188 
EDITORIAL. 
the  order  of  the  subjects,  as  taught  practically  and  theoretically,  would 
prevent  them  from  being  carried  on  pari  passu ;  and,  besides,  the  Spring 
course  would  not  be  attended  by  lectures.  Nevertheless,  the  lectures  on 
General  Chemistry  in  the  College  would  prove  a  most  powerful  auxiliary  to 
the  practical  school,  especially  if  they  should  both  be  under  the  direction 
of  the  same  Professor,  and  if  carried  on  in  such  a  relation  to  each  other  as 
to  shed  mutual  light ;  the  one  yielding  products  to  illustrate  theory,  the 
other  principles  to  explain  practice.  We  presume  the  first  part  of  this 
course  would  be  to  familiarize  the  student  with  apparatus  and  manipula- 
tions of  a  rudimentary  character,  as  in  the  pharmaceutical  course,  to  fit 
him  for  commencing  the  preliminary  study  of  chemical  bodies,  to  attain  a  cer- 
tain degree  of  familiarity  with  which  seems  to  be  requisite  before  entering 
regularly  on  their  thorough  examination.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say 
that  the  latter  should  be  gone  through  before  entering  upon  analysis, — at 
least  before  commencing  a  course  involving  the  qualitative  and  quantitative 
analysis  of  inorganic  and  organic  bodies. 
If  this  proposed  branch  of  our  College  operations  should  be  established 
and  consolidated  by  a  few  years'  experience,  we  have  no  doubt  that  it  will 
prove  a  most  valuable  source  of  practical  knowledge  to  a  numerous  class 
who,  otherwise,  will  continue  badly  fitted  for  their  pharmaceutical  duties. 
Further,  the  analytical  school,  would  add  greatly  to  the  reputation  of  the 
College,  and  as  it  would  be  the  duty  as  well  as  interest  of  the  Board 
to  keep  the  standard  high  for  truthful  accuracy,  this  reputation  would 
bring  to  the  School  much  outside  patronage  for  commercial,  medicolegal, 
or  mining  analysis,  which  would  add  to  the  income  of  the  teacher. 
The  class  of  persons  who  it  is  anticipated  would  avail  themselves  of  this 
School,  include,  1st,  regular  College  students,  who  can  have  the  time ;  2d, 
young  pharmaceutists  in  distant  places,  where  they  cannot  learn  the  prac- 
tical parts  of  their  business  thoroughly,  and  who,  in  a  single  course  of  five 
months,  could  obtain  what  they  need  ;  3d,  amateur  students  of  Chemistry, 
who  wish  to  take  the  practical  and  analytical  course  to  become  thoroughly 
familiar  with  laboratory  manipulation. 
It  may  be  asked,  "  would"  apothecaries'  apprentices  take  the  course  on 
practical  Pharmacy?"  That  will  depend  upon  whether  their  positions  af- 
ford them  opportunity  to  learn  the  proper  details  of  their  business,  and 
their  disposition  to  become  thorough  apothecaries.  (It  will  also  be  influ- 
enced by  the  dispositions  of  their  employers,  and  their  pecuniary  ability.) 
But  few  of  such  would  need  the  rudimentary  part  of  the  course,  yet  even 
this  would  not  hurt  very  many  who  believe  themselves  experts.  That  part 
of  the  course  on  preparative  (or  manufacturing)  pharmacy, — a  branch  of 
the  business  now  much  neglected  by  a  large  number  of  drug-store  keepers, — 
would  be  most  sought,  and  it  is  this  feature  of  the  proposed  School,  as  a 
set-off  to  the  hurtful  effects  on  the  rising  generation  of  pharmaceutists  of 
the  wholesale  manufacturing  of  pharmaceutical  preparations,  which 
should  give  to  this  scheme  a  liberal  encouragement. 
