praise to Secretary Blaine for his course in the disputes with Italy and Chili, and the threatened complications with Great Britain; reaffirmed the principle of protection, and commended the McKinley act; favored liberal but well-guarded appropriations for internal improvements, and especially the construction of a ship canal to unite the waters of Lake Erie with the Mississippi system; favored liberal pension legislation; called for more stringent immigration laws; approved the general policy of the last Republican Congress in dealing with the silver question, and said further:

We are opposed to the free coinage of silver, but favor the purchase of American silver at its market value, and the issue by the Government of treasury notes in payment thereof.

We believe in a free ballot and a fair count, and affirm that, unless intelligent and patriotic sentiment accord these rights to the humblest citizen in every section of the country, it becomes the duty of the Federal Government to secure them by congressional enactment, under the authority conferred by the Con

stitution.

We heartily commend the action of the Legislature of 1891 for the decided progress made by it in the direction of the relief of focal taxation by the appropriation of $5,000,000 annually for the support of our public schools, the surrender to the local treasuries of the entire revenues derived from retail liquor licenses, and the return to the several counties of three fourths of the revenues derived from the taxation of personal

property.

The Democratic State Convention met at Harrisburg, April 13, with 463 delegates. The party in the State was divided between the friends and opponents of the Administration. In the matter of disputed delegations, the credentials of the Governor's faction were accepted; his party also carried its point in the rejection of a resolution instructing the delegates to the National Convention to vote for the nomination of Mr. Cleveland. The delegates were instructed to vote as a unit. A resolution was introduced commending the Governor's action during his former administration, by which a combination of competing railroads was defeated in the courts, and approving of his course in instituting proceedings to suppress and overthrow the present railroad combination and coal monopoly; it approved his expressed confidence in the trial by jury for that purpose, and suggested that the same measures be applied as before. The resolution was referred to the committee and not by them reported. The platform declared "for honest and economical administration; for local self-government; for honest money, the gold and silver coinage of the Constitution, and for a currency convertible into such coinage without loss; for that genuine civil-service reform which recognizes public office as a public trust; for liberal but not reckless pensions; and for the speedy abatement of all forms of needless and oppressive taxation," called for tariff reform, the repeal of the McKinley act, and the placing of essential raw materials of American manufactures on the free list; favored the nomination of Mr. Cleveland; approved the administration of Gov. Pattison; and pronounced the action of the Republican State Senate in evading the duty of pronouncing judgment upon faithless State officials a cowardly subterfuge and a disgraceful

violation of public duty. The nominees of the convention were: For Judge of the Supreme Court, Christopher Heydrick: for Congressmenat-large, George A. Allen, Thomas P. Merritt. The official returns of the election gave the Harrison electors 516,011; Cleveland, 452,264; Bidwell, 25,123; Weaver, 8,714; Wing, 898. For Judge of the Supreme Court, John Dean received 510,292; Christopher Heydrick, 446,001; Amos Briggs (Prohibition), 22,302; R. B. MeCombs (People's), 7,031; N. L. Criest (Socialistic Labor), 540. For Congressman-at-large, William Lilly received the highest number of votes cast, 512,557: Alexander McDowell, 511,433: George A. Allen, 448,714; T. P. Merritt, 447,456; Simeon B. Chase (Prohibition), 23,667: James T. McCrory (Prohibition), 22,930; G. P. Chase (People's), 7,466; G. W. Dawson (People's), 7,313; J. Mahlon Barnes (Labor), 674; Thomas Grundy (Labor), 635.

The Legislature stands: Senate, 33 Republicans and 17 Democrats; House, 134 Republicans and 70 Democrats; Republican majority on joint ballot, 80.

The congressional delegation will consist of 22 Republicans and 8 Democrats.

PERSIA, an empire in central Asia. The Shah is absolute ruler of the country, but he has to conform to the doctrines of the Mohammedan religion as laid down in the sacred book of the Prophet and the interpretation of his oral comments and sayings as adopted by his successors and the high priesthood. The Shah is regarded as vicegerent of the Prophet, and as such claims obedience, although a great many of the priesthood and of the syeds deny this power. The present Shah is Nasreddin, born July 18, 1831, who succeeded his father, Mohammed, on Sept. 10, 1848. The Shah has the power to leave the crown at his death to any member of his family. The executive Government is carried on by the aid of a body of ministers, consisting at the end of 1892 of the following: The Grand Vizier, who unites the functions of Minister of the Interior, of the Court, and of the Treasury and Customs, Mirza Ali Asghar Khan; Minister of Posts and President of the Council of State, Emin ed-Daouleh; Minister of War, Kamran Mirza: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kavam ed-Daouleh; Minister of Finance, Emin el Moulk; Minister of Justice and Commerce, Mohsin Khan; Minister of Instruction, Mines. and Telegraphs, Ali Kouli Khan; Minister of the Press, Mohammed Hassan Khan.

