The State Druggists Assemble

-, Tlie nintli aiinual meeting of the State Pharinaceutical Association lias been lield in tlic chcniical laboratory in tliis city tliis week, couiinencing" Tuesday. The attendance ivas light, not a hundred members being present. On tehalf of the city, Mayor Doty extended the association a welcome at their oiening meeting. He said: Mr. President and Gentelmen of the Pharmaceutical Association of Michigan. A few days ago, it was niy iortune to visit one of those palatial structures -vvith which the large cities are familiar, and which are commonly, if not euphoniously, classed under the genei'ie title of "drug stores" I noted particularly the large and airy rooms, the long and glittering array of glass and metal, the lavish ornamentation and the cunning sklll of the decorator's art, and instinctively my mind reverted to the ancient and "peaceful Pergamum" and that musty little shop near the amphitheatre, whcre the good old Galen is said to haye "put away" liis healing herbs, his potions and his lotions, and whicli the Grecians and thhe Romans called his "apothoca." Verily, said I, behold the ehanges time hath wrought. Seventeen hundred years of human history have evolved from that little upper room, that semi-storehouse, as it were, the magnificent apothecary stores of to-day; from that little "apotheca" has come the honorable title which the term "pharmacistV has so lately and so largcly displaced, st urdy spirit of his free eclecticism has descended to characterize the apothecaries of to-day. For surely, Mr. President, the broad and cátholic spirit which so distinguishes and animatea the men of your profession can owe its origln to no better and no nobler source than the sleepless vigils of Claudius Galenus and his tireless sifting ofthe Chaotic mass of medicinal formulas an dbelit'fs in patiënt search for the good and true. Happy, indeed, has it been for our poor huinanity that your great profession can have for its chief exemplar the scholar and the sage Vrho owned uo Hippocrates and no Praxagoras for his lord and master and wore the chain and collar of no sect or school in token of servility. It is therefore with peculiar pleasure that I, as chief executive of a free American city, welcome this association to its hospitable homes. You are very near to us, Mr President, in more degrees than one. You are free, as all Americana are free, you are liberal, as all true Americans ought to be. You are enterprising, industrious au dstudious, and these ar ethe qualities, especially the latter, which in Ann Arbor please the men and captivate the hearts of the ladies. Oh, that gcntlcr sex "In her hours of ease Uncertain, coy and hard to please," How near you are to thern! They may vex your souls when they search your stocks for all the fancy gear, the nick-nacks, the notions and possibly the lotions, with which the average drugstore is so plentifully eupplied, but how trustingly they and the lords of their households come to you when pain and sickness, disease and death , j '-(.-i "With equal pact' knock at the cottage and the palaee gate." The ponderous tomes where is stored the ripe fruitage of learning,whieh is your heritage from the ages are the wonder and the delight of this bookloving city. and the mighty pharïnacopoeias the dispensatories and the eabalistic formulas wlth which you are constantly rersed inspire our rev' rcntial awe. From the Nieolaus Magnus and the icolaus Parvus of your infancy and the Valerias Cordus of your more recent years down to the superb and statcly volumes which to-day are rushng from the presses of the world, what a mass of technical learning is vours to command. The crucible and the alembic ot tho aboratory are your play-things and to distill, to tritúrate, to mix and to compound are the sports asitwere of your idle hours. How appropriate it is that this great University and this building, one of the largest and the finest of the chemical laboratorios of the world, should be the place of your meeting. Many of you doubtless are now within the walls made sacred by memories of college days. The President of the University, himself, doubtless, will soon address you and bid you welcome as only he can do, to these academie shades. It would be idle for me to attempt any tiling beyond. Whomsoever the Unlyersity approves Ann Arbor ratifies its doeree. Whomsoever her President is pleased to commend has his calling and his election sure in the hearts of our citizens. And fifí, Mr. President and gentlemen of the association I simply bid you welcome to Ann Arbor. We regret very much that the queenly beauty of her summer radia nee has taken n, little of th esadness of the advancing yeav. We should have much preferrcd that your visit had been timed for warmer sunshine and for brighter skies, but even as she is, with the sombre tinge of autumn upon the royal drapery of her apparel, our beautiful city ex tends to you her courteous welcome to all the hospitality and all the friendly offices which are in her power to bestow. "Silver and gold," Mr. President, "have we none, but such as we have give we unto thee." The president of the association attempted to respond, but could not find words to express himself. Hater in the afternoon, President Angelí delivered an address of welcome on behalf of the University. . The meetings have been occupied by reports, discussions and papers on topics of interest mainly to themselves. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: H. G. Coleman, Kalamazoo, president; Stanley E. Parkill, Owosso; L'. Paule, St. Ignace; nnd A. 8. Parker, Detroit, vice-presidents; Chas. Parson, Detroit, secretary; "Wm Dupont, Detroit, treasurer. Grand Rapids was aelected as the place for the next meeting. Wedncsday evenlng, a brilliant reception was tcndered by the local niembers and their ladies in the Chemical building. The sessioii closed Thursday.