404 
Correspondence. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I      August,  1901. 
tical  Association  in  recognition  of  superior  discoveries  or  literary 
accomplishments  in  the  domain  of  theoretical  and  applied  pharma- 
ceutical sciences  and  arts."  This  medal,  of  appropriate  and  artistic 
design,  should  be  simply  constructed  of  bronze;  but  its  award 
should  carry  with  it — as  something  of  substantial  and  permanent 
value — a  life  membership  in  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion, and  prominent  publicity  in  the  printed  proceedings  of  that 
Association.  C.  Lewis  Diehl. 
Louisville,  Ky. 
Dear  Sir: — Concerning  the  research  laboratory;  after  having 
revolved  the  matter  carefully  in  my  mind  I  give  you  herewith  the 
benefit  of  my  decision,  if  of  any  value  whatever  to  you.  In  my 
opinion,  a  step  in  that  direction  would  be  desirable  provided  it 
could  be  inaugurated  in  such  a  wray  as  to  make  it  a  success  without 
any  question  of  doubt  whatever.  There  must  be  no  mistake  of 
management,  there  must  be  no  error  of  judgment,  and  that  we  may 
comprehend  what  we  have  to  meet  in  this  direction  in  order  to 
make  the  work  creditable  to  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Associa- 
tion, I  will  take  the  liberty  of  jotting  down  a  part  of  the  problem 
that  has  come  to  my  mind  since  I  began  to  reflect  over  the  subject. 
This  research  laboratory,  if  instituted,  would  have  as  friendly 
rivals,  or  perhaps,  I  might  say  as  friendly  competitors  for  position, 
the  research  work  that  is  being  done  now  in  the  universities  of  this 
country,  the  colleges  of  pharmacy  in  this  country  and  the  great 
manufacturing  establishments.  It  would  not  be  creditable  to  the 
American  Pharmaceutical  Association  to  institute  a  research  labora- 
tory that  would  not  in  every  way  meet  the  work  done  in  these  other 
directions.  In  order  to  accomplish  this  result  a  certain  amount  of 
money  would  be  necessary.  Let  us  not  close  our  eyes  to  this  fact. 
It  is  not  a  question  of  will,  or  wish,  or  hope  or  desire,  but  a  ques- 
tion of  business.  A  research  laboratory,  in  order  to  be  a  research 
laboratory,  must  be  conducted  by  men  who  make  this  work  their 
thought,  by  men  who  have  the  ability  to  act  and  to  do,  by  men  who 
in  order  to  have  an  opportunity  to  devote  their  time  in  this  direc- 
tion should  be  paid  a  salary  commensurate  with  the  responsibility 
they  take  upon  themselves.  It  should  not  be  a  charity  matter,  it 
should  not  be  an  imposition  on  men  who  cannot  afford  to  devote 
their  time  in  this  direction,  but  it  should  be  in  every  sense  of  the 