Area and Population.-The area of Persia is about 628,000 square miles, with a population in 1881 of 7,653,000. The population in 1891 was estimated at 9,000,000. The whole country is divided into 22 large and 10 small provinces. Each province has a governor-general or hâkim, who is responsible to the Central Government, and who can appoint his own lieutenant-governor or naib el hukumah. Every town has a mayor or chief magistrate, called kalantar, and every parish and every village has a chief or kedkoda. The officers are usually appointed by the naib el hukumah, and their duty is to collect the revenues. The chiefs of nomad tribes go under the name of ilkhani or sheik, and are responsible for the collection of the revenues to the hâkim of the province in which their tribe

resides. About 8,000,000 of the population are of the Shiah faith, 800,000 are Sunnis, 9,000 Parsees, 20,000 Jews, 43,000 Armenians, and 23,000 Nestorians. Only about 800 Europeans reside in Persia. (For finances, see" Annual Cyclopædia" of 1891.)

Army. The army is raised by tribal levies, although a decree was issued in 1875, but never enforced, ordering that the army should be raised by conscription, and that the term of service should be twelve years. The organization of the army is by provinces, tribes, and districts; each province contributes several regiments, each tribe one, or sometimes two, and each district one regiment, the commanding officer being a chief of the tribe or district from which the regiment is raised. The Christians, Jews, and Parsees, and the Mussulmans of the Kashan and Yezd districts, are exempt from military service. According to the official report of the Minister of War, the army numbers 105,500 men, of whom 20 batteries, comprising 5,000 men form the artillery; 78 battalions, numbering 54,700 men, the infantry; 25,200 men the regular and irregular cavalry; and 24 battalions, containing 7,200 men, the militia. Only half this number is liable to be called for service, while the standing army numbers about 24,500. (For commerce and communications, see the "Annual Cyclopædia" for 1891, page 718.)

Agitation against the Tobacco Monopoly. -Tobacco is one of the most important articles in Persia, the people valuing it higher than food or clothing, and would rather go without the necessaries of life than dispense with their tumbeki or tutun. When, in 1891, the Shah granted a monopoly on tobacco to the Imperial Tobacco Corporation, an English syndicate, a strong protest was entered by the people, who objected to having their rights of buying and selling tobacco to whom they pleased curtailed. The discontent of the Persian people has been smoldering for long years. The system of farming out every lucrative post to the highest bidder, who reimburses himself at the expense of the people, had become unbearable. The governors of the provinces have to pay a large price for their office to the Shah, besides bribing the ministers in order to obtain the appointment, and then they farm out the offices that they have the power to bestow, to the highest bidders, who in turn make the populace pay their expenses, and endeavor to lay by a fortune in anticipation of their removal from office. Concessions granted to foreigners are in the eyes of the people only another way of robbing them, and they decided to have the principal one, the tobacco monopoly, repealed. Numerous riots took place in the provinces as well as the cities, and the mollahs, always ready to sympathize with the people and to oppose the Shah, urged them on to rebellion. Large forces were required to quell the disturbances, but another difficulty arose the priests issued an order prohibiting the use of tobacco among their adherents. In view of the serious aspect of the case, the Government decided to make concessions, and abolished the projected institution of the tobacco monopoly in the interior of Persia, limiting the concession to export only. The people, however, were not satisfied with this, but demanded the abrogation

of the whole measure. This also was finally promised by the Government, but the people distrusted the promises of the Shah, and hesitated to resume smoking before permission was received from the mollahs. When, finally, the negotiations with the Régie were concluded, the interdict against the use of tobacco was withdrawn and the people resumed smoking. The Government of Persia undertook to pay to the Imperial Tobacco Corporation an indemnity of £500,000, which is to be secured by the custom duties of South Persia and the Persian Gulf.

