134 
Pharmaceutical  Research. 
<  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
'(  February,  1921. 
f  erred  to  as  the  "physician's  cook,"  and  even  in  comparatively  recent 
times,  as  the  "physician's  handmaids."  It  is  apparent  to  the  student 
of  history  that  a  relatively  small  percentage  of  medical  practi- 
tioners have  been  engaged  in  actual  research  work,  and  that  a  goodly 
number  of  pharmacists  have  carried  on  research  in  behalf  of  phar- 
macy that  will  compare  favorably  with  any  that  has  emanated  from 
the  medical  branch. 
I  cannot  at  this  time  delve  too  deeply  into  the  debt  of  the  world 
to  pharmacy,  for  I  conceive  that  a  discussion  of  that  topic  would 
occupy  the  entire  evening  and  preclude  the  consideration  of  the  sub- 
ject that  has  been  assigned  for  this  time.  Nevertherless,  it!  has  sucn 
a  close  association  with  the  subject  of  research  that  I  cannot  refrain 
from  giving  a  few  illustrations  that  must  serve  the  purpose  of  the 
present  occasion. 
The  study  of  the  sciences  undertaken  by  Davy  as  an  apprentice 
to  a  surgeon-apothecary  no  doubt  gave  him  his  first  insight  into 
chemistry  and  determined  the  bent  of  his  mind  toward  chemical 
research.  The  results  of  these  investigations  won  for  him  reward 
and  undying  fame  as  the  discoverer  of  a  number  of  the  important 
chemical  elements. 
That  peerless  indefatigable  experimenter  and  ideal  research 
worker,  Karl  Wilhelm  Scheele,  is  constantly  referred  to  as  the  great 
Swedish  chemist,  and  his  name  is  scarcely  ever  associated  with 
pharmacy.  Yet  he  studied  pharmacy,  and  for  the  major  part  of  his 
comparatively  short  life  depended  upon  this  calling  for  his  liveli- 
hood. During  the  last  eleven  years  of  his  life,  he  owned  and  man- 
aged a  pharmacy,  and  was  supported  thereby  while  carrying  on 
some  of  his  most  successful  experiments.  His  activities  and  investi- 
gations cover  a  very  wide  range  of  topics  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  mankind.  The  discoveries  of  Chlorine,  Barium,  Manganese  and 
the  investigations  of  its  applications  to  the  glass  industry,  of  Tar- 
taric Acid,  Arseniuretted  Hydrogen,  his  studies  of  the  cyandides 
such  as  Prussian  Blue  and  Hydrocyanic  Acid,  and  of  the  composi- 
tion of  the  atmosphere  are  but  some  of  the  contributions  of  this 
pharmacist  to  the  world's  progress.  These  can  be  traced  largely  to 
the  contact  with  the  wares  and  the  problems  of  his  chosen  vocation. 
Who  is  prepared  to  estimate  the  world's  indebtedness  to  this 
studious,  observing  and  painstaking  worker,  many  of  whose  dis- 
coveries are  still  in  daily  application  in  our  industries? 
