Columbia University College of Pharmacy - Apothekan Yearbook (New York, NY)

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HE Commonwealth Survey, a pharmacy research project carried on amcng retail pharmacists throughout the country, under the direction of Dr. Charters of Chicago, brought a universal request fcr a course in the biology of micro-organisms for graduates in pharmacy. The addition of a third year to cur college curriculum made this request possible. It was not deemed advisable, however, to include anything more than the fundamentals concerning the nature of micro-organisms, their relation to disease, principles of sterilization and antisepsis, the phenomenon of immunity and methods of antitoxin, serum and vaccine preparation. A minimum amount of laboratory work as a cultural aid in understanding the terms and technique concern- ing the manufacture of biologicals has added much interest to the course. When- ever feasible we have solicited the aid of the biological houses for additional illus- trated lectures. The University Class retains its well-equipped bacteriological laboratory in the new building. The subject matter given to these students includes the study and cultivation of pathogenic micro-organisms, differentiation between normal and patho- logical blood, bacterial examination of water, air, milk, sputum and excreta, methods of sterilization and disinfection. The University curriculum in bacteriology differs from the college course in that the latter deals primarily with the stock biologicals handled in the drug store. In the way of added equipment for the course in bacteriology the department was fortunate in being able to receive from our ever-liberal trustees sufficient appro- priation for a bacteriological refrigerator, electrical centrifuge and water-still. We believe our new bacteriological laboratory with its adequate steel lockers, modern tables and ample equipment for our University students has left nothing to be desired. Fanchon Hart. Nineteen

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HE academic year 192R-29, being the second of our operation under the three-year schedule, has witnessed several innovations in our laboratory methods, especially in the second year of both College and University classes. No matter how pharmacists differ in their views regarding the comparative utility of the several branches of the pharmacy curriculum, they are agreed on the principle that the student should know the pharma- copoeia. We have taken this as our guide in the modifications of courses under- taken this year and have tried to show the student that the U. S. Pharmacopoeia is more than a mere book which he must purchase and use in examinations. The Pharmacopoeia is used as a working book in pharmacy and chemistry and we have endeavored to establish it in a similar position as regards pharmacognosy. Ability to so use it requires or pre-supposes a fair knowledge of several branches of science among which are pharmacy, chemistry and botany. The teaching of botany and histology in the first year lays the foundation for pharmacognosy and but little modification has thus far been attempted in the first year program. Our efforts this year have centered upon methods to secure closer coordination between macroscopic and microscopic pharmacognosy. The laboratory staff has agreed that by having students prepare specimens for microscopical examination directly from the crude drug, the connection between the two would be more apparent. Also the mere fact that the crude specimens have uses other than as reference materials for pre-examination study, tends toward coordination. An increase in the amount of time at our disposal has permitted the adoption of several plans to stimulate interest in pharmacognosy. The new apportionment of time has also made possible a rearrangement of the work of the University Classes whereby all general botany, including the cryptog- amic division, is placed in the first ye;;r, macroscopic pharmacognosy in the third year. This is a more logical sequence of topics than heretofore and the change becomes fully operative during the 1929-1930 session. The keynote of our laboratory record for this year is experimentation in teaching methods. We are attempting to ascertain by actual trial, as differentiated from theory, how we may improve methods of presentation and how we may best realise our chief objective — a wider use of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia in the studies of the botany laboratory. C. W. Ballard. Eighteen

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Henry V. Arny, Ph.M., Ph.D., F.C.S.