442 THE NOMENCLATURE OF A PHARMACOPOEIA. 



1865. some of the drugs derived from the vegetable kingdom. It 



Nomenclature mav seem a rather trivial subject upon which to descant, yet it 



of vegetable commonly happens that upon the publication of a pharmacopoeia 



the first strictures that appear have reference to changes in 



nomenclature, which seem the inevitable concomitants of each 



new edition. Nor is this unreasonable, for the name of a drug 



is often known and used when nothing else is known about it, 



arid the convenience and suitableness of a name are points upon 



which all feel able to give an opinion. 



Professor Redwood has touched on this subject in the following 

 judicious remarks : " It appears to me desirable, as far as 

 possible, to avoid the use of chemical names or symbols that are 

 liable from time to time to be altered as new views in chemical 

 science prevail. Frequent change in the names applied to medi- 

 cines is in itself an evil. The most important objects to be attained 

 are, that the names shall be familiar, concise, and explicit, easily 

 pronounced and used both in English and Latin, consistent one 

 with another, and not inconsistent in their signification with 

 those used for other purposes. Names already in use, if they 

 fulfil these conditions, are preferable to new names." 



Names in ac- It happens unfortunately that many names which are both 

 ^ am ^i ar ari( * concise, are not accordant with modern knowledge, 

 and hence has arisen the feeling that alteration is necessary. The 

 teacher who imparts botanical knowledge shudders to hear squill 

 spoken of as a "Radix scillae," or caraways as "Semina carui," when 

 he is using his utmost endeavours to explain that bulbs are not 

 roots, and that the so-called seeds of umbelliferous plants are in 

 reality fruits. Yet terms such as these arein constant use among 

 druggists, and are sanctioned by all the older writers on Materia 

 Medica. The more exact definitions, however, having already 

 existed many years in the Pharmacopoeia, it would, in most cases, 

 be a retrograde movement to discard them in favour of the older 

 and more popular designations. Let us then accept the bulbs of 

 squill, the corms of colchicum and the fruits of uinbellifers 

 as a token that pharmacists do not ignore botany. 



In manv cases > however, the designation of the special part of 

 the plant which is to be used is neither customary nor necessary, 



