486  MINUTES  OF  THE 
delegates  from  the  Montreal  Association,  whereupon  the  resolu- 
tion was  unanimously  adopted. 
Mr.  Mercer  and  Dr.  Edwards  expressed  their  thanks  appre- 
ciatively for  the  reception  extended  to  them. 
The  time  for  presenting  the  annual  address  of  the  President 
having  arrived,  Secretary  Maisch  and  Dr.  Squibb  read  that  docu- 
ment, which  was  accepted  and  referred  for  publication  ;  the 
suggestions  and  propositions  contained  therein  being  referred  to 
the  Business  Committee,  to  be  brought  up  for  action  in  due 
course.    A  few  extracts  from  the  report  are  here  printed. 
Gentlemen, — In  retiring  from  the  high  official  position  with  which  it 
has  been  your  pleasure  to  honor  me,  I  regret  the  necessity  of  recalling  to 
'your  indulgent  consideration  the  same  personal  reasons  which  caused  me 
to  hesitate  in  accepting  that  mark  of  your  kind  deference.  I  then  stated 
that  my  health  was  feeble,  and  am  now  obliged  to  admit  that  it  would  be 
imprudent  for  me  to  venture  from  home.  I  the  more  regret  my  absence 
from  your  sixteenth  annual  meeting,  as  it  occurs  in  Philadelphia,  which 
has  done  more  than  any  other  city  in  the  Union  to  extend  pharmaceutical 
science,  and  render  available  its  practical  resources.  Through  its  well- 
appointed  College  of  Pharmacy  it  has  successfully  exercised  its  influence 
upon  the  moral,  intellectual  and  business  character  of  those  intended  for 
our  profession,  to  fit  them  for  their  important  and  confidential  relations 
to  the  patient,  their  intelligent  co-operation  with  the  physician,  and  their 
advancement  of  our  science. 
  It  was  resolved  at  the  last 
meeting  to  increase  the  annual  dues  to  three  dollars  (formerly  two  dol- 
lars), and  to  charge  five  dollars  instead  of  three  for  certificates  after  the 
present  meeting,  the  initiation  fee  of  three  dollars  remainiug  unchanged. 
Life  membership,  that  threatened  us  with  a  decrease  in  revenue  without 
any  decrease  in  the  number  of  Proceedings  to  be  printed,  was  abolished. 
Nearly  all  the  life  members,  in  accordance  with  the  circular  sent  them 
according  to  your  instructions,  voluntarily  relinquished  their  right  of  ex- 
emption from  further  payment  of  annual  dues.  It  argues  well  for  the 
future  existence  of  this  Association,  that  its  members  should  so  generally 
have  resolved  to  tax  themselves,  and  to  cede  their  right  to  life  member- 
ship that  they  had  either  acquired  or  had  been  looking  forward  to.  As 
there  has  been  a  diminution  in  the  number  of  non-contributing  members, 
besides  an  increase  of  about  five  per  cent,  on  the  roll  of  active  members, 
what  with  the  increase  of  dues  it  may  be  permitted  to  suppose  that  we 
shall  no  longer  be  obliged  to  forestall  our  receipts,  as  of  late  years.  There 
is,  however,  some  dilatoriness  in  paying  the  dues,  for  which  there  can  be 
but  little  excuse   . 
The  Executive  Committee  have  been  busy,  as  usual,  and  more  than 
