The Changing Scene in General Practice

history. Cowen has already identified himself with New Jersey's medical interests in many publications, notably his Medicine and Health in New Jersey: A History (Vol. 16 of the New Jersey Historical Series, 1964) and the present volume is only one more manifestation of his wide-ranging interests in pharmaceutical history. Out of an ill-assorted group of pharmacy practitioners, whose varying degrees of competence stimulated New Jersey medical men in 1869 to form a 'Committee on Dispensers of Medicine', came a determination by Newark (N.J.) pharmacists to organize themselves for the advancement of their profession. This they did first by forming a State Pharmaceutical Association, next by seeking legislation that would protect the public until the Association's own rules should guarantee safety in medicines. How successful were the founding members in attaining their objectives proves a fascinating story. The pharmacists' professional relationships with doctors, and with the public, increased their confidence in themselves and within seven years of their formation they secured legislation to form a New Jersey Board of Pharmacy. In subsequent nationwide movements for the betterment of pharmacy this Association was always to the fore. Inevitably it was individuals who carried the major burden, notably the presidents and secretaries. The author particularly summarizes two leaders in New Jersey pharmacy -G. M. Beringer, Sr., a Remington medallist, known as 'The Glycerin Man' for his new processes relating to glycerates, and F. B. Kilner, writer on scientific topics, who became a Director of the Scientific Laboratories of Johnson & Johnson in 1889. The scope and direction of the Association increased: its members made important contributions to the revising of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia and, as the author shows, added weight to all legislative proposals for the good of pharmacy and for the greater protection ofthe public. They made no mean advance when they set up the New Jersey College of Pharmacy and a 'University of the State of New Jersey', later to become known as 'The College of Jersey City'. The author's compilation of a Biographical Register of members of the Association throughout the whole century of its activities is a task few would undertake. Fortunately the records are reasonably complete but the byeways have had to be well searched. Illustrations of the leaders of the Association and vignettes of personalities and of the practice of pharmacy over the period add point and purpose to this narrative. In a Foreword, Glenn Sonnedecker, Director …