i 
662  Medical  Division  of  National  Museum.  { ^^ptember!* ^920. 
The  Historical  Section  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion has,  for  years,  busied  itself  with  the  collection  of  historical 
material  of  various  kinds,  and  it  was  largely  with  a  view  to  providing 
a  permanent  home  for  such  material  that  the  movement  for  a 
national  depository  for  matters  of  historical  interest  from  a  pharma- 
ceutical standpoint  was  carried  on. 
This  end  has  at  last  been  achieved  through  the  enlargement  of 
the  field  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  which  now,  under  the  name 
of  the  National  Museum,  has  established  a  very  interesting  medical 
division,  which  includes  much  matter  of  interest  to  pharmacists. 
This  medical  division  is  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  gallery 
in  the  East  Hall  of  the  Arts  and  Industries  Building  of  the  Museum 
The  subjects  illustrated  are  grouped  under  four  heads,  namely: 
(1)  History  of  Medicine. 
(2)  Materia  Medica. 
(3)  Pharmacy. 
(4)  Sanitation  and  Public  Hygiene. 
Three  alcoves  are  devoted  to  the  history  of  medicine,  starting 
from  the  beginning  of  medicine  in  India,  Egypt,  Greece,  Rome, 
China,  and  among  the  Hebrews. 
Two  alcoves  are  devoted  to  the  history  of  medicine  in  America, 
which  is  illustrated  by  biographical  sketches,  portraits,  etc. 
Three  alcoves  are  devoted  to  materia  medica,  and  two  to  phar- 
macy, including  both  modern  and  historical  pharmacy.  It  was 
through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  F.  L.  Lewton  that  the  section  of  pharmacy 
was  established. 
Several  of  the  leading  manufacturers  of  the  United  States  have 
contributed  material  illustrating  the  lines  in  which  they  are  interested 
and  the  products  they  prepare. 
Many  of  the  members  attending  the  meeting  of  the  American 
Pharmaceutical  Association  and  of  the  delegates  attending  the 
Tenth  Decennial  Convention  for  the  revision  of  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia  at  Washington  in  May  took  the  occasion  to  visit  the 
National  Museum  and  see  the  display  of  articles  of  medical  interest 
which  has  been  organized  there  in  the  Medical  Division  under  the 
supervision  of  Mr.  F.  L.  Lewton,  curator,  and  of  Mr.  C.  White- 
bread,  the  assistant  curator  of  that  division. 
Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Whitebread  I  am  able  to  present  a 
photograph  of  one  of  these  displays  which  will  give  an  idea  of  the 
