Aru.  Jour  .Pharm 
Nov.,  1891. 
}  Minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy.  56 : 
properties  pointed  out.  Surely,  these  are  as  important  to  both  employer  and 
employe,  as  the  newest  toilet  article  and  latest  product  of  the  perfumer. 
These  might  be  called  store  lessons  about  little  things,  but  they  are  the  very 
essence  of  true  pharmacy  and  those  in  which  the  student  has  a  right  to  expect 
instruction.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  stifle  your  conscience  with  the  remark  that 
you  have  paid  for  the  instruction  of  the  student  at  the  College  of  Pharmacy. 
This  is  practical  information  which  cannot  be  acquired  entirely  from  the 
college  lecture  courses,  but  which  is  valuable  not  only  to  the  clerk,  but  equally 
so  to  the  proprietor,  as  it  is  necessary  to  the  economical  and  successful  man- 
agement of  his  business. 
As  some  one  says  this  will  necessitate  a  great  deal  of  labor  on  my  part  to 
keep  up  with  the  new  methods  and  the  new  ideas.  It  will  necessitate  my 
reading  the  current  literature  of  pharmacy  that  I  may  be  posted  on  the 
advances  made.  But  this  is  not  our  ideal  preceptor,  for  he,  in  the  language  of  the 
street,  "is  there  already."    He  considers  this  knowledge  as  essential. 
Our  ideal  preceptor  is  not  afraid  that  he  will  learn  too  much.  I  believe  that 
not  only  "three-story  larnin' is  pop'lar  now,"  but  certainly  more  valuable 
than  a  single  story. 
Another  subject  to  which  attention  has  already  been  called  by  one  of  our 
Professors  is  the  writing  of  the  thesis;  but  I  believe  it  is  a  question  which  will 
bear  repetition.  One  of  the  requirements  of  our  college  in  general  with  most  other 
similar  institutions,  is  that  an  original  dissertation  should  be  presented  by  each 
student.  The  character  of  these,  while  admittedly  improving,  is  yet  worthy  of 
great  improvement.  How  can  the  preceptor  aid  in  such  improvement  ?  Our 
ideal  suggests  to  the  student  that  it  is  advisable  to  select  a  subject  early,  and 
refers  him  to  work  already  done  in  the  same  line  of  investigation.  If  his  student 
is  unable,  for  want  of  time  or  ability,  to  undertake  any  original  research  as 
would  be  entailed  by,  for  example,  a  plant  analysis,  he  suggests  that  the  process 
for  making  some  preparation  could  be  improved.  Possibly  he  suggests  certain 
simple  experiments  with  various  menstrua,  or  a  comparison  of  methods.  This 
is  a  valuable  field  of  pharmaceutical  work  which  is  generally  neglected,  and 
there  are  even  a  number  of  officinal  preparations  in  need  of  just  such  simple 
experimentation  carefully  performed.  While  it  is  desirable  that  the  student 
should  be  given  the  widest  liberty  in  selecting  a  subject  for  a  thesis,  in  order 
to  develop  the  peculiar  bent  of  his  mind,  the  writer  has  often  hoped  that  the 
college  would  maintain  some  supervision  over  the  subjects  selected  ;  to  at 
least  decide  what  are  desirable  or  undesirable  subjects  for  investigation. 
I  am  aware  that  in  writing  the  above,  but  one  side  of  the  subject  has  been 
discussed.  The  ideal  student  is  perhaps  harder  to  find  than  the  ideal  preceptor, 
but  he  has  not  been  under  discussion  to-day.  Do  not  underestimate  the  value 
of  example  and  aid  to  your  clerk,  nor  forget  that  there  is  a  certain  magnetism 
in  example  which  stimulates  others  to  action. 
MINUTEvS  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA  COLLEGE  OF 
PHARMACY. 
Philadelphia,  September  28,  1891. 
A  stated  meeting  of  the  College  was  held  this  day  at    o'clock  P.  M. — Charles 
Bullock  presiding — fifteen  members  present. 
The  minute  of  the  previous  meeting  was  read,  and  on  motion,  adopted. 
