640 
Editorial. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
October,  1919. 
of  utilizing  to  the  fullest  extent  the  pharmaceutical  institutions  and 
the  facilities  there  available  for  pharmaceutic  research.  To  ignore 
these  would  be  a  serious  error  and  a  disregarding  of  the  work 
already  accomplished  by  pharmacists  or  now  in  process  and  might 
well  be  construed  as  a  reflection  cast  upon  the  ability  of  such  inves- 
tigators and  the  many  contributions  to  science  emanating  from 
pharmacists.  Conversely,  the  placing  of  the  responsibility  for  re- 
search work  such  as  is  contemplated  in  the  above  announcement  with 
pharmaceutical  schools  should  be  of  material  aid  to  such  institutions 
of  learning  and  redound  to  the  credit  and  benefit  of  pharmacy.  The 
very  subject  suggested  for  the  initial  investigation  under  this  pat- 
ronage, is  an  excellent  illustration  of  the  problems  that  call  for  in- 
vestigation by  those  who  are  especially  trained  as  pharmaceutic  in- 
vestigators and  acquainted  with  the  existing  voluminous  literature 
relating  to  the  subject. 
In  recent  years,  much  has  been  written  concerning  a  proposed 
confederation  of  all  of  the  drug  trade  organizations  and  the  pharma- 
ceutical associations  in  the  United  States.  The  discussion  and  the 
effort  was  directed  toward  a  universal  cooperation  and  coordination 
of  all  lines  of  pharmaceutical  activities  whether  intended  to  cover 
professional,  educational,  legislative,  commercial  or  other  needs. 
The  diverse  interests  served  by  the  many  drug  trade  and  pharma- 
ceutical organizations  precluded  the  consummation  of  such  a  Uto- 
pian plan  for  general  cooperation.  The  objections  that  were  voiced 
against  federation  on  such  a  varied  line  of  activities  could  not  apply 
to  the  organization  of  a  federation  whose  prime  puropse  was  to  en- 
courage, to  stimulate,  and  to  promulgate  research  study  and  inves- 
tigations in  pharmacy  with  the  understanding  that  the  results  so 
obtained  are  to  be  made  public  and  available  to  all  alike. 
Such  a  federation  as  here  suggested  could  readily  be  formed  of 
named  delegates  from  all  of  the  various  pharmaceutical  and  drug 
trade  organizations  and  would  constitute  a  body  under  whose  direc- 
tion a  comprehensive  scheme  of  research  in  pharmaceutical  subjects 
could  be  mapped  out  and  systematically  carried  on.  The  title  selected 
might  be  The  American  Committee  on  Pharmaceutical  Research, 
The  American  Council  on  Pharmaceutical  Research,  The  American 
Institute  for  Pharmaceutical  Research,  or  The  American  Endow- 
ment for  Pharmaceutical  Research.  A  portion  of  the  profits  ac- 
cruing from  the  sale  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  and  the  National 
Formulary,  contributions  from  the  various  trade  organizations,  sup- 
