EDITORIAL. 
285 
Although  about  one-tenth  larger,  the  book  is  not  thicker,  which  has 
arisen  from  the  use  of  paper  strongly  calendered,  so  as  to  condense  its 
bulk  and  increase  its  smoothness, — which,  together  with  its  clear  type, 
will  render  the  work  increasedly  acceptable  to  the  American  apothecary 
and  physician. 
Michigan  University  Medical  Journal,  conducted  by  the  Faculty  of 
the  Medical  Department,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.  :  Monthly.  March,  1870, 
Yol.  I,  No.  1,  pp.  64. 
This  new  medical  monthly  is  placed  on  our  list  of  exchanges.  The 
managing  editors  are  Drs.  Henry  S.  Cheever,  Preston  B.  Rose,  Albert 
H.  Prescott,  and  George  E.  Frothinghara.  The  editors  enter  the  lists 
in  good  spirits.  Their  number  is  formidable.  If  they  can  render  their 
efforts  homogeneous,  and  direct  them  to  the  purposes  set  forth  in  their 
initial  editorial,  they  will  benefit  medicine,  advance  their  institution,  and 
reap  personal  honor. 
In  the  April  number,  received  since  the  above  was  written,  Dr.  Pres- 
cott has  an  excellent  essay,  entitled  *'  Pharmaceutical  Chemistry  in  its 
Relations  to  Medical  Practice,"  and  discusses  the  relations  of  Pharmacy 
to  medicine.    The  following  paragraph  occurs  : 
''The  relations  which  exist  between  the  professions  of  medicine  and 
pharmacy  are  peculiarly  intimate.  To  a  considerable  extent  identical 
preparatory  studies  are  required  for  each  ;  chemical  science  is  fundamental 
to  each :  botany  is  valuable  to  each.  The  pharmaceutist  must  traverse 
the  larger  portion  of  the  field  of  therapeutics  and  hygiene,  and  the  phy- 
sician must  obtain  acquaintance  with  pharmaceutical  processes.  It  is 
true  that  after  a  time  the  student  of  pharmacy  diverges  upon  a  clearly 
marked  path  from  the  broader  field  of  medicine  ;  but  when  he  enters  the 
practice  of  his  vocation,  he  returns  to  labor  with  the  physician  in  every 
province  of  the  healing  art.  The  eye  and  the  hand  are  not  more  closely 
connected  in  action  than  are  the  physician  and  pharmacist  in  the  daily 
performance  of  duties  for  a  common  object." 
Dr.  Prescott  considers  this  division  of  labor,  and  queries  whether  the 
responsibility  is  divided  also?  He  takes  the  ground  that  in  the  present 
state  of  pharmaceutical  practice,  the  physician  is  responsible  in  so  far  as 
he  can  direct  his  prescriptions  to  qualified  pharmaceutists,  and  that  he 
will  continue  to  be  so  until  "the  pharmaceutist  has  an  independent 
standing  as  an  educated  expert — a  standing  certified  by  diploma  upon 
competent  authority — then  the  physician  becomes  warranted  in  saying, 
am  not  responsible  for  his  branch  of  our  profession.'" 
The  importance  of  chemistry  as  the  ground  work  of  pharmacy  is 
strongly  urged,  and,  with  due  allowance  for  Dr.  Prescott's  predilections 
for  his  favorite  science,  he  offers  many  strong  arguments  why  pharma- 
ceutists should  aim  at  a  higher  qualification  and  a  more  thorough  prepa- 
ration for  their  responsible  duties. 
Thk  California  Medical  Gazette  continues  in  its  March  issue  "  The  Flora 
of  Sa.n  Francisco,"  devoting  eight  pages  in  each  number.  When  complete 
it  will  be  an  interesting  contribution  to  the  literature  of  botany. 
