Am.  .Four.  Pharm. ) 
April,  1885.  j 
Editor  i(  lis. 
221 
Colleges.  The  letter  states  "  that  whatever  experience  or  age  is  held  to  be 
necessary  to  make  the  applicant  eUgible  to  graduation,  should  be  had  prior 
to  the  final  examination,"  In  principle  this  is  correct ;  yet  the  Ihinois 
law  permits  graduates  in  medicine  to  become  registered  pharmacists  with- 
out experience  in  the  drug  business  and  without  examination;  and  licen- 
tiates in  pharmacy  may  become  registered  pharmacists  with  a  practical 
experience  of  two  years  and  without  qualification  as  to  age.  It  seems  to 
us,  therefore,  that  the  Board  calls  attention  to  the  above  mainly  because  of 
the  apparent  difference  between  the  practice  and  the  professed  require- 
ments of  one  or  more  Colleges,  and  consequently  of  the  probable  unrelia- 
bility of  documents  issued  by  them.    The  letter  concludes  as  follows  : 
The  Illinois  Board  of  Pharmacy,  in  the  exercise  of  sound  judgment, 
and  having  at  heart  the  best  interest  of  Pharmacy,  will  decline  to  grant 
registration  to  holders  of  such  certificates  without  examination;  and  if, 
after  a  reasonable  time,  the  practice  of  issuing  such  certificates  is  not 
abandoned,  this  Board  wiU  decline  to  accept  as  "  satisfactory  "  the  diploma 
of  any  College  following  the  practice. 
Prevention  of  Epidemic  Choleka  in  America.— The  following 
report  was  adopted  by  the  American  Public  Health  Association  and  the 
Conference  of  State  Boards  of  Health,  at  their  meetings  held  in  the  city  of 
St.  Louis  in  October,  1884.  We  have  purposely  deferred  its  publication 
until  the  present  time,  when  the  approaching  warm  weather  is  likely  to 
secure  for  it  more  careful  attention  than  would  be  accorded  to  the  recom- 
mendations during  the  winter  months. 
To  the  Conference  of  State  Boards  of  Health: 
Mr.  President  and  Members  :  Your  Committee,  to  whom  was  referred 
papers  relating  to  the  practical  work  required  for  the  prevention  of  epi- 
demic cholera  in  this  country,  respectfully  report  as  follows  : 
Origin  and  Dissemination. — There  are  three  essential  factors  to  the  preva- 
lence of  cholera  in  this  country  as  an  epidemic,  (1)  the  importation  of  the 
disease  by  means  of  ships  more  or  less  directly  from  its  only  place  of  origin 
in  India ;  (2)  local  unsanitary  conditions  favorable  to  the  reception  and 
development  of  the  disease  ;  (3)  persons  sick  with  the  disease  in  some  of  its 
stages,  or  things  infected  by  such  sick  persons,  to  carry  it  from  place  to 
place.  These  three  factors  naturally  suggest  the  methods  of  combating  the 
disease,  for  which  there  is  needed  practical  work — international,  national, 
and  inter-state,  State  and  local.  So  far  as  relates  to  State  and  local  boards 
of  health,  their  organization  and  activities  are  greater  than  ever  before  ; 
but  it  must  be  admitted,  that  after  cholera  has  been  introduced  into  a  coun- 
try, inland  quarantines  are  not  easily  and  successfully  maintained,  although 
efforts  in  this  direction  are  then  advisable. 
In  view  of  the  threatened  introduction  of  cholera  into  this  country 
during  the  coming  year,  and  the  consequent  inmiense  waste  of  life  and 
property  values  through  derangements  of  commerce,  trade  and  productive 
industries,  it  is  the  sense  of  this  conference  that  the  general  government 
should  maintain  such  a  national  health  service  as  shall,  by  rigid  inspection 
at  the  port  of  embarkation,  question  the  freedom  from  disease  and  infection 
of  all  persons  and  things  from  infected  districts,  and  shall  secure  the  sur- 
veillance of  such  persons  and  things  while  on  shipboard,  and  when  neces- 
sary, detention  at  quarantine  stations  on  this  side  for  treatment  and  dis- 
infection. 
Official  Inspection.— In  view  of  the  present  threatening  aspect  of  Asiatic 
