274 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
the profession, and may be considered as one of the most im- 
portant aids in effecting the reform which is rapidly progress- 
ing. It may not be amiss to state, that to the industry and 
ability of the first editor, Dr. Benjamin Ellis, as well as that 
of his successor, Dr. Griffith, much of the success which has 
attended its establishment, is due. 
With the exception of a law in South Carolina and Georgia, 
and a similar one in New York (presently to be referred to) 
requiring, an examination before a board of censors, of those 
who intend to vend medicines, (and all of which, from some 
defect, I learn are inoperative;) no laws exist controlling the 
practice of this profession. Every one is at liberty to under- 
take the preparation, and dispensation of medicines; and suc- 
cess in business is only to be attained, by neatness and cor- 
rectness in the individual conducting it. It is to be hoped 
that public opinion, will ere long direct itself to the employ- 
ment and encouragement of those, who have especially qualifi- 
ed themselves for the trust, by taking the degree of the College; 
but as yet too little importance has been attached by the public 
at large, to the advantages to be derived from a proper study 
of the profession by those who pursue it. A race of scientific 
apothecaries is however springing up, and must ere long su- 
persede the mere venders of medicines, who have hitherto 
had the whole business in their hands. The prices at which 
medicines are sold, vary considerably in the different cities, 
and are but poor compensation for an industrious, laborious, 
and conscientious attention to the duties of an apothecary. It 
is to be hoped that public opinion will eventually fix the pro- 
per estimate upon the value of this species of labour, and afford 
such a recompense, as will procure the services of well edu- 
cated, skilful, responsible professors, of this important branch 
of the healing art. 
In this brief sketch of the state of Pharmacy it is impossible 
to touch upon all the topics connected with it. Those pos- 
sessing the greatest interest have been already mentioned, 
and I pass to the consideration of the origin, and progress of 
the Colleges of Pharmacy of Philadelphia and New York, 
