Am'/j!y?i892arm*}  Examinations  by  Boards  of  Pharmacy.  355 
EXAMINATIONS  BY  BOARDS  OF  PHARMACY. 
By  Joseph  P.  Remington.  . 
Read  before  the  Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association,  June  16. 
Query  2. — What  should  be  the  true  aim  of  Boards  of  Pharmacy 
in  their  examinations ;  and  what  should  be  the  nature  of  the  ques- 
tions put  ? 
These  queries,  for  there  are  really  two  here,  have  been  placed  in 
my  hands  by  the  Committee  for  reply.  It  will  be  readily  observed 
that  if  they  can  be  satisfactorily  answered  and  the  laws  executed 
that  many  of  the  perplexities  of  State  Boards  will  disappear  and  the 
very  desirable  condition  of  pharmacy  laws  fulfilling  the  expectations 
of  their  promoters  will  be  experienced. 
To  the  first  query,  "  What  should  be  the  true  aim  of  Boards  of 
Pharmacy  in  their  examinations?"  the  answer  is:  (i)  To  pass  the 
qualified  candidates ;  and  (2)  to  reject  those  who  are  unfit  to  be 
licensed  ;  and  in  the  writer's  opinion  no  other  answer  can  be  given. 
The  true  aim  of  Pharmacy  Boards  having  been  easily  settled,  the 
second  query  is  encountered,  and  here  the  real  difficulties  are  pre- 
sented. "  What  should  be  the  nature  of  the  questions  put  ?  "  Con- 
structive ability  is  of  a  far  higher  grade  of  merit  than  that  which  is 
•destructive ;  and,  it  is  always  easier  to  pick  out  flaws  in  questions, 
than  it  is  to  frame  a  set  which  will  be  thoroughly  satisfactory. 
The  first  answer  to  this  question  must  be,  "  The  nature  of  the 
questions  put  "  must  be  such  as  will  determine  the  candidate's  fitness 
to  have  the  license,  and  now  the  answer  must  broaden  out  so  that  it 
may  cover  the  subject.  An  experience  of  twenty  years  in  framing 
questions  in  pharmacy  has  possibly  given  the  writer  some  qualifica- 
tions to  answer  this  question.  In  the  first  place,  it  becomes  of  the 
utmost  importance  for  any  examiner,  no  matter  what  class  of  candi- 
dates are  before  him,  to  divest  himself  of  all  idea  of  "  getting  up  a 
lot  of  stumpers "  or  of  framing  the  questions  so  that  they  may 
become  pitfalls  to  the  unwary.  Every  examining  body  should  be 
held  responsible  for  the  character  of  the  questions  asked.  Pharmacy 
Boards  are  unquestionably  invested  by  the  State  laws  with  great 
powers.  At  their  "  ipse  dixit"  they  may  say  to  a  young  man, 
"  Stand  down,"  and  down  he  goes  and  great  is  the  fall ;  or  if  they 
say,  "  Come  up  higher,  brother,"  the  candidate  is  elevated  and 
happiness  is  his  portion. 
