252  Albert  Benjamin  Prescott.  {AmjJuXimrm' 
1878;  "First  Book  of  Qualitative  Chemistry,"  1879;  "Nostrums 
in  Relation  to  the  Public  Health,"  1881  ;  "Manual  of  Organic 
Analysis,"  1888. 
His  contributions  to  scientific  periodicals  were  many,  and  he  did 
a  great  amount  of  original  research  work.  He  always  encouraged 
his  more  advanced  students  to  undertake  scientific  investigations 
under  his  guidance,  and  much  of  their  work  was  published.  At 
the  memorial  exercises  held  February  28th  at  the  University  of 
Michigan  in  honor  of  Professor  Prescott,  his  colleague,  Dr.  Victor 
C.  Vaughan,  presented  an  account  of  the  scientific  work  of  the  de- 
parted. Dr.  Vaughan  referred  to  Prescott's  researches  into  the 
composition  of  the  alkaloidal  periodides  as  probably  his  opus 
magnum.  These  researches  extended  through  several  years,  and 
were  carried  out  with  the  cooperation  of  several  assistants,  notably 
Dr.  Harry  M.  Gordin. 
Dr.  Prescott  rendered  services  of  inestimable  value  to  the  prog- 
ress of  pharmacy,  and  the  elevation  of  pharmaceutical  education  in 
America  by  his  earnest  and  consistent  adherence  to  high  standards. 
The  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Michigan  was  the  first 
university  school  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States.  It  offered  a 
course  occupying  two  full  academic  years  devoted  wholly  to  study 
and  laboratory  practice.  Such  a  course  had  never  before  been 
attempted  for  the  education  of  pharmacists  in  this  country.  The 
task  of  introducing  it  was  a  most  difficult  one  in  view  of  the  ab- 
sence of  any  definite  educational  requirements  prescribed  for  pharm- 
acists by  law,  so  that  very  few  students  prepared  to  successfully 
undertake  the  programme  of  work  laid  out  in  a  full  two  years' 
course  could  be  found  in  the  drug  stores  at  that  time.  American 
pharmaceutical  college  education  thirty  years  ago  was  almost 
wholly  dependent  upon  concurrent  drug  store  training,  and  the  re- 
quirements for  graduation  in  pharmacy,  therefore,  included  it.  But 
the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Michigan  opened  its 
doors  to  students  not  employed  in  drug  stores,  but  prepared  and 
ambitious  to  devote  their  whole  time  for  two  years  to  study. 
Pharmaceutical  education,  including  substantial  laboratory  courses, 
has  at  length  become  firmly  established  in  the  United  States  largely 
through  the  perseverance,  tact  and  patience  of  Dean  Prescott  and 
those  who  followed  in  his  footsteps. 
Dr.  Albert  B.  Prescott  was  a  singularly  unselfish,  modest,  help- 
ul,  generous  and  lovable  man. 
