THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



13 



cases be determined at once. In such 

 cases an adequate description can propl 

 erly suffice until the necessary botanica- 

 information can be gained. It will thus 

 be seen that every properly constituted 

 drug-name is capable of being readily 

 traced to a substantial and established 

 basis. Wherever a name is found in- 

 capable of such explanation it should be 

 rejected, and if the article have no better 

 name, it should be ignored. It has been 

 repeatedly pointed out, and cannot be 

 too strongly impressed, that while the 

 observance of this rule can not pos- 

 sibly work an injustice, it effectually 

 closes the door against the introduc- 

 tion of fraudulent articles, and insures 

 a general and uniform understanding 

 of plant names. Had it been more 

 carefully observed by editors, especially 

 of medical journals, in the past, our 

 literature would have escaped a large 

 number of hideous deformities. 



The fact already referred to is not to be 



lost sight of, that most medicinal plants 

 possess more than one botantical name, 

 and that in many cases the same botani- 

 cal name has been applied to two or 

 more plants. The difficult}' thus created 

 is in most cases met by regarding the 

 name of the authpr of the botanical 

 name as a necessary adjunct thereto. 

 Even the careful definitions of the U. S. 

 P. would be absolutely worthless ex- 

 cept by their observance of this rule. 

 Occasionally even the same author has 

 applied one name to two plants, and this 

 contingency is provided for by stipulating 

 that it is \i\?, first application of the name 

 which shall be recognized. 



Those interested in the rules for the 

 application and use of botanical names 

 will find the chief guiding principles 

 printed in the "Seventh Revision of the 

 U. S. P.," page xxxii. of the preface, 

 and elaborately explained in the Bul- 

 letin of Pharmacy, July and December, 

 1892. 



MALPRACTICE AS DEFINED BY LAW. 



By Hon. D.WID McADAMS, 

 Judge of the Superior Court of New York City- 



■^^/E are only able to allow space for 

 two extracts from Judge Mc Adams' 

 address, delivered before the Society of 

 Medical Jurisprudence at the Academj- of 

 Medicine, November 13, 1893. Hon. 

 David McAdam is judge of the New York 

 Superior Court, and speaks as an author- 

 ity upon " malpractice as defined by 

 law." We would commend this entire 

 address as valuable reading to all who 

 can secure it. The New York Herald 



of December 7, gives an excellent synop- 

 sis : 



IMPLIED OBLIGATIONS OF THE PROFESSIONS. 



"The obligation of the two professions is the 

 same. Physicians, surgeons, dentists, druggists 

 and lawyers, by holding themselves out to the 

 world as such, impliedly contract that they pos- 

 sess the reasonable and ordinary qualifications 

 of their profession, and are consequently under 

 a duty to exercise reasonable and ordinary care, 

 skill and diligence toward those who employ 

 them. The world has not time to inquire into 

 the proficiency of every professional man ; 



