496  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.    { ArocJtober!Ji905ym 
The  recommendation  made  by  President  Beal  in  regard  to  the  use 
of  preservatives,  which  had  been  referred  to  this  Section,  was  taken 
up  and  finally  referred  to  a  committee  of  five. 
In  the  absence  of  Chairman  A.  B.  Lyons,  the  report  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  was  read  in  abstract  by  C.  S.  N. 
Hallberg. 
The  lecture  on  11  Radium  and  Radio-Activity,"  by  Prof.  Charles 
Baskerville,  on  Friday  evening,  was  one  of  the  highly  gratifying 
features  of  the  meeting. 
The  new  officers  elected  by  this  Section  are  Charles  E.  Caspari, 
chairman ;  Daniel  Base,  secretary. 
SECTION  ON  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS. 
Charles  R.  Sherman,  Chairman.  R.  C.  Reilly,  Secretary. 
Associates:  Mathias  Noll,  F.  C.  Henry,  O.  W.  Bethea 
This  Section  met  on  Thursday  afternoon,  and  held  one  session. 
After  Mr.  Sherman  had  presented  his  address  he  read  a  list  of 
queries  which  the  committee  had  suggested  as  of  present  interest  to 
pharmacists.    The  queries  were  as  follows  : 
(1)  "Is  there  a  tendency  toward  fewer  and  larger  drug  stores,  and,  if  so,  is 
this  desirable  ?  " 
(2)  "  Granting  that  it  is  necessary  for  the  pharmacist  to  handle  ready-made 
medicines  (patents),  should  he  become  the  manufacturer  of  them  himself  and 
make  his  store  their  habitat,  or  *  farm  out '  this  business  ?  " 
(3)  "  Can  a  dealer  who  ambitiously  tries  to  become  a  merchant  also  hope  to 
be  known  as  a  professional  man  ?  " 
(4)  ".Viewed  from  its  commercial  bearing  upon  the  drug  business,  is  it  de- 
sirable for  those  now  in  the  business  or  who  may  embark  in  it  hereafter  to  have 
prerequisite  laws  enacted  in  the  various  States?  " 
(5)  "  Is  it  not  the  exceptional  case  when  a  drug  store  of  any  size  can  exist 
on  the  business  of  physicians'  prescriptions  and  sick-room  merchandise 
alone  ?  " 
(6)  "Should  the  Commercial  Section  of  the  A.  Ph.  A.  be  abolished  entirely 
or  receive  more  attention  from  members  of  the  Association  ?  " 
( 7 )  "To  what  extent  may  the  pharmacist  extend  his  commercial  activities  ? ' ' 
Papers  bearing  on  these  and  allied  topics  were  presented  by  the 
following  members :  J.  M.  Alexander,  Wm.  C.  Alpers,  O.  W.  Bethea, 
S.  L.  Caine,  E.  G.  Eberle,  A.  Fly,  F.  H.  Freerichs,  A.  M.  Hance, 
H.  P.  Hynson,  H.  B.  Mason  for  B.  E.  Pritchard,  Thos.  D.  McEl- 
henie,  Oscar  Oldberg,  Chas.  E.  Rapelye,  Geo.  H.  Shafer  for  B.  E. 
Pritchard,  G.  G.  C.  Simms. 
