THE EDITOR. 
573 
medicine, that it be named according to the nomenclature of 
the latest edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the College of Physi- 
cians of London, Edinburgh, or Dublin; it being, in certain cases 
when requisite, stated which authority is followed. 
I remember, several years ago, that one of the medical journals 
found fault with some of its subscribers for giving their formulae 
in Latin, deprecating the custom of our forefathers, and recom- 
mending the discardment altogether of the Latin language out of 
our pharmacopoeia. 1 do, however, for my own part, think there 
ought to exist a sort of free-masonry among professional men, and 
that we ought not to descend to the level of cookery books in our 
practical communications; and I feel quite certain that, as far as 
surgeons and physicians are concerned, their prescriptions possess 
more value and efficacy in Latin than they would in vulgar Eng- 
lish ; and, as far as even our practice goes, I can have no doubt 
but that the world will give that veterinarian credit for know- 
ing more who is able to give a recipe in Latin. 
If a man should bring his horse to me with a saddle-gall, and 
I should desire him to keep it wet with salt and water, he would 
go away not only dissatisfied, but probably, in his own mind, set 
me down for a common-place or very indifferent sort of practi- 
tioner ; but if I made a mountain of his molehill, and, with grave 
countenance and demeanour, told him I would give him a pre- 
scription for it, which would be certain to set all right again in a 
few days, and enable him to ride his horse again, presenting him 
with 
R Sodae cliloridi Jij 
Aquae distillatae Oj 
Tincturae lavandulae c Jss. 
M. f. lotio saepissime applicandum parti affectae, 
he would leave me highly satisfied with me and my infallible 
prescription — which the druggist would be sure not to enlighten 
him about — and would, no doubt, come again the next time his 
horse might happen to have “a lump upon his back.” This may be 
called “humbug,” or “ moonshine;” but I will vouch for it, there 
are few in practice but what have discovered some necessity for 
such said humbug. If the art of medicine stood simply and 
solely upon plain “ cause and effect ” it would not confer near 
the benefit nor afford half the satisfaction it does at present. 
We stop the press, and materially alter the train of argument 
into which we were about to enter, and, in fact, had entered, in 
order to insert a letter which, by some chance, was not sent to us 
until the 2(>th of August : — 
Royal Veterinary College, August 20, 1841. 
Sir, — l have the honour to acquaint you, that at a meeting of 
the Council of the Veterinary Medical Association, held at the 
VOL. xiv. 4 F 
