474 
EDITORIAL. 
College  of  Pharmacy,  nor  of  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  both  of 
which  have  existed  for  a  longer  period  than  the  average  duration  of  the 
human  life.  While  inquiring  of  us  about  the  College,  the  gentleman  who 
handed  us  the  above  mentioned  sheet  learned  that  we  were  not  so  for- 
tunate— as  the  Medical  Record  of  New  York  has  it — of  being  legally  en- 
titled  to  the  appellation  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  ;  to  remedy  this  defect,  he 
proposed  to  procure  for  us  the  legal  right  of  attaching  M,D.  to  our  name, 
by  granting — to  be  sure,  after  an  examination — a  diploma  from  a  regularly 
chartered  Medical  College.  We  were  rather  too  hasty  in  declining  the 
proffered  honor,  to  receive  which  we  frankly  acknowledged  our  unworthi- 
ness  ;  we  might  perhaps  have  learned  which  regularly  constituted  College 
is  disposed  to  grant  diplomas  in  such  an  extremely  regular  way.  On  this 
point  we  were  left  completely  in  the  dark,  and  had  to  content  ourselves 
with  the  assurance  that  the  gentleman  was  duly  authorized — besides  grant- 
ing for  the  consideration  of  $75,  and  after  due  examination,  the  title  of 
M.D. — likewise  the  degrees  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  Doctor  of  Laws,  and 
Master  of  Arts.  Unfortunately,  we  belong  to  that  variety  of  the  genus 
homo  who  have  no  particular  use  for  any  one  of  these  titles,  being  content 
to  be  simply  an  apothecary,  or,  to  use  a  nicer  expression,  a  pharmacist. 
Considering  it,  however,  as  a  prime  duty  to  be  charitable  to  our  fellowmen, 
we  would  herewith  inform  our  medical  friends  that  they  might  have  pro- 
cured the  "  handles  "  to  their  names  with  less  trouble,  and  all  seekers 
after  such  distinction,  how  they  may  be  accommodated  on  the  most  reason- 
able terms.  And  thus  we  leave  this  plenipotentiary  for  conferring  all 
sorts  of  scientific  honors  to  the  tender  consideration  of  all  whom  it  may 
concern,  J.  M.  Maisch. 
Consanguineous  Marriages. — We  have  received  the  following  circular, 
which  we  publish  for  the  information  of  our  readers.  The  importance  of 
the  subject  renders  the  co-operation  of  all  desirable  who  possess  informa- 
tion relating  to  this  subject: 
lis  West  Houston  Street,  New  York,  July,  1867. 
Sm: — At  the  late  meeting  of  the  "  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of 
New  York,"  it  was  resolved  :  a  That  a  Committee  be  appointed  to  in- 
vestigate and  report  upon  the  result  of  consanguineous  marriages,  &c." 
If  such  marriages  come  under  your  observation,  you  will  confer  a  favor 
by  answering  the  following  questions,  and  transmitting  such  report, 
before  November  next,  to  the  undersigned,  one  of  the  Committee  ap- 
pointed : 
1.  Name  (initials)  and  age  of  husband. 
2.  Nativity.  . 
3.  Age  when  married. 
4.  Constitution. 
5.  Health,  deformities,  peculiar  diathesis. 
6.  Health  of  his  family,  hereditary  diseases,  deformities,  &c. 
7.  Name  (initials)  and  age  of  wife. 
8.  Nativity. 
