THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY. 
FEBRUARY,  1888. 
WILL  PHAEMACISTS  ACCEPT? 
By  Joseph  P.  Remington. 
The  attention  of  the  writer  having  been  directed  to  the  following 
letter  by  Dr.  E.  Cutter,  N.  Y.,  in  the  Journal  of  the  American  Medi- 
cal Association,  December  17,  1887,  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Colcord,  of  Lynn, 
it  would  appear  to  call  for  the  earnest  consideration  from  pharmacists 
that  the  importance  of  the  subject  demands  : 
WHY  NOT  THE  PHARMACISTS? 
Dear  Sir: — The  late  innovation  of  having  a  Section  of  Dentistry  at  the  Ninth 
International  Medical  Congress  working  so  well,  and  the  great  excellence  of 
the  pharmaceutical  display,  invite  the  question,  Why  not  have  a  Section  of 
Pharmacy  in  the  American  Medical  Association  ? 
It  is  simply  raised  for  discussion,  adding  the  following  memoranda : 
1 .  Pharmacy  is  a  branch  of  medicine. 
2.  In  many  parts  of  our  country  the  physician  is  his  own  pharmacist,  and 
every  man  would  be  his  own  pharmacist  if  it  could  be  done  consistently  with 
his  work. 
3.  Therapeutical  pharmacy  is  equally  as  honorable,  important,  and  valuable 
as  any  other  branch  of  medicine. 
4.  Pharmacy  has  of  late  instructed  the  medical  profession  by  therapeutical 
and  medical  journals,  monographs  and  publications,  forming  a  literature  that 
medical  men  must  get  acquainted  with  or  be  left  behind ;  the  literature  of 
cocaine  for  example. 
5.  Such  a  Section  should  be  composed  of,  managed,  and  under  the  control  of 
such  bodies  as  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  and  be  an  autonomic 
department  regulated  by  itself,  as  the  Dental  Section  is. 
6.  The  objection  arising  from  the  existence  of  disreputable  and  incompetent 
pharmacists,  applies  with  equal  force  to  physicians,  but  has  not  prevented  the 
organization  of  the  American  Medical  Association. 
7.  Such  a  Section  would  confer  a  social  equality  and  standing  on  the  phar- 
macists that  would  be  healthy. 
8.  It  would  throw  them  into  professional  contact  with  physicians  pleasantlv, 
5 
