November; ,189™"}  History  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meetifigs.  60S 
A  HISTORY  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETINGS  OF 
THE  PHILADELPHIA  COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY. 
By  Thomas  S.  Wikgand. 
As  this  is  the  first  of  the  pharmaceutical  meetings  for  the  series 
of  1896-97,  it  was  thought  that  a  historical  sketch  of  their  inception 
and  some  of  the  subjects  that  had  been  brought  before  the  College 
at  these  meetings  would  be  interesting,  especially  to  the  younger 
members  of  the  College  and  such  of  our  classes  as  might  be 
present. 
In  the  College  minute  book  for  1841,  under  date  of  December 
27th,  it  is  noted  that  the  following-named  persons :  Wm.  R.  Fisher, 
Charles  Ellis,  Wm.  Procter,  Jr.,  Samuel  F.  Troth,  Jos.  C.  Turnpenny, 
Ambrose  Smith  and  John  H.  Ecky,  addressed  a  communication  to 
the  College,  asking  that  they,  and  such  others  as  would  associate 
themselves  with  them,  be  granted  the  use  of  the  hall  and  library  to 
conduct  discussions,  institute  scientific  investigation  and  report  upon 
matters  of  interest  to  pharmacists,  basing  their  request  upon  the 
advantage  and  interest  which  had  accrued  from  meetings  of  similar 
character,  held  in  the  Paris  Society  of  Pharmacy,  and  in  the  lately 
established  Pharmaceutic  Society  of  Great  Britain. 
It  was  determined  not  to  introduce  the  ordinary  business  affairs  of 
the  College  or  trade  into  these  meetings. 
In  response  to  this  proposition,  the  College  gave  its  sanction  to 
the  application,  and  directed  that  these  meetings  be  known  as  the 
"  Pharmaceutic  Meetings  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy." 
As  we  rehearse  the  names  of  those  who  made  the  application, 
how  much  of  local  professional  pride  is  stirred  when  we  remember 
how  well  these  men,  each  and  every  one  of  them,  bore  their  part  in 
the  ordinary  work  of  the  College,  as  well  as  in  bringing  forward 
matters  of  scientific  interest  to  help  the  then  struggling  pharmacists 
to  do  better  and  more  accurate  work  in  their  chosen  calling. 
The  first  action,  arranging  methods  for  conducting  these  meetings^ 
was  taken  June  26,  1842.  The  time,  the  reading  of  the  minutes, 
correcting  them,  if  necessary,  and  adopting  them,  introduction  of 
strangers,  donations  to  library  and  cabinet,  reports  of  committees, 
written  and  verbal  communications,  miscellaneous  business  and  con- 
versation, was  the  plan  mapped  out,  and  it  will  be  seen  how  well 
the  originators  of  the  meetings  comprehended  the  needs  of  the 