PERU, a republic in South America. Until July 28, 1821, it was a Spanish viceroyalty, when it declared its independence, but not until 1824 did it gain its actual freedom from Spanish rule. The present Constitution was proclaimed Oct. 16, 1856, and revised on Nov. 25, 1860. The republic is divided into departments, and the departments are subdivided into provinces. The Senate consists of 40 members, in the proportion of 1 to every 2 provinces of each department: the House of Representatives consists of 80 members, in the proportion of either 1 to every 30,000 inhabitants or 1 to every province. Both houses are elected by indirect suffrage of the departments. The executive power vests in a President, who, as well as the 2 Vice-Presidents, is elected for the term of four years. The present incumbent of the presidential chair is Col. Remigio Morales Bermudez; the 2 Vice-Presidents are Pedro Solar and Col. Bergoño. The President exercises his executive functions through a Cabinet composed of 5 ministers, which at the beginning of the year consisted of the following members: Prime Minister and Minister of War and of Marine, Justiniano Bergoño; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. J. Federico: Minister of Finance and of Commerce, Senor Carbajal; Minister of the Interior, Dr. F. Herrera; Minister of Justice, Dr. C. Serpa. (For area and population, see the "Annual Cyclopædia" for 1891.)

Finance. The revenues were estimated in the budget for 1892 at 7,103,888 silver soles or dollars, of which 5,359,350 soles were derived from customs, 1,218,281 soles from direct taxes, 23,000 soles from telegraphs, 183,500 soles from posts, and 319,757 soles from various other sources. The expenditures were estimated at 7.105,132 soles, of which 306,047 soles were for Congress, 998,988 soles for the Government, 211,921 soles for foreign affairs, 736,769 soles for the Ministry of Justice, 1,469,211 soles for the financial administration, 3,381,487 soles for the army and navy, and 709 soles for extraordinary expenses.

The public debt is divided into internal and external; the former was estimated in 1888 at 109,287,000 soles, not including 83,747,000 soles of paper money. The internal debt bears 1 per cent. interest, and the market value of the bonds in 1892 was 5 per cent. of their nominal value.

The external debt, which was contracted in England in 1870 and 1872, and amounted to £31,579,080, with interest since 1876, was extinguished by the Grace-Donoughmore contract in 1890. (For particulars, see "Annual Cyclopædia" for 1891.)

Commerce. The foreign trade is largely carried on with Great Britain and France, al

though of recent years the trade with Germany and the United States has increased to some extent. The imports from Great Britain in 1888 amounted to 5,350,000 soles; from Germany, 1,121,000 soles; from France, 987,000 soles; from China, 704,000 soles; from Italy, 238,000 soles: from Belgium, 133,000 soles; from Chili, 81,000 soles; from other countries besides the United States, 166,000 soles. The total imports were 9,461,000 soles. The exports to Great Britain amounted for the same year to 933,000 soles; to Chili, 570,000 soles; to France, 156,000 soles; to Germany, 15,000 soles; to other countries besides the United States, 353,000 soles. The values of silver, gold, and other minerals are not included in the exports. The commerce with the United States for the years ending June 30, 1890, 1891, and 1892, was as follows: Imports from the United States in 1890, $1,427,301; exports to, $351,695; showing an excess of imports of $1,075,606; imports in 1891, $1,399,991; exports, $386,518: excess of imports, $1.013,473; imports in 1892, $1,007,035; exports, $591,300; excess of imports, $415,735. Of the total amount of the imports from the United States in 1890, merchandise to the value of $1,418,561 was of products of the United States. Of the total exports to the United States, merchandise to the amount of $325,853 entered free, while goods valued at $25,842 were dutiable. The imports of United States products for 1891 were $1,396,207; the exports to the United States free of duty were $369,405, and dutiable exports $17,113. For 1892, the imports of United States products were $1,002,977. Peruvian exports entered free of duty, $555,959; dutiable, $35,341. The imports from the United States vary more in character than those of any other country, the leading imports consisting of provisions, cotton goods, manufactures of steel and iron and furniture; the chief exports are sugar, hides, and skins, cotton, and a small amount of cubic niter.

Political and Financial Affairs.-Owing to differences between the ministers the Cabinet resigned, and a new one was formed on July 2, 1892, composed of the following members: Premier and Minister of the Interior, Carlos M. Elias; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eugenio Larrabure y Unanue; Minister of Finance and Commerce, Rafael Quiroz; Minister of Justice and of Public Worship, Dr. Ismail Puirredon; Minister of War and Marine, Col. Bruno Morales Bermudez.

