^eclmbeMooT'}  A  Model  Prerequisite  Law.  581 
A  MODEL  PREREQUISITE  LAW. 
The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  draught  of  a  prerequisite  law  and 
accompanying  resolution  approved  by  the  American  Pharmaceutical 
Association,  at  Atlantic  City,  September,  1905  : 
REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  FORM  OF  LAW  REQUIRING  GRADUATION 
FROM  A  COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY  BEFORE  REGISTRATION. 
Under  a  republican  form  of  government,  the  greatest  danger  that 
can  come  to  any  reform  is  to  acquire  legislative  sanction  before  it 
has  received  the  sanction  of  public  opinion,  upon  which  it  must 
depend  for  its  continuance  and  enforcement. 
Human  institutions,  both  legal  and  of  custom  and  opinion,  are  not 
like  buildings  which  can  be  torn  away  and  restored  de  novo,  and 
hence  changes  and  reforms  in  either,  to  be  permanent,  must  be  made 
to  fit  into  the  pre-existing  structure  without  greatly  disturbing  pre- 
vailing sentiment  or  routine. 
That  the  nature  of  the  pharmacist's  employment  is  such  that 
public  safety  demands  that  no  one  should  be  admitted  thereto  with- 
out preliminary  training  afforded  by  a  reputable  college  of  pharmacy 
there  is  perhaps  no  difference  of  opinion  among  those  who  have 
given  the  subject  sufficient  consideration.  That  the  college  course 
should  be  preceded  by  a  general  literary  education  at  least  equiva- 
lent to  a  first-class  high-school  course  is  likewise  generally  assented 
to.  The  only  difference  of  opinion  is  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
these  reforms  are  to  be  brought  about  and  the  time  when  they  shall 
take  effect. 
Instead  of  fixing  a  definite  amount  of  preliminary  literary  train- 
ing, the  present  draught  leaves  it  to  the  pharmacy  boards  to  adopt 
such  a  standard  as  may  seem  to  them  sufficient  and  feasible  of 
enforcement. 
That  these  boards  will  be  as  exacting  in  this  respect  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case  will  warrant  is  fully  demonstrated  by  current 
history.  Given  the  power  to  enforce  proper  preliminary  training, 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  boards  will  quite  generally  raise  the 
standard  to  as  high  a  point  as  seems  to  them  expedient,  and  of  this 
expediency  the  boards  are  in  a  better  position  to  judge  than  any 
other  authority. 
These  principles,  as  they  are  understood  by  the  committee,  have 
