up the section on scientific papers. Dr. Bolles, is the chairman of the Committee on Pharmacy and Queries.

DR. BOLLES: The only report I have to make is this. I have for your consideration three papers: one from Mr. A. L. Dickinson, of Danbury, another from Mr. Robert C. Walker, of Waterbury, and the third by myself. I am sure these three men will be perfectly willing and responsive at the proper time.

THE PRESIDENT: This is the proper time. What is the wish of the Association? We would like to hear those papers read, I believe.

MR. WILLIAMS: It seems to me matters like papers prepared, and that sort, ought to be deferred until the meeting at Magnolia. There opportunity will be given at that meeting to furnish something for the Association. If the meeting is simply to assemble at Magnolia, and say "How do you do," and pass out, that is not my understanding of what it was to be. I understood this was to be more of a business meeting here today, and such matters as papers I think ought to be deferred-not necessarily to the joint meeting, but the meeting of the Association there.

MR. FLEISCHNER: I beg to differ with my friend Capt. Williams on that proposition. I am satisfied there will not be a corporals's guard of the gentlemen here now at Magnolia. I don't know how small a corporal's guard is, but I think not halfa-dozen. These papers were prepared for the purpose of being read to the Connecticut Pharmaceutical Association, and this is the meeting and time and place. If we are to be enlightened at all I feel I would be interested, and think we ought to hear those papers now. I am here today and don't know where I will be next week. If this is the proper hour, I would move that the papers be read at this time.

THE SECRETARY: I would second Mr. Fleischner's motion, because we have a pretty good attendance here. It is doubtful how many we will have at Magnolia and there are likely to be outside interests at Magnolia which will distract the attention of some of the members who may me there, from the papers. There are many here would like to get the benefit of the papers who will not be at Magnolia.

THE PRESIDENT: I wish to say in regard to Magnolia that the Secretary wrote me, and I told him I thought it would be impossible to find out how many were going until this day arrived. It is essential that we decide today sometime just how many are going, in order to arrange for accomodations. I really feel, and know we have greater attendance here today than we will have at Magnolia. While it has been, (as Capt. Williams stated,) thought best to have this a business meeting, I think they should be read here.. I believe at the combined meeting they have one subject, at least, set off for us. In view of the fact that we have three papers here, I would like to hear them read. The motion is that those papers be read here. (Voted.)

DR. BOLLES: Mr. President and members: down stairs in the hotel this forenoon Mr. Walker made a request of me. He said he wanted to read his paper last. I granted him that request. I have decided I want to read mine second. So I think it is up to Mr. Dickinson to read his first. I would be glad to hear from him now.

MR. DICKINSON: Gentlemen, this paper will not take up much of your time, and I think the second man on the program better get his notes ready to take my place. It is short, and I think to the point, and I think it is an interesting subject. Perhaps the majority of you may not think as I do.

THE ASPIRING DRUG CLERK AND HIS PRECEPTOR Three years experience in the drug business, working under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, is all that is required under our State law to permit a young man to become eligible for examination before our State Pharmacy Commissioners. If successful in passing the examination, he is possessed of all the rights, powers and privileges of his preceptor, and is on an equal footing with all the pharmacists of the State. This being a fact, it is highly important that the examination of the Commissioners should be broad in its scope and cover every branch of the business that he licensed pharmacists comes in contact with, also a certain amount of technical knowledge, that the applicant can more easily answer, with a certain degree of surety, some of the problems that are propounded to him over the counter.

To help the applicant in his efforts to get his certificate of examination, his preceptor should take an exceptional interest, which in many

cases is entirely neglected and in many cases only done in a half-hearted

way.

A young man enters a drug store to learn the drug business and is told by the proprietor where he can find an old dilapidated Dispensatory and there the proprietor consideres his duty at an end. The young man struggles along, perhaps gains a little information and help from some clerk in the town and as soon as the three years have elapsed appears before the Commissioners for his examination.

The examination over, in due time he undoubtedly receives notice that he has not been successful, and oft-times blames the Commissioners for having given him a hard examination.

Cases like this appear more often from the large cities than from the smaller cities and towns, in fact, the applicant from the smaller place is receiving more help from the proprietor than the applicant from the large city.