The complications which had arisen between Peru and Chili over the distribution of the Peruvian guano money in the hands of Chili were brought to a satisfactory close. According to the treaty of 1883, signed at Ancon, Chili received the income from the Peruvian guano beds, which was to be distributed among the Peruvian creditors, inasmuch as the loans raised by Peru in 1870 and 1872 were secured by the guano deposits. Half of this money was placed in the Bank of England, and the other half was invested in 44-per-cent. Chilian bonds. In 1890 an arrangement was made with Chili by which the bondholders were to receive certain guano deposits; and by the Grace-Donoughmore contract of the same year Peru ceded, among other things, the guano deposits in question for sixty

six years in extinguishment of the creditors' claims. In order to work these concessions properly the foreign creditors organized the Peruvian Corporation, and as such demanded the money held by Chili and the Bank of England, which amounted to nearly £1,000,000. But the distribution was opposed by France, which protested that the claims of her citizens should be recognized, although Peru has always maintained that the French claims had no legal standing, and that they should be decided by a Peruvian tribunal. The French minister, M. Bacourt, finally succeeded in arranging a protocol with Chili for the settlement of the French claims against Peru, whereby one half of the amount of £500,000 deposited in the Bank of England was to be reserved pending arbitration, and the balance to be handed over at once to the Peruvian Corporation. Of the £500,000 invested in Chilian bonds, the Peruvian Corporation was to receive 80 per cent., amounting to £400,000, while the remaining 20 per cent, was to be distributed among the French claimants, who are also to share equally in the money in the Bank of England, subject, however, to the decision of the President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Swiss Republic at Bern, who was appointed arbitrator. The Peruvian Corporation objected to this protocol, but without avail, as it was signed by the French minister and the Chilian Government, and approved by the Congress of the latter country. In pursuance of the convention of 1890 between Peru and Chili, the Chilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Señor Errázuriz, handed over to the Peruvian chargé d'affaires on Dec. 8, 1892, an order for the delivery to the Peruvian Government of the guano deposits on the islands of Huanillos, Punta de Lobos, Pabellon, Pica, and Labos de Afuera, accompanied by an order from the Government making over the concessions held by Chili. The documents were immediately turned over to the Peruvian Corporation.

PHARMACY. This art continues to manifest steady progress in its different branches. Higher education, better laws with their strict enforcement, purer drugs with improved dispensing, and a greater knowledge of commercial practices are the lines on which pharmacy is developing. The proposed recognition of the claims of pharmacists by physicians has met with success. At the meeting of the American Medical Association held in Newport during July, 1890, a committee was appointed to invite the American Pharmaceutical Association to meet with them hereafter. The establishment of the proposed section of pharmacy was, however, postponed till next meeting. At the same time a committee from the American Pharmaceutical Association, led by Joseph P. Remington, presented the "National Formulary" to their attention and requested its indorsement. This section of pharmacy and materia medica came into existence at the forty-second annual meeting of the American Medical Association held in Washington during May, 1891. A number of pharmacists were present, and Dr. F. Woodbury was chosen chairman of the section. Fifteen papers of pharmaceutical interest were presented. A committee of three members of the American Medical Association was appointed to attend the

cre

perience in compounding drugs in a drug store or pharmacy where the prescriptions of medical practitioners are compounded." The Board of Pharmacy has the right to refuse registration to applicants under this provision whose " dentials are not satisfactory evidence of their competency." Any person who has served three years under a registered pharmacist and who is eighteen years of age is entitled to registration as an assistant pharmacist. The pharmacy law of New Hampshire was amended in 1889 so that the commissioners must examine applicants over sixteen years of age who have served two years under a registered pharmacist, and if found competent, grant a certificate as assistant. It is also made their duty to bring complaints before the authorities against all persons violating the act. The payment of the commissioners is likewise specified in the new law. During 1890 a full pharmacy law was passed by the Legislature of Washington, and during 1891 bills were passed regulating the practice of pharmacy in the States of Arkansas and Oregon. Also a bill was passed in California during 1891, announced to go into effect on Jan. 1, 1892. During 1891 a pharmacy law was passed by Oklahoma Territory. There is still lacking proper legislation on this subject in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana. Indian Territory, Maryland (except Baltimore), Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.

