524 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
be altered by reducing it; and a gentleman who had had very great experience 
in reference to it, perhaps more than any other in this country, seemed to jus¬ 
tify the strength that had been proposed. It was true that he had remarked 
that the strength now indicated in the Pharmacopoeia was an unfortunate one, 
but perhaps he (Dr. Redwood) might be pardoned for saying that if it was un¬ 
fortunate, the Committee were led into the error very much from the great 
anxiety they manifested to make it as nearly as possible such as it had been sent 
out from a house with which that gentleman was connected. Many years ago, 
when fluid magnesia was not so much used as it was at present, there were two 
competing manufacturers, each of whom was endeavouring to induce the public 
to believe that his preparation was the best because it was the strongest, and 
these were Mr. Dinneford and Sir James Murray. It might be twenty years 
ago, or more, that he (Dr. Redwood) had examined Dinneford’s fluid magnesia, 
and he found it to contain thirteen grains of carbonate of magnesia in the ounce ; 
and having published such result, with a statement that this might be taken as 
a type of what the preparation should be, it was constantly advertised by the 
manufacturer with a reference to his analysis as an indication of what that pre¬ 
paration was. When it was thought desirable to introduce this fluid magnesia 
into the Pharmacopoeia, he really did not feel that, in the face of that oft-re¬ 
peated representation, they would have been justified in recommending the use 
of a preparation weaker than that, or they would have been subject to the im¬ 
putation that they were not up to the mark. That really was the reason why 
they fixed upon that particular strength. Other preparations were referred to 
at the last meeting. Mr. Bland made reference to the greater strength of the 
tincture of calumba of the British Pharmacopoeia than that of the London Phar¬ 
macopoeia. He also referred to an alteration of the formula of the London 
Pharmacopoeia for ceratum resinse. Now these remarks, with reference to 
alterations of this description, did not apply merely to the present edition, but 
to the previous edition of the Pharmacopoeia—the first that was brought out,— 
and it must be recollected that the Medical Council had a very difficult duty to 
perform, in reconciling medical practitioners in England, Scotland, and Ireland 
to one uniform set of preparations. In some cases they decided to follow the 
London Pharmacopoeia, in others the Edinburgh, and in others again the 
Dublin. He did not know from what cause, but he must confess that in a very 
great number of instances English and Scotch processes had given place to the 
Irish. This had been complained of by medical men in this country, and in the 
last edition of the Pharmacopoeia some of the displaced London processes had 
been restored, but this was not the case with tincture of calumba and resin 
ointment, nor could it be expected that it should be so in all instances. It did 
not appear to him that the slight difference between the present formula and 
that of the London Pharmacopoeia for unguentum resinae was material, or need 
be made subject of complaint. It was now ordered to be made of resin, wax, 
and simple ointment, whereas the London formula was resin, wax, and oil. 
Mr. Bland also referred to acetum scillae, and objected to the process given for 
it. In the first edition of the British Pharmacopoeia this preparation was 
omitted, but at the suggestion of many medical men, who represented that they 
were in the frequent habit of using it, it was reintroduced. It was originally 
ordered in the three Pharmacopoeias of England, Scotland, and Ireland ; in two 
of the processes so given, spirit was ordered, and in the other it was not. They 
took the process of the London Pharmacopoeia with spirit; but he must admit 
that he considered Mr. Bland’s objection to the use of spirit a just one, and he 
should himself in future advocate the omission of the spirit as being not only 
unnecessary, but rather contributing to the decomposition of the preparation 
than otherwise. He would proceed, in the next place, to make some remarks 
with reference to what had been stated on the present occasion. Mr. Bland 
