Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
September,  1911.  J 
Teaching  of  Pharmacognosy. 
433 
chloride  (Corrosive  Sublimate).  There  are  33.  Name  as  the  tenth 
edition  of  Potter's  Materia  Medica  gives  them.  Does  Potter's 
Materia  Medica  say  Mercury  is  a  tonic  ?  Answer  Yes  or  No.  Does 
he  say  it  is  a  poison?  A  purgative?  From  where  is  Veratrum 
obtained?  And  in  action,  is  it  related  to  Aconite  in  any  form? 
Answer  Yes  or  No.  What  is  the  average  dose  of  Eucalyptus  as 
given  in  Potter's  Materia  Medica,  tenth  edition?" 
In  addition  to  the  slovenly  construction  of  the  questions  and 
the  veritable  hodge-podge  manner  of  associating  the  subjects  I 
think  it  is  quite  clear  how  questions  of  this  kind  really  hinder  sound 
pharmaceutical  education.  I  think  students  are  to  be  pitied  who 
have  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  such  examinations  in  the  various 
States,  and  the  wonder  really  is  that  young  men  of  education  and 
good  training  are  willing  to  come  into  the  ranks  of  Pharmacy.  It 
is  cjuite  clear  on  the  face  of  it  that  the  examiners  who  ask  such 
questions  are  quite  incompetent  to  fulfil  their  duties. 
Of  all  subjects  that  are  living,  interesting,  full  of  the  greatest 
of  possibilities  and  of  the  greatest  of  benefit  to  the  professions 
involved,  there  is  no  subject  that  offers  such  a  fertile  field  for  the 
teacher  and  that  can  hold  the  interest  of  the  student  like  that  of 
pharmacognosy.  I  am  quite  aware  that  while  my  enthusiasm  may 
be  shared  by  some  teachers  my  point  of  view  may  not  have  occurred 
to  them.  However,  I  would  say  that  the  teaching  of  pharmacognosy 
in  its  direct  application  to  retail  practice  will  prevail  and  if  the 
examinations  bring  out  the  practical  knowledge  of  the  candidate 
we  will  find  that  the  student  will  also  have  attained  culture  and 
those  things  that  constitute  the  professional  man. 
I  have  often  thought  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  if  Pharma- 
cognosists  could  meet  together  occasionally  and  discuss  not  only 
methods  of  teaching,  but  the  subject  of  examination  questions.  In 
order  that  we  might  improve  our  work  and  be  able  to  utilize  the 
results  obtained  by  our  colleagues  in  other  colleges  I  have  requested 
a  number  of  professors  to  send  me  a  set  of  model  questions.  I 
regret  that  there  is  not  space  for  me  to  give  all  of  these  at  this  time. 
One  professor  has  written  stating  that  as  his  course  consists  entirely 
of  laboratory  work  it  does  not  involve  questions.  This  is  certainly 
novel  and  T  should  like  to  know  how  it  is  done.  Apparently  the 
professor  relies  entirely  upon  the  students'  work  during  the  course. 
I  feel  that  really  every  teacher  ought  to  know  before  the  end  of 
the  term  the  standing  of  every  student,  but  I  still  feel  as  already 
