Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-16
The Community Health

parts OF mercuric chlorid and sodium
Chord. The law requires that the
pastilles must be colored bright Tvd
with anilin dye, have . cylindrical
shape and be twice a. long - thick.
Further, bichlorid tablets must bo dis-
pensed in glass bottles and must be
labeled poison" Each tablet must be
wrapped in black paper, each pspsf
must contain in white letters the word
poison" and the weight Of mercurto
Chord must DO stated. Besides Civ
ing directions to protect them from
light and moisture It 10 specified that
they should be kept under lock and
key. The German Pharmacopeia u q
governmsnt-owned pharmacopeia. and
the protection It gives the public In
this specific instance IL . good argu-
ment for the governmental control OF
such publications. The United States
Phar1nacopeia has been dominated BY
the commercial pharmaceutical inter-
ests to such an extent that neither the
interests nor the wishes Of the public
or the medical profession have rscefv-
ed much consideration. Each state
should adopt stringent laws to regu-
late the sale OF bichlorid tablets; but
1t would be much simpler and more ef-
fective II in future revisions Of the
Pharmacopeia greater efforts could b
made to conserve the health and vel.
fare Of the public.
The Agricultural Experiment Stations.
1t is only about twenty i've years
since congress passed the Hatch act
founding the system OF agricultural
experiment stations in this country.
The annual federal grant to each state
is now $4,000. to which tho states
themselves have In many cases added.
Those less familiar with the work Of
ten think OF it solely a. an attempt to
further the interest OF the practical
farmer. The institutions were found
ed "to promote scientific investigation
and experiment respecting the prin-
ciples and applications Of agricultural
science; but the scope Of the work
now extends far beyond the boundar-
les of the farm. The lessons OF this
imposing movement in agricultural re-
search and education are manifold.
The American experiment stations
have demonstrated the solidarity OF
the different sciences. Their successes
have taught the important lesson that
no one can fQretell what beneficial re-
suits may develop from highly special
lied researches, and they have fostered
a spirit OF popular interest in the pro-
gross Of science quite beyond any
thing that could have been expected
two decades ago. when empiricism
still reigned supreme and distrust OF
the utility OF scientific investigation
was widespread. AS an illustration OF
the value Of this work. The Journal OF
the American Medical Association
comments on the recent report OF the
Wisconsin agricultural experiment sta
ton. which now has forty or more
problems under investigation. covering
such questions as the effect on nutri-
ton OF animals and man Of single
plant ration. the mineral needs of ami
mails. the methods OF ripening cheese.
the improvement OF market milk mad
the causes and prevention OF animal
disease. The quiet modest labors and
persistent patience in the deld and the
laboratory OF these untiring workers
are doing as much for the welfare OF the
state as are the efforts Of those who
shine conspicuously in the legislative
halls.