PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



It was with the greatest reluctance that the authors of 

 the first edition undertook in 1908 the preparation of another 

 medical text-book. They found however that none of the 

 books on Pharmacy and Materia Medica were at all suitable 

 for use in their classes in the University of Toronto. Most of 

 the books on these subjects contain also sections dealing with 

 Pharmacology and Therapeutics. These sections are rarely 

 accurate. Changes in the official Pharmacopoeia occur 

 much more slowly than does our knowledge of Pharmaco- 

 logy. Several of the better books on Pharmacy and Materia 

 Medica are intended for students in the United States and 

 deal largely with the U.S. Pharmacopoeia. As there are several 

 good books on Pharmacology on the market which undergo 

 frequent revision, the authors did not include any material 

 relating to this subject. 



The classification of drugs according to their botanical, 

 mineral or animal origin is no longer of importance, nor does 

 a pharmacological classification furnish an arrangement 

 useful for reference purposes. A use of one of these types of 

 classification greatly mars some otherwise useful books. 

 These considerations forced the authors to compile this 

 text-book and they hope that they have succeeded in placing 

 before the student a book which will aid him in writing pre- 

 scriptions. 



Dr. C. P. Lusk then Lecturer in Pharmacy was associated 

 with the author in the preparation of the first edition and in 

 spite of the fact that the book has been almost completely 

 rewritten many traces of his practical knowledge and scholar- 

 ship are to be found in the present edition. The stress of 

 work which necessitated his retirement from the Department 

 has led to his not taking the same part in the preparation of 

 the second edition, that he did in the first. The author wishes 

 to thank him for his great kindness in reading the copy of this 

 edition and for his valuable criticisms and suggestions and 

 regrets that Dr. Lusk felt constrained to withdraw his name 

 from the title page. 



The following works have been frequently consulted :- 

 The British Pharmacopoeia; The British Pharmaceutical 

 Codex; Squire's Companion to the British Pharmacopoeia; 

 Ruddiman, Incompatibilities in Prescriptions; Elborne, The 

 Elements of Practical Pharmacy and Dispensing; The Art 

 of Dispensing, (published by the Chemist and 

 Fantus Prescription Writing and Pharmacy; Bennett, Medical 

 and Pharmaceutical Latin; The United States 



University of Toronto, V. E. HENDERSON. 



October 23, 1911. 



