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EDITORIAL. 
to  continue  it  through  all  the  difficulties  we  have  hinted  at,  nor  has  the 
editorial  supervision  of  it  been  free  from  embarrassments.  During  the 
war,  men's  minds  were  too  much  absorbed  in  the  great  issues  of  that  epoch 
to  give  thought  or  time  to  scientific  or  professional  research,  and  since, 
every  one's  energy,  seems  given  to  push  business  to  meet  the  demands 
created  by  taxation  in  its  varied  forms.  Numerous  contributors  have  long 
been  silent,  and  here  at  home,  among  our  own  members,  the  same  in- 
activity exists.  A  valued  correspondent  in  Ohio  says  of  some  who  are 
disposed  to  find  fault:  "  they  think  the  Journal  is  getting  more  scientific 
than  practical;  what  they  mostly  desire  is  articles  more  strictly  relating 
to  pharmacy,  and  good  practical  working  formulae  for  preparing  newly 
introduced  remedies.  Many  acknowledge  the  value  of  highly  scientific 
articles,  but  say  they  would  rather  read  them  in  works  relating  to  the 
subject,"  &c,  &c. 
In  reply  to  so  much  of  this  criticism  as  relates  to  the  scientific  tendency 
of  this  Journal,  we  will  call  attention  to  the  advertisement  always  printed 
on  the  cover  in  reference  to  its  objects:  (i  This  Journal  is  devoted  to  the 
advancement  of  pharmaceutical  knowledge,  including  practical  pharmacy, 
materia  medica,  chemistry  in  its  general  and  applied  relations,  and  to  the 
collateral  sciences,  botany,  mineralogy,  zoology,  &c."    In  reference  to  the 
articles  on  practical  pharmacy  and  recipes  queried  after,  not  a  few  have 
been  published,  but,  let  us  ask,  what  is  the  source  of  such  articles  ?  Are 
they  not  eliminated  by  the  brains  and  hands  of  pharmaceutists  who  work 
out  the  processes  for  themselves,  and  who  are  liberal  enough  to  communi- 
cate the  knowledge  thus  gained  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not  able 
to  do  it  for  themselves,  or  who  won't  make  the'exertion  ?    Now,  here's  the 
rub.     The  apothecaries  who  work  out  these  problems  are,  in  general,  not 
thus  liberally  disposed;   on  the  contrary  they  make  specialities  of  their 
recipes  on  all  occasions  where  there  is  a  prospect  of  pecuniary  return. 
There  are  some  bright  exceptions,  however  ;  and  to  these  mainly  must 
the  progress  of  our  art  be  attributed  ;  and  here  lies  the  difference  between 
the  contributors  to  journals  devoted  to  abstract,  and  to  applied  science. 
The  former  are  generally  men  anxious  for  distinction,  or  those  already 
distinguished  in  research,  or  earnest  seekers  of  knowledge  for  its  own  sake  ; 
they  are  not  looking  to  see  how  much  money  is  in  every  discovery.  The 
latter  are  contributed  to  by  practical  men  of  all  grades.     One  writes  to 
direct  attention  to  a  patented  process  ;  another  describes  a  substance,  the 
origin  of  which  is  involved  in  doubt ;  a  third  gives  a  recipe,  with  the 
manipulation  omitted,  as  an  advertisement;  whilst  a  fourth — a  rara  avis — 
tells  the  whole  story,  and  gives  the  true  working  formula  or  process.  Now 
it  is  to  the  labors  of  this  latter  class  that  our  correspondent  alludes,  and 
we  earnestly  second  his  wishes  so  far  as  to  appeal  to  that  respectably 
large  class  of  pharmaceutists,  dotted  here  and  there  over  our  wide  country, 
who  really,  at  heart,  have  a  warm  feeling  for  the  progress  of  our  art,  but 
who  fancy  it  don't  need  their  aid  and  efforts.    To  these  gentlemen  we  say, 
