Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  "I 
February,  1899.  J 
Food  and  Drug  Congress. 
99 
some  or  unsatisfactory  formulas,  difficult  or  unsightly  prescriptions,  questions 
of  the  relation  of  quality  to  cost  of  drugs  or  chemicals,  lengthy  or  complicated 
processes  which  might  be  simplified,  and  problems  concerning  all  phases  of 
practical  pharmacy. 
The  colleges  of  pharmacy  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  are  in  a  position 
to  work  out  many  of  these  problems  without  cost  to  the  druggist,  and  would 
doubtless  be  glad  to  show  their  interest  in  practical  matters  by  undertaking 
such  investigations  and  presenting  their  results  in  papers  at  the  next  meeting 
of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association. 
The  Association  is  in  sympathy  with  the  druggists  in  these  matters,  and  will 
undertake  to  find  investigators  for  such  questions  as  may  be  submitted.  To 
this  end  all  druggists,  whether  members  of  the  Association  or  not,  are  invited 
to  send  questions  or  descriptions  of  difficulties  concerning  any  branch  of  prac- 
tical pharmacy,  improvements  desired  in  specified  formulas  (wherein  a  difficulty 
is  described),  etc.,  as  early  as  possible. 
Inasmuch  as  the  colleges  close  in  the  early  spring,  and  time  is  required  for 
investigation,  an  early  attention  to  this  invitation  is  desired.  No  questions 
should  be  submitted  later  than  May  i,  1899.  While  the  committee  cannot  agree 
to  solve  all  problems  and  must  reserve  the  right  to  reject  such  as  are  not  of  gen- 
eral interest,  yet  with  your  prompt  co-operation  in  stating  what  you,  as  a  prac- 
tical druggist,  are  specially  interested  in,  we  hope  to  make  this  of  personal  as 
well  as  of  general  value. 
Address  all  communications  to 
Wilbur  L.  Scovihe, 
Mass.  College  of  Pharmacy,  Boston,  Mass. 
On  behalf  of  the  Scientific  Committee  A.  Ph.  A. 
NATIONAL  PURE  FOOD  AND  DRUG  CONGRESS. 
The  second  annual  meeting  of  the  National  Pure  Food  and  Drug  Congress  ■ 
was  held  in  Washington  from  January  18  to  January  21,  1899.  The  first  Con- 
gress met  in  March  of  last  year  and  adopted  a  bill  which  provided  for  the 
organization  in  the  chemical  division  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  of  a 
food,  beverage  and  drug  section,  under  the  direction  of  the  chief  chemist,  to 
undertake  the  analysis  of  foods,  beverages,  condiments  or  drugs  offered  for 
sale  in  the  States,  District  of  Columbia  and  Territories  of  the  United  States, 
provided  the  same  be  in  original  or  unbroken  packages.  Also  for  the  pro- 
hibition, under  certain  penalties,  of  the  sale  within  such  limits  of  adulterated 
or  misbranded  articles,  for  their  seizure,  condemnation  and  sale  where  dis- 
covered in  transit,  and  for  the  purchase  and  examination  of  commercial  sam- 
ples of  such  articles  at  the  discretion  of  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture  ;  also, 
for  the  enforcement  of  the  law  by  District  Attorneys.  It  defined  what  shall 
be  regarded  as  an  adulteration  or  misbranding  within  the  meaning  of  the  act ; 
how  compounded  food  preparations  shall  be  branded,  and  how  samples  shall 
be  acquired  for  analysis,  and,  finally,  provided  that  the  Secretary  of  Agricul- 
ture shall  call  upon  the  association  of  official  agricultural  chemists  and  such 
physicians,  not  less  than  five,  as  the  President  of  the  United  States  shall  select 
from  the  medical  department  of  the  army  and  navy  and  the  United  States 
Marine  Hospital,  and  five  chemists  to  be  selected  by  the  American  Chemical 
