136 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



those among you who wish to become printed in all languages ? That solution, 



more intimately acquainted with the the best for mankind, will come, but I 



history of medicine and pharmacy, I must fear that at a time when the bones of the 



refer you to the excellent work of Ed ward most junior apprentice are resting with 



Berdoe, ' The Origin and Growth of the his fathers. But if you will allow me I 



Healing Art,' and the ' Progress of Phar- will descend from my Utopian flight and 



macy in Great Britain,' by Jacob Bell soberly assert that the Pharmacopoeia 



and Theophilus Redwood. may be viewed from three professional 



I now come to the second section of my standpoints : — (ist) Student and teacher, 

 lecture, which is the Pharmacopoeia. The (2d) Pharmaceutical chemist, and (3) 

 earliest pharmacopoeia was prepared by Medical practitioner, 

 the Arabs in the ninth century. The From the educational standpoint the 

 first recognized by authority was pub- Pharmacopoeia may be truly looked upon 

 lished at Nuremberg in the year 1542. as ajewel casket that requires at least three 

 In England the first pharmacopoeia keys to unlock it, one of gold, a knowl- 

 under authority appeared in 16 18, of edge of chemistry; the second of silver, a 

 which there were twelve subsequent knowledge of botany and zoology; and 

 editions, the last in 1841. The Dublin the third of iron, the knowledge of ex- 

 Pharmacopoeia first appeared in 1807, perimental physics. No student can hope 

 the last edition being published in 1850. to understand this complex work unless 

 Until the Medical Act passed in 1868, the he holds the three keys. With reference 

 right of publishing the Pharmacopoeia to education and the programme which I 

 for England, Scotland, and Ireland was drew up for the course of materia medica 

 vested in the College of Physicians of and botany that was instituted last year, 

 London, Edinburgh, and Ireland respec- it might be said that my course was too 

 tively, and as these books contained comprehensive, but my answer to this will 

 several preparations similar in name and be given in the analogy of the three keys, 

 different in strength, such obvious dan- For educational purposes I would there- 

 ger arose for travellers that the British fore recommend (i) that all the chemical 

 Pharmacopoeia published in 1 864, became, formula for reactions should be given; 

 by Act of Parliament, the standard for (2) that the natural orders of vegetable 

 Great Britain and Ireland, An amended and animal products should be given; 

 edition was brought out in 1867. A (3) that there should be a comprehensive 

 second reprint with additions appeared glossary of the terms used in the Phar- 

 in 1874, another edition was published macopoeia with definftions; (4) that ex- 

 in 1885, and a supplement to it in 1890. planations of complex tests and processes 



With all its faults it is our pharmaco- should be given. As a pharmaceutical 

 poeia, and being ours we will all take our chemist, I should like to see all the pro- 

 own method of abusing it. I, for my own cesses definite, and when a difficulty in 

 part, am going to speak of it in simple manipulation occurs it should be men- 

 language, saying how I think it might be tioned and the character of the product 

 improved, and my first cry is for Utopia, described. For instance, the lin. crotonis. 

 Why should not the Pharmacopoeia be lin. potass, iodidi and sapon, and lin. 

 an international volume, edited by an terebinthinae. With reference to the 

 international pharmaceutical conference, second, I do not think the Committee 

 and revised every ten years as is the case could do better than to adopt the formula 

 with the American Pharmacopoeia, and of the elegant preparation devised by my 



