132  Semi- Centennial  Anniversary,  etc  {^^^v^^i^mT'' 
ceeded  by  Edward  Parrish,  a  graduate  of  the  class  1841-2.  In  18GG,  Prof. 
Procter  retired  from  the  chair  of  Pharmacy,  after  twenty  years'  service,  and 
John  M.  Maisch,  late  of  the  Army  Laboratory,  was  elected  to  the  chair  of 
Pharmacy.  Finally,  in  1867,  Professors  Parrish  and  Maisch  exchanged  their 
chairs  with  the  approbation  of  the  Board,  and  are  the  present  incumbents. 
The  idea  of  having  a  Laboratory  School,  for  teaching  Practical  Pharmacy 
and  Pharmaceutical  and  Analytical  Chemistry,  had  often  been  suggested  as 
needful  to  corxiplete  the  tuition  in  the  College.  But  it  was  not  until  a  fund  was 
raised,  through  the  efforts  of  its  Alumni,  and  a  suitable  apartment  provided  by 
the  Institution,  that  it  was  carried  into  eifect  the  present  session  by  the  untiring 
industry  of  Prof.  John  M.  Maisch. 
In  view  of  the  connection  which  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  had  with  the 
origin  of  the  College,  the  President  invited  Dr.  R.  E.  Rogers  to  speak.  Dr. 
Rogers,  after  apologizing  for  want  of  preparation,  said  that  his  heart  had  been 
touched  in  connection  with  this  celebration,  and  he  could  not  hesitate  to  accept 
the  invitation  extended.  He  had  learned  a  curious  fact  to-night — that,  instead 
of  this  College  being  the  child  of  the  Older  Institution,  they  were  brothers,  and 
stood  together  in  fraternal  affection.  He  congratulated  the  assembled  com- 
pany upon  the  success  which  had  attended  the  labors  of  those  few  independent 
men  who  refused  the  patronizing  hand  extended  by  the  old  University,  and  pre- 
ferred to  labor  only  as  brothers  in  the  kindred  works  of  Medicine  and  Phar- 
macy. He  spoke  favorably  of  the  excellent  influence  this  College  had  had  on 
the  practice  of  medicine,  and  extended  his  hearty  sympathy  to  itas  a  beneficent 
institution  now  celebrating  its  semi  centennial  anniversary.  Dr.  Leidy  made  a 
few  remarks.  Prof.  Samuel  D.  Gross,  of  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  being 
called  upon,  responded  in  a  speech  of  some  length,  saying  that  he  was  some- 
what familiar  with  the  history  of  the  College  of  Pharmacy;  he  had  never  lost 
sight  of  it  since  he  had  become  acquainted  with  it.  He  needed  not  to  say  how 
much,  not  only  the  medical  profession,  but  the  general  public  were  indebted  to 
this  College  for  its  sanitary  influence.  He  was  somewhat  astonished  at  the 
want  of  appreciation  of  the  Institution  by  the  people  of  Phila4elphia.  He 
believed  that  its  influence  had  gone  far  to  change  the  character  of  Pharmacy 
and  medicines  in  this  country  since  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine,  and 
that  its  graduates,  scattered  throughout  tlue  land,  had  accumulated  a  wealth  of 
practical  information  that  he  was  glad  to  acknowledge.  After  alluding  to 
some  curious  and  amusing  facts  in  connection  with  the  Pharmacy  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  he  acknowledged  the  heavy  debt  due  by  medicine  to  chemistry 
for  its  discoveries  and  improvements  in  the  Materia  Medica.  He  considered 
the  apothecary  an  important  individual,  standing  between  the  physician  and 
his  patient,  to  aid  his  curative  efforts,  and  frequently  to  correct  the  clerical 
errors  which  all  physicians  are  liable  to  make  in  their  prescriptions,  and  which 
the  skilful  apothecary  knows  how  to  detect.  Dr.  Gross,  in  conclusion,  ex- 
pressed his  sympathy  with  the  object  of  the  meeting. 
Prof,  Edward  Parrish  being  called  for,  alluded  to  the  fact  that  the  birth  of 
our  College  occurred  at  a  time  when  the  labors  of  the  brilliant  corps  of  savants 
that  marked  the  early  years  of  our  century  had  culminated  in  those  numerous 
