548  Richmond  Meeting  of  N.  W.  D.  A.  j^^fim 
the  revision  about  to  be  undertaken  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  value  of  each  test  should  be  accurately  determined  by  com- 
petent chemical  experts  before  adoption,  and  such  experts  must 
receive  adequate  compensation  for  their  services  in  order  that 
the  work  may  be  promptly  and  satisfactorily  performed.  If  the 
large  sale  of  the  U.S. P.,  on  account  of  its  being  the  legal  standard, 
does  not  provide  sufficient  funds  for  the  adequate  payment  for 
expert  services,  they  certainly  can  be  obtained  by  reasonably  advanc- 
ing the  price  of  the  work,  the  drug  and  allied  trades  being  both 
able  and  willing  to  pay  for  the  best  work  that  can  be  produced,  and 
no  false  ideas  of  economy  should  be  allowed  to  prevail  in  regard 
to  adequate  payment  for  services  rendered." 
The  Committee  on  Revision  to  be  elected  next  May  should 
consist  of  the  ablest  men  obtainable,  who'  will  undertake  to  devote 
their  time  to  it  upon  assurance  of  adequate  remuneration. 
One  point  which  the  committee  considered  of  special  importance 
and  which  they  wish  to  bring  before  the  intelligent  pharmacists  of 
the  country  is  that  the  Revision  Committee,  by  publishing  its  sug- 
gestions in  the  Pharmaceutical  Press,  obtain  the  criticisms  of  the 
trade,  especially  those  engaged  regularly  in  the  inspection  of  the 
quality  of  drugs.  In  this  way  it  can  secure  very  valuable  comments 
from  the  trade  at  large  on  the  proposed  standards,  which  should 
prove  of  immense  value  to  the  committee  in  its  work.  It  seems  to 
the  Committee  on  Standards  and  Tests  that  such  a  step  wrould 
result  in  calling  forth  the  criticisms  in  advance  of  the  publication 
rather  than  after  the  volume  is  officially  issued,  when  it  is  too  late. 
This  has  been  objected  to  on  the  ground  that  if  the  consensus  of 
opinion  of  the  committee  of  twenty-five  is  difficult  to  obtain,  it 
would  add  enormously  to  the  labor  if  the  entire  trade,  as  it  were, 
is  to  be  considered.  To  this  the  committee  replies :  "  Criticisms 
are  bound  to  come,  and  it  would  be  far  better  to  have  them  sent  in 
and  passed  upon  by  the  committee  or  subcommittee  having  the 
particular  standards  and  tests  in  charge  before  the  final  adoption 
of  the  standard  than  afterward." 
Cocaine  legislation  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  members 
by  the  Committee  on  Legislation.  It  was  stated  that  the  result  of 
recent  laws  was  that  cocaine  sales  were  reduced  in  some  instances 
to  one-tenth  the  former  quantity  sold.  The  advisability  of  obtain- 
ing Federal  legislation  was  discussed,  for,  under  the  present  laws, 
a  dealer  in  one  State  could  sell  to  a  consumer  in  another  State 
without  danger  of  prosecution.    Manufacturers  and  dealers  were 