The help that the clerk wants is advice as to what and how to study and this the proprietor can render with very little effort. The library of the average pharmacist is a farce, whereas, by an investment of less than $10.00 per year, it might easily be established and maintained and in a few years be the envy of all aspiring clerks in the town.

In this was the library and assistance from the proprietor would create a condition where there would be a waiting list of c'erks to be employed where to-day the position is unsought.

This little assistance would materially aid the Commissioners in raising the standard of the clerks and the profession in the State and place it nearer the level of our neighboring States that are favored with a College of Pharmacy.

The instance here cited is of the average young man that appears for examination before the Board and who must receive fair treatment and for whom the examination must be gauged.

Let the proprietor give his help and co-operation to the clerk and in this way reħder a service to the profession of the State.

Submitted by

A. L. DICKINSON.

MR. LEVERTY: I move that the paper be accepted and printed in the proceedings. (Voted.)

MR. PRESIDENT: I feel that has been an extremely good paper for us all to have heard. Mr. Dickinson, having had experience on the Board of Pharmacy, has been in a good position to judge of the young men as they came before that Board, and am sure we will all profit by it.

MR. WILLIAMS: I suppose it is improper to discuss that paper after it has been accepted, but I think it ought to be discussed by this Association; that is, they ought to point out some particular reasons why these young men come up. Is it in order to discuss it?

THE PRESIDENT: The paper has been accepted, and is to be printed. I don't know of any objection to discussion.

MR. WILLIAMS: If the President will admit criticism, I would like to say a few words. I think the papers prepared by these gentlemen ought not to be read at the meeting and merely ordered printed. They ought to be talked about by the members. They should say, “Is that paper correct, or what is the matter with it?" I don't think it is satisfactory to bring in papers and have no criticism of them, favorable or unfavorable. I think the writers of the papers would prefer it. It would be a stimulant to others. They would get views from others in regard to it. I want to say a word in regard to that paper.

The proprietors do this and that, he says. We all know the business today in our line has changed very decidedly from what it formerly was—what it was in my early recollection. It is the same in our business as in all industries and with mechanics. The proprietor has no time, really, today, in the many busy calls in the store, to give the necessary instruction to the young men coming into his store. Many of them have not the inclination or ability. The blame must not be put so much upon the proprietor. With the press of business today on us it is impossible to give that time; and the time of the young man who is the first-assistant in the store is also taken up; he is required to take care of the business-end of that, as well as the prescription-end, and he does not have the time. Another reason is, there are so many preparations in the store today manufactured for us. So many fellows come up who have no instruction. Why? Because things are not made in the stores they have been in. The preparations are all handed out to dispense. I have had some little experience of my own. I have a young man in mind who clerked for me. He came with experience of a few years in the

largest stores in New York. He was a graduate of the New York College of Pharmacy, and post-graduate of it; and that fellow could not make a batch of pills! He went before our Pharmacy Board, and I say to their credit they turned him down the first time; but he got through the second time. That is a

good illsutration of the trend of affairs in the stores today.

So

I often make use of the expression, "We are becoming ice-cream pharmacists." We are getting into the business end of it. And the young man has got to get his practical experience the best way he can.

The amusing thing is they graduate a man with so little practical knowledge. They ought to have particularly found out, in two years, whether he knows how to take hold of the implements of pharmacy; but they don't. It is the same with packages. I have a young man now who came through the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy. (This is on another point; his inability to do up a package.) I wrote to the professor I thought he would do a good thing for that College if he would put in a chair, or establish an instructor, for young men on two points: how to do up the package that comes from the dispensingcounter; and the elementary principles of book-keeping. They know that in the Ontario College. When you get a clerk from there you understand he knows those things-and he is marked on them, too!

We have all got to take it upon ourselves. The Pharmacy Commission tell you they come up and cannot answer questions; but they must not lay it entirely upon the boys. It is lack of instruction, and lack of time, as well as knowledge of many of the instructors, to properly instruct the youg fellows in the real work of our stores.

MR. FLEISCHNER: I have in my hand a sample of work done at a late meeting of the Board, which almost took Capt. Williams' breath away, because he could not believe they were made in Hartford. That is only a fair sample of what can be done. will pass them around, and you can judge for yourselves. It is a class of work these same young men turn out before the Board of Pharmacy.