524 
Editorial. 
(  Am.  Jouk.  Pharm. 
t     Nov.  1, 1871. 
chemists,  or  to  confer  similar  titles  without  demanding  pharmaceutical  expe- 
rience. 
The  Traffic  in  Diplomas,  which  we  have  repeatedly  referred  to  in  our  col- 
umns, will  probably  hereafter  cease  to  reflect  upon  the  fair  fame  of  the  learned 
institutions  of  Philadelphia.  That  no  degree  could  ever  be  purchased  from 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania  is  well  known  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with 
its  officers  and  teachers.  Outside  of  the  City  and  State,  and  particularly  in 
Europe,  this  institution  has  often  been  confounded  with  the  "  University  of 
Philadelphia."  For  the  benefit  of  those  of  our  exchanges  who  have  charged 
the  former  with  this  nefarious  traffic,  we  publish  the  circular  lately  issued  by  it, 
which  contains  also  the  law  that  will  probably  put"  a  stop  to  this  trade  : 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia,  Sept.,  1871. 
Frequent  applications  are  made  to  the  authorities  of  this  University  by  gen- 
tlemen who  desire  to  obtain  Honorary  Degrees.  As  these  applications  are 
made  in  evident  ignorance  of  the  rules  which  govern  the  University  in  confer- 
ring these  degrees,  as  well  as  the  law  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  on  the 
subject,  it  has  been  thought  best  to  reprint  the  existing  regulations  : 
[Extract  from  the  Statutes  of  the  University.'] 
Of  Honorary  Degrees  in  Divinity,  Law,  Arts  and  Medicine. 
1.  These  may  be  conferred  either  at  the  instance  of  the  Faculty,  or  in  pur- 
suance of  a  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Trustees;  but  no  such  Degree  shall  be 
conferred  unless  the  mandamus  ordering  the  same  to  be  signed  by  two-ihirds 
of  the  whole  number  of  Trustees,  nor  unless  the  candidate  shall  have  been 
nominated  at  the  Board  three  months  previously  to  taking  the  question  on 
conferring  the  degree. 
2.  The  question  on  conferring  an  Honorary  Degree  shall  always  be  decided 
by  ballot,  and  the  candidate  must  receive  a  unanimous  vote. 
An  Act  to  Prohibit  the  Sale  of  Academic  Degrees. 
Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  hy  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  in  General  Assembly  met,  and  it  is  hereby 
enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  That  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  Univer- 
sity, College,  or  other  institution  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  this  State 
with  power  to  grant  Academic  Degrees,  honorary  or  otherwise,  to  confer  the 
same  upon  any  person  or  persons  upon  the  payment  or  promise  of  payment  by 
any  person  in  consideration  thereof;  and  any  person  knowingly  signing  a 
diploma  or  other  instrument  of  writing  purporting  to  confer  an  Academic 
Degree  when  such  consideration  has  been  paid  or  promised  to  be  paid,  shall 
be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  on  conviction  thereof  be  sentenced  to  pay  a 
fine  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars,  and  to  undergo  an  imprisonment  not 
exceeding  six  months,  or  both,  or  either,  at  the  discretion  of  the  Court. 
Approved  May  19th,  1871. 
After  the  above  was  in  type  we  received  the  New  York  Tribune  of  October 
25th,  in  which  a  lengthy  account  is  given  of  the  negotiations  for  the  purchase 
of  a  diploma  from  the  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia. 
Coca,  Cocoa,  Cacao. — The  products  of  these  three  plants  are  very  often 
confounded  with  each  other  in  consequence  of  the  similarity  of  their  names  ; 
aside  from  this,  there  is  no  other  resemblance  either  between  the  plants,  or 
their  products  used  in  medicine,  the  arts  or  the  cuisine.  In  the  March  number 
of  this  Journal  we  published  a  review  of  Wittstein's  handbook  of  sey^ret  medi- 
