252 PHARMACOPEIAL DRUGS 



(Worcester, Mass.), the Western Medical Reformer, 

 (Worthington, Ohio), the College Journal, (Cincinnati), 

 and the Eclectic Medical Journal, (Cincinnati). This 

 controversy, which lasted until 1855, is probably long 

 since forgotten by most persons, and is entirely un- 

 known to those unacquainted with the actors, or with 

 early Eclectic literature. It may be summed up, 

 briefly, somewhat as follows: 



The name "Podophyllin" was bitterly assailed by 

 Dr. Squibb, who considered it "unfortunate that those 

 whose aim should be to give accuracy and precision to 

 matters connected with medical science and art, should 

 so commonly refuse to this substance its proper and cor- 

 rect name, and adhere to the inaccurate and otherwise 

 objectionable name of podophyllin." In this adverse 

 view of the name Prof. Parrish concurred, saying, 1 "As 

 well might the Calisaya extract of Ellis be called quinia, 

 as the impure resinoid substance precipitated from a 

 tincture of Mayapple, by the above process, podo- 

 phyllin." 



Dr. Merrell, who (as already stated) first brought to 

 commercial notice the resin-like precipitate obtained 

 by Dr. King's process, and who first used the term 

 "podophyllin," ably defended that name, paralyzing 

 his critics by the statement that "the term podophyllin 

 had been suggested to him by Professor Wood, the 

 author of the United States Dispensatory, who is no 

 mean authority." Continuing his argument for the 

 commercial term "podophyllin," Dr. Merrell says as 

 follows: 



"The names of the resinous principles, or resinoids, 

 should be made to terminate in in, after the analogy of 



1 American Journal of Pharmacy, 1851. 



