Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.,  1875. 
Editorial. 
43 
American  Public  Health  Association. — The  second  annual  meeting  of  this 
Association,  which  was  held  in  the  hall  of  the  College  of  Physicians,  Philadelphia, 
November  iith  to  14th,  deserves  more  than  a  passing  notice  in  this  Journal.  Many 
of  the  attendants  were  health  officers  from  different  sections  of  the  country,  and  the 
Marine  Hospital  Service  and  the  Army  Medical  Department  of  the  United  States 
were  well  represented.    Dr.  Stephen  Smith,  of  New  York,  presided. 
We  have  not  the  space  to  follow  the  discussions  on  many  subjects  of  general  im- 
portance, but  must  confine  ourselves  to  enumerate  the  following  papers,  besides  sev- 
eral treating  of  hospitals,  drainage  and  sewerage,  epidemics  and  contagious  diseases, 
which  were  read  at  the  several  sittings  :  On  excessive  infant  mortality  of  cities,  and 
the  means  of  its  prevention,  by  Prof.  Henry  Hartshorne,  of  Philadelphia  5  On  the 
influence  of  hereditary  defects  upon  the  health  of  the  people,  with  suggestions  in 
regard  to  prevention  and  eradication,  by  Dr.  J,  R.  Black,  of  Ohio  5  On  the  health 
of  the  tenement  populations,  and  the  sanitary  requirements  of  their  dwellings,  by 
Dr.  E.  H.  Janes,  of  New  York ;  On  the  relations  of  health  and  higher  culture,  by 
Rev.  Sam.  Osgood ;  On  building  ground  in  its  relation  to  health  and  disease,  by  Dr, 
Ezra  M.  Hunt,  of  New  Jersey  5  On  the  gathering,  packing  and  transportation  of 
fresh  vegetables  and  fruits,  competent  inspections  and  free  markets  for  producers,  by 
Dr.  S.  C.  Busey,  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  On  the  methods  of  treatment  of  gases 
from  rendering  tanks,  and  the  disposal  of  tank  offal,  by  Dr.  B.  C.  Miller,  of  Chi- 
cago j  On  certain  perils  of  the  school-room  which  demand  the  attention  of  educa- 
tional and  sanitary  authorities,  by  Dr.  A.  N.  Bell,  of  Brooklyn  ;  On  health  laws 
and  the  interests  and  obligations  of  the  State  and  National  Governments  pertaining 
to  them,  by  Hon.  D.  B.  Eaton,  of  Washington;  On  health  a  prerequisite  in  peace 
and  in  war,  by  Dr.  L.  H.  Steiner,  of  Maryland ;  On  American  pharmacy  and  its 
relations  to  public  health,  by  John  M.  Maisch,  Secretary  of  the  American  Pharma- 
ceutical Association.  The  last  paper  referred  to  the  importance  of  pharmacy  to 
the  gene'ral  welfare  5  to  the  large  amount  of  spurious,  inferior  and  adulterated  drugs 
formerly  imported  into  this  country ;  to  the  salutary  effects  of  the  drug  examining 
law  of  1848  5  to  home  adulterations,  its  causes,  and  the  channels  through  which  they 
are  disposed  ;  to  the  so-called  specialties,  and  the  manner  of  their  introduction  ;  to 
patent  medicines,  and  the  best  modes  ot  decreasing  their  sales  5  to  the  pharmacy 
laws,  the  benefit  derived  from  their  enforcement  5  to  the  laws  for  preventing  the  sale 
of  abortifacient  drugs,  and  concluded  by  stating  "  that  the  most  effectual  method  of 
securing  all  the  advantages  of  American  pharmacy  to  public  health  would  be  to  in- 
sure the  proper  qualification  of  the  pharmacists.  This  is  one  of  the  main  purposes 
of  the  local  pharmaceutical  associations,  and  of  the  National  representative  body  of 
pharmacists.  To  accomplish  this  among  kindred  objects,  these  societies  have  earn- 
estly labored  for  years,  and  in  their  efforts  deserve  the  support  of  all  having  the  wel- 
fare and  safety  of  the  public  at  heart." 
Prof.  Qross,  of  Philadelphia,  introduced  a  series  of  resolutions,  urging  the  establish- 
ment of  a  National  Bureau  of  Health.  Similar  resolutions  offered  by  Dr.  Goodwin, 
urged  the  importance  of  enacting  laws  creating  a  State  Board  of  Health,  providing 
adequate  measures  for  sanitary  administration  throughout  each  State. 
The  officers  elected  for  the  ensuing  year  are  :  Dr.  J.  M.  Toner,  Washington, 
D.  C,  President;  Dr.  E.  M.Snow,  of  Rhode  Island,  and  Dr.  Henry  Hartshorne,  of 
Philadelphia,  Vice-Presidents;  Dr.  Elisha  Harris,  of  New  York,  Secretary;  Dr.  J. 
