834  Pharmacy  and  Pre-Medical  Schools,    j  AmD^%^jiarm- 
It  seems  to  me  evident  that  the  course  leading  to  Bachelor  of 
Science  in  pharmacy  is,  at  least  from  the  legal  standpoint,  with  per- 
haps some  modifications,  capable  of  being  used  in  the  training  of  med- 
ical as  well  as  pharmaceutical  students.  The  question,  however,  of 
the  relative  desirability  of  obtaining  this  introductory  knowledge  in  a 
college  of  so-called  liberal  arts  or  in  a  college  of  pharmaceutical 
science  is  one  that  involves  many  more  features  than  the  mere 
amount  of  time  devoted  to  specified  subjects. 
ASSERTED  SUPERIORITY  OF  COLLEGES  OF  ARTS. 
The  most  concise  statement  that  I  know  of,  as  well  as  authorita- 
tive, on  the  advantages  of  collegiate  training,  is  that  of  Dr.  Colwell, 
secretary  of  the  Council  of  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry  of  the  Amer- 
ican Medical  Association. 
In  an  address  before  the  Annual  Congress  of  Medical  Educa- 
tion last  year,  Dr.  Colwell  (Journ.  A.  M.  A.,  March  13,  1920)  sums 
up: 
"The  advantages  in  requiring  that  the  pre-medical  work  be 
taken  in  approved  colleges  of  arts  and  sciences  are : 
"i.  The  physics,  chemistry  and  biology  are  taught  without  ref- 
erence to  their  special  bearing  on  medicine.  It  is  not  known  today 
what  particular  facts  obtained  in  the  study  of  these  sciences  will  be 
most  useful  in  the  medical  research  of  tomorrow. 
"2.  The  quality  of  the  pre-medical  work  is  assured  since  it  is 
carried  on  in  courses  leading  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science 
in  reputable  colleges  of  arts  and  sciences.  This  provides  also  a 
satisfactory  standard  for  measuring  the  value  of  irregular  or  so- 
called  'equivalent'  courses. 
"3.  The  student  is  free  to  make  a  final  choice  of  his  life-work 
until  he  is  best  qualified  to  do  so.  He  enters  the  classes  leading  to  the 
science  degree ;  he  has  a  chance  to  compare  notes  with  those  studying! 
for  other  callings,  and  may  find  that  some  other  line  of  endeavor 
appeals  to  him  more  than  medicine.  If  so,  he  can  make  the  change 
without  any  loss  of  time,  since  his  pre-medical  courses  are  equally  ac- 
ceptable for  admission  to  other  departments.  This  freedom  of 
choice  is  of  great  importance  to  the  students,  since  from  10  to  30 
per  cent,  change  to  some  other  calling  before  their  two-year  course 
is  completed. 
"4.  Students  now  enter  medical  schools  with  the  benefit  of  two 
years  in  the  college  atmosphere,  the  contact  with  students  in  other  de- 
partments, the  social  life,  and  the  athletics,  which  are  bound  to 
influence  their  entire  lives. 
"5.  The  arrangement  is  a  safeguard  against  medical  cults.   It  is 
