  are  refilled,  keep  these  under  lock,  or  in. 
some  other  secure  place  where  they  are  not  likely  to  be  taken  in  mistake  ;  in 
all  cases  have  them  duly  labelled  with  the  proper  names  of  the  articles  and 
the  word  "  Poison."  If  bottles,  keep  them  securely  capped,  with  the  word 
{*  Poison"  written  or  printed  on  the  cap  with  conspicuous  letters.  4th.  Estab- 
lish as  thorough  a  classification  of  poisons  as  possible.  5th.  The  refilling  of 
poison  bottles  or  other  packages  containing  poisons  to  be  done  by,  or  under 
the  superintendence  of,  the  proprietor  or  his  first  assistant.  6th.  In  all  cases, 
the  bottles  or  other  packages  containing  poisons  to  be  returned  to  their  places 
immediately  after  being  used.  7th.  Always  use  caution  labels  when  dispensing 
poisons  and  remedies  for  external  use. 
The  Columbia  Pharmaceutical  Association  has  appointed  the  following 
delegation  to  the  next  meeting  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  t 
Messrs.  G.  M.  Howard,  John  T.  Eagert,  Joseph  W.  Nairn,  W.  M.  McLeod 
and  D.  P.  Hickling,  Phar.  D. 
*See  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1872,  p.  329. 
