New-York tribune., 1907-09-01
PHARMACIiTS TO MEET.
W0rking for theGood of Pharmacy
and the Puity of Drugs.

Long Acre Square i, 20 be invaded by the
brains Of pharmacy thG week The ffty-ffth
annual meeting of the Alerican Pharmaceutical
Association which emtaces among it's mem
bers representatives fror all the important col
Ieges OF pharmacy in te United states. viii
open at the Hotel Astor o'clock tomorrow
afternoon. II is expectedhat 800 members VIII
be in attendance and tha the deliberations OF
The association VIII bring TO light some inter-
esting phases in the applation Of the federal
and state pure food and d1g laws, which have
gone into force since thalast meeting Of the
association.
This organization. the fohdatiou Of which was
the outcome of a ueetingleld in New York in
1851 TO devise means Of TRkiug more effective
the law OF 1916 governing the Importation OF
drugs and excluding those efficient in strength.
has continued 10 pay critiu attention 10 this
phase OF the drug bushes Every year its
committee on drug adulteraons submits a re-
mort. pointing out the charaor OF authorizations
met with and the best meNOds OF detecting
them.
Wh:'e the report last year tated that cases
of intentional authorizations were rare. It
showed that large number Z aduiterations
had been detected. and pOintt out the best
means for discovering them lathe reports the
errors in assay methods, and ! standards as
well. are frankly set forth, anCetat1stlcs pup
Tshed showing the result OF Rge number OS
examinations made either by TiTnbers OF the
committee or by analysts co-opehing with the
members
one of the difficulties under wth the phar-
macist labors is that if he shoui sell a drug
which varies, however slightly, rom the re
duired standard. he is accused OF klling 'adul-
terated" drugs, whereas the defchCy may be
entirely from natural causes OutSh the pOSsl-
bility of prevention and be so sall as not
sensibIy to affect the therapeutic atvity Of the
drug. The limits of purity. Tor lns1Fces IN dis
titled water permit OF the presencef 80 parts
100 ~ v-qr - ersF lI1
PharrnacopCeia (the official book O1standardS)
permitted no solids whatever. and I've druggists
in Massachusetts Were condtnnheG pyhe bodTI
of Health only few Thonths be1q the CID
PharmaCOpCeia was superseded as Ming sold
adulterated drugs because the dlstied water
which they sold contained parts ana : parts
I'm 1OOOO OF solid
mlttee on adulteration. and the ineGuF Of the
administration of the law is pointed ON Wters
there is clearly careleSSnesS or fntentiOnasOpEls-
ticatiOn. this committee has been uns fng IN
its condemnation. and its work has oeenf great
value in pointing out possible adulter1lito 20 tiit
authorities charged with the adnlinlstTion or
the laws relating 20 pure drugs
The American Pharmaceutical Assoclatf1 was
also the first body to take action looking Pward
the regulation OF the sale Of narcotic dTfs as
its agitation Of this subject was begun 1lselI-
and the association prepared a model AM mar
COtic law, which has been adopted WhdE or
in part in twenty-five different states
THE National FormUlary of Unofficial fpa-
rations" is a book of formulas preparedF n
committee of the American PharmaceuticstAs-
sociation and published under its directi1 az
q low price. which has been influential IN aFng
the retail druggist 10 induce the phySlclsi 70
prescribe remedies of whose composition " IS
fully aware instead OF those preparatloniof
unknown partially known compositions " IN
are marketed under proprietary names. Pc
argument used against the proprietary medlAe
is that its use by the physician reduces le
prescribeT 10 the level of patent medicine y
der. The publication OF this work is looked VI
by the members one or the most 10y
achievements of the association, as u has u'f
much 10 improve the condition Of pharmacy ~
TO bring pharmacists and physicians into citsi
accord
While commercial matters are not entire
avoided III the deliberations Of the associt' 10
the section devored 10 this rhase OF che ousllsS
is one of the least ir1pcrtant greater str7s;
being laid on the scientific. the legislative dlo @
the educational asrects Of pharm9cv- t.aen Nea. "a.
some dozens Of papers on SCientt1c subfecis aiS
submitted and prizes svs~E04 for papers SlvN
irg special value originality. -.
Probably the most interesting feature OF ". -
weeks meeting 10 the general public will oe th5
discussion concerning the dernif< Of the enforce-
ment of the national food and drugs act l"rIe
has been a good deal of criticism OF the nletIlOCs
of reasoning pursued by some of the authorluIs, -
OF the Department of Agriculture IN construIII-
and enforcing this act and il is not unllkelS
that this matter will lead TO some lively deod'e