ANoVJembe?,hi905''}      Needs  of  the  Business  Pharmacist.  533 
aided  by  the  preference  of  investigators  for  the  field  of  pure  science. 
And  yet,  even  in  connection  with  the  commonest  of  pharmaceutical 
preparations,  there  is  much  research  of  a  scientific  character  needed. 
Under  existing  conditions  the  ultimate  benefit  from  such  researches 
will  go  to  the  manufacturer  and  not  to  the  pharmacist,  but  there  is 
still  enough  pharmaceutical  research  left  and  enough  in  the  latest 
developments  of  the  science  and  art  of  healing  to  prevent  the  phar- 
macist from  becoming  a  mere  dealer  in  manufactured  specialties. 
A  REMEDY  SUGGESTED. 
It  is  to  this  section  that  the  pharmacist  looks  for  relief.  We  need 
to  adopt  a  more  aggressive  attitude  in  dealing  with  pharmaceutical 
problems.  We  have  been  too  prone  to  bow  before  the  chemist  on 
the  one  hand  and  the  physician  and  the  surgeon  on  the  other,  and 
to  be  kicked  by  both.  The  pharmacist  should  lead  in  knowledge 
of  drugs,  their  behavior  and  the  best  methods  of  presentation.  It 
should  be  his  part  to  make  practical  applications  of  the  results  of 
scientific  research,  to  aid  in  replacing  crude  drugs  by  definite  prin- 
ciples, and  to  urge  the  abandonment  of  unscientific  and  inert  prod- 
ucts. Individually  he  can  do  little,  but  definite  action  by  this 
association  in  co-operation  with  the  American  Medical  Association 
should  do  much  to  restore  his  prestige.  The  suggestion  made  some 
years  ago  by  the  special  Committee  on  Research  to  the  effect  that 
this  association  co-operate  with  the  American  Medical  Association 
received  no  attention ;  hence  we  have  the  appointment  by  the  latter 
body  of  a  Council  on  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry,  which  is  a  distinct 
reflection  upon  the  work  of  this  section.  The  fact  that  most  of  the 
members  of  the  new  council  are  leading  members  of  this  association 
shows  that  we  have  not  been  alive  to  our  opportunities.  It  would 
seem  that  work  of  the  kind  initiated  by  the  American  Medical 
Association  should  at  least  have  been  done  after  consultation 
with  this  section,  if  not  in  direct  conjunction  with  it.  The  pres- 
ent agitation  affords  us  an  opportunity  to  get  in  closer  touch 
with  the  American  Medical  Association.  Unless  guided  aright  the 
latter  body  may  do  much  harm  to  the  cause  of  pharmacy,  and  this 
section  should  take  steps  even  at  this  late  date  to  co- operate  with 
the  American  Medical  Association  in  any  investigations  the  latter 
may  undertake  which  are  of  direct  pharmaceutical  interest.  As 
experts  in  the  science  and  art  of  pharmacy  we  should  be  quick  to 