Pharmacopoeial Revision.-The United States Pharmacopoeia, which is the accepted authority for the compounding of all articles prepared by druggists, and known as official, is issued once in ten years by a committee, chosen at a convention, where delegates from all incorporated medical or pharmaceutical colleges, associations, or societies may be represented. A call was issued by the president, Dr. Robert Amory, of the revision of 1880, "for a general convention to assemble in Washington, D. C., at noon of May 7, 1890, for the purpose of providing for a revision and publication of the Pharmacopoeia of the United States of America." The committee on revision of the last Pharmacopoeia very wisely gathered the criticisms that appeared on their work and published a digest of them for the use of their successors. This book was edited by the chairman of the committee, Dr. Charles Rice, of New York city. The journals, both medical and pharmaceutical, devoted much space toward the consideration of possible changes in the work. The issuing of the book at a lower price ($4.00) than the last has been called for; also a more complete and comprehensive description of the drugs and their constituents is urged, although such information finds its proper place in the different commentaries of the Pharmacopoeia, such as the Dispensatories; and more exact information on the therapeutic value of drugs has been suggested. Information generally is sought for, although the discussion is chiefly confined to the following items: (1) Articles now official that seem unnecessary; (2) Articles desirable to be made official; (3) Defective formula in the present volume; (4) Improved formula for any present preparation; (5) Formulas for desirable preparations not now official; (6) Working formulas of chemical and pharmaceutical preparations; (7) Shall doses of

official articles be appended! The convention met as called for, and the following officers were elected: President, Horatio C. Wood, of Philadelphia, Pa.; Vice-Presidents, William S. Thompson, Washington, D. C., D. W. Prentiss, Washington, D. C., J. M. Flint, U. S. N., A. E. Ebert, Chicago, Ill., and William M. Searly, San Francisco, Cal.; Secretary, Hobart A. Hare; Assistant Secretary, G. H. C. Klie, St. Louis, Mo. Subsequently the following committee of revision was chosen: Charles Rice, Chairman; Joseph P. Remington, Frederick B. Power, Peter W. Bedford, Dr. W. M. Mew, Dr. John Godfrey, Dr. J. M. Flint, John M. Maisch, Dr. Roberts Bartholow, Dr. Charles O. Curtman, Dr. Frederick A. Castle, Dr. N. S. Davis, Jr., C. Lewis Diehl, Dr. Robert G. Eccles, Dr. Willis G. Gregory. Charles Mohr, George F. H. Markoe, Oscar Oldberg, Lucius G. Sayre, Otto A. Wall, Dr. Thomas F. Wood, Dr. H. H. Rusby, Alfred B. Taylor, Dr. R. T. Edes, and C. S. N. Hallberg. The following topics were discussed at the convention, and the committee instructed in accordance with the wishes of the majority: 1. General directions; 2. Assay processes for drugs; 3. Assay processes for galenical preparations; 4. Assay processes for opium and cinchona; 5. Descriptions of chemicals and tests; 6. Chemical formulas; 7. Proprietary or patented articles; 8. Nomenclature; 9. Specific gravity; 10. Weights and measures; 11. General formula; 12. Lists of reagents, tables, etc.; 13. Publication of the Pharmacopoeia; 14. Date for the Pharmacopoeia to go into effect; and 15. Compensation of experts.

New pharmacopoeias for Austria and Germany were announced to appear in 1890. That for Austria was issued in 1890 and that for Russia in 1891, while the Military Pharmacopoeia of Austria will be issued in 1892.

Associations. The thirty-seventh annual meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association was held in San Francisco, Cal., during June 24-28, under the presidency of Maurice W. Alexander. The opening session was devoted to the reports of officers and committees. A report from the treasurer showed his receipts during 1889 to have been $12,067.37: disbursements, $9,120.92; balance, $2,946.45, being a gain of $1,700 over the balance of 1888. Since the last meeting 106 applications for membership had been accepted, and with the 49 chosen at the present meeting, the total membership was brought up to 1,264. Numerous papers were read and discussed at the scientific session, which was presided over by Emlen Painter. The section on pharmaceutical education was presided over by Peter W. Bedford, and, besides the papers read at its sessions, an important report of the Committee on Preliminary Examinations was considered. Its conclusions were:

1. That this association recommend its members

and all others in the retail drug business to refuse to take into their employ as apprentices any boys or young men who have not graduated from a grammar school, or who have not received an education equal to that required for such graduation.

to entrance a certificate of graduation from a State 2. That colleges of pharmacy demand as a condition grammar school, or from an institution whose course of instruction is equal to that of the State grammar schools.