2 
THE BRITISH PHARMACOPOEIA. 
5. The prohibition of the sale of all secret remedies, and the imposition of a 
penalty for selling any patent or quack medicine, unless a sworn certificate of 
the composition of such medicine be exposed for inspection in the shop or place 
where it is sold. 
These propositions are surely of sufficient importance to demand and to ensure 
the immediate and serious attention of the whole pharmaceutical body. We hail 
the principle of the proposed measure as correct, and there will be ample time 
for the consideration of the details ; but we may observe that the Medical Coun¬ 
cil are pursuing the same course with us as that originally taken with regard to 
the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries. 
THE BRITISH PHARMACOPOEIA. 
It is announced by the Committee to whom the duty of preparing the Na¬ 
tional Pharmacopoeia has been entrusted by the Medical Council, that the work 
will be published not later than October next. It will be printed in two forms, 
the octavo and the duodecimo, the former selling at Is. 6tZ. and the latter at 5s. 
It is arranged that the publication of the Pharmacopoeia shall be preceded by 
an introductory work, written by Dr. Christison, the object of which will be to 
explain the forthcoming Pharmacopoeia, showing its composition, the changes 
introduced, and the necessity under which the members of the several branches 
of the medical profession will lie of making themselves acquainted with the 
British Pharmacopoeia, in place of the Pharmacopoeias which it is to supersede. 
The system of weights employed in the new work is that which was adopted 
by a vote of the Medical Council in the latter part of last year, when it was 
resolved:— 
“ That the weights used in the British Pharmacopoeia be the imperial, or 
avoirdupois, pound, ounce, and grain ; and that the terms ‘drachm’ and 
‘ scruple,’ as designating specific weights, be abolished.” 
The Committee, in reporting to the General Council on the 1st of June last, 
say, with reference to the Bill now before Parliament on the subject of weights 
and measures:—“ The Council will observe that it is quite otherwise circum¬ 
stanced in respect to this Bill than when it came to a decision last October on 
the question whether the French metrical system of weights and measures should 
be adopted at that time as the system of pharmacy in this country. The Com¬ 
mittee therefore beg to call the attention of the Council to the approaching pro¬ 
ceedings in Parliament; but they leave it to the Council itself to decide whether 
any and what steps should be taken by the Council in the present position of 
this important question.” 
On subsequently considering this report, the Council resolved :— 
“ That it be an instruction to the Executive Committee to watch the pro¬ 
gress of the Bill on Weights and Measures now before Parliament, and, 
in the event of its passing the second reading, to take such steps, by peti¬ 
tion in the name of the Council, or otherwise, as may seem to them best 
calculated to prevent the enactment of any statutory restriction or obli¬ 
gation affecting the use of weights and measures in pharmacy, unless 
with such provisions as shall obviate the risk of its inconvenient or pre¬ 
mature enforcement.” 
The Council have also agreed to adopt the following recommendations of the 
Special Pharmacopoeia Committee, with the view of providing for the prepara¬ 
tion and publication of new editions of the Pharmacopoeia:— 
“The Committee, on considering what measures maybe now recommended to 
the Council, have been impressed with the recommendation of the Chairman of 
the Pharmacopoeia Committee, that the improvements in medicine and phar¬ 
macy ought not to be allowed to accumulate long without being introduced by 
