Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  > 
February,  1915.  j 
Correspondence. 
79 
paralyzed  business,  then  money,  and  perhaps  much  money,  is  neces- 
sary. 
It  is  not  possible  for  us  Netherland  apothecaries  to  provide  de- 
cisive help  with  our  own  resources.  Now,  it  is,  however,  possible 
that  we,  by  means  of  our  example,  can  open  the  hearts  and  hands 
of  our  colleagues  in  those  lands  that  have  been  spared  from  the 
horrors  of  the  war. 
There  can  naturally  be  no  consideration  of  any  plan  for  us  to 
extend  aid  by  means  of  giving  alms.  If  we  ourselves  were  in  similar 
circumstances,  we  should  not  wish  to  accept  these.  We  now  present 
to  you,  in  the  name  of  a  number  of  Amsterdam  apothecaries,  the 
following  proposition:" 
We  Netherland  apothecaries  begin  with  declaring  ourselves  ready, 
so  that  our  own  country  may  remain  spared  from  the  direct  con- 
sequences of  the  war,  to  pledge  our  Association  in  the  sum  of  50 
gilders — or  more — to  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Chief  Direction, 
with  the  stipulation  that  the  Chief  Direction  places  the  money  thus 
obtained  as  an  advance  loan,  without  interest,  at  the  disposal  of  a 
commission  formed  of  Belgian  colleagues,  in  order  to  do  with  it 
that  which  this  commission  may  deem  to  be  the  most  desirable  for 
the  resurrection  of  Belgian  pharmacy. 
The  chance  is  very  great  that  this  money  will  not  be  repaid,  or 
only  after  a  very  long  time.  There  is,  however,  also  the  possibility 
that  the  money  will  be  returned  within  a  reasonable  time,  in  which 
case  the  Chief  Direction  is  to  return  the  money  in  its  entirety,  in 
divided  portions  or  in  instalments. 
In  that  case  a  whole  or  a  partial  restitution  to  those  who  have 
advanced  money  should  become  possible,  and  in  the  beginning  such 
a  restitution  must  be  placed  in  prospect. 
In  an  assembly,  attended  by  a  comparatively  large  number  of 
Amsterdam  apothecaries,  it  was  resolved  to  direct  this  circular  to 
you,  without  taking  counsel  with  the  above-named  Chief  Direction, 
in  consideration  of  the  following: 
Should  our  plan  miscarry,  and  there  were  pessimists  among  us 
who  held  a  less  favorable  impression  of  the  readiness  of  our  col- 
leagues for  making  offerings,  then  nothing  would  be  lost  in  this  effort 
but  an  illusion  on  our  part ;  if,  however,  the  Chief  Direction  takes  this 
matter  in  hand,  then  the  good  name  of  the  Netherland  apothecaries 
towards  our  Belgian  colleagues  and  towards  foreign  countries  will 
not  have  been  endangered  by  a  failure,  and  we  must  then  again  en- 
