498 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[December 21, IS? 2: 
Cffraspitatt. 
*■** A r o notice can be taken of anonymous communica¬ 
tions. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenti¬ 
cated by the name and address of the writer / not necessarily 
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. 
The Univeesal Phaemacopoeia. 
Sir,—Let me express my intense satisfaction with the 
recent leading article on the Universal Pharmacopoeia. I 
had hoped to have said something on the subject but was 
under the impression that the proposed work described at a 
late evening meeting was under the sanction of our authorities. 
Every Pharmacist of whatever nation would hail the ap¬ 
pearance of any new good book of reference which might 
present in a clear and well-ordered manner the formulae of the 
world—but I do object to the title Pharmaconomical. No one 
country can lay down the law of Pharmacy for another. We 
may endeavour by proper means to suggest, and by perse¬ 
vering labour, to effect assimilation of strengths and uni¬ 
formity of names—but that is the limit of our power until 
we can arrange for our convenience the atmosphere in 
which we breathe and the soil on which we live—till we can 
arrange moreover hereditary habits and individual constitu¬ 
tions. 
Secondly, an editor may print according to his own judg¬ 
ment, formula? in assorted type, but I totally dispute the right 
of any one to. dictate to me the importance of a particular 
formula. This is a pure matter of nationality and accidental 
circumstance. Our British Pharmacopoeia is admirable for 
us, but it would be a vain idea to make it binding in the 
City of Paris. The Codex is excellent for Prance: in London 
its authoritative teaching would amount to foolishness—yet 
both compendiums are consulted with mutual benefit by 
Dumas and Pi-ofessor Redwood; by the foreign medecin and 
the English physician. 
A sensible plan for lessening national differences is described 
in a most lucid manner in your editorial notice—its accom¬ 
plishment will necessitate time, infinite research and large 
accommodation amongst learned bodies. Let me add one re¬ 
mark. A splendid work of reference (Hager) is alluded to by 
yourself. I have no wish to depreciate other manuals, but I 
may be permitted to direct the attention of dispensing Pharma¬ 
cists to an Universal Pharmacopoeia which without exagger¬ 
ation I have successfully consulted many hundred times—it 
is by Jourdan—I have never found it fail. By its employment 
most of the inquiries now weekly submitted to editorial con¬ 
sideration respecting international information would dis¬ 
appear. Its arrangement, as far as my lights go, is perfect. 
An English translation by Rennie (edition scarce) would 
prove an infinite convenience to those thrown in contact 
with formulae which to us are foreign. Kindly observe this 
phrase—the word foreign has no actual, but a relative, 
meaning—and the word important follows the same rule. 
With these two Pharmacopoeias in our possession we may 
await the publication of the Pharmaconomical Society with 
Christian placidity and calmness. 
Joseph Ince. 
Phaemacists as Analysts. 
Sir, I think the best thanks of all pharmacists who wish 
to see the gulf that exists between our present status and 
that of a profession bridged over will be given to the depu¬ 
tation that lately waited upon Mr. Stansfeld respecting the 
appointment of analysts under the Adulteration Act, for 
their able advocacy of our claims to recognition. It is the 
first door that has been opened to us, and we ought not, if 
possible, to allow it to be closed against us with the sentence, 
“ Depart from me, for I know you not.” Is it possible that 
the present shyness of Government is the shadow of that 
Nemesis which Mr. Giles foretold would come upon us, if we 
broke faith with it on the Poisons Bill? I think it not im¬ 
probable that it is so; but be this as it may, it is evident from 
the tone of some of the observations" that some higher 
standard of attainments in general science is necessary to 
be taught at our school in Bloomsbury Square before the 
certificate of that Institution will place the holders of it in 
a first position as regards public appointments. I am not 
going to advocate any additional subjects to the Major as 
compulsory; but I do think, and I hope many others will be 
of the same opinion, that some other honorary title of a 
higher standard (but quite voluntary) should be attempted, 
in which microscopy, 3ome physiology and pathology, ento¬ 
mology, and natural science is included in the curriculum 
Is it not strange that the business from which has sprung 
so many of the greatest chemists should be ignored as not 
possessing any members competent to fill such an ofliee ? I 
believe it would be quite possible at the present time, to 
select a score of pharmacists from our body as competent or 
more so than out of the ranks of the medical profession for 
this special duty. 
I care but little for the immediate appointment of any of 
our body to the office, for it is at present doubtful whether it 
will be worth holding, but the recognition of our eligibility 
is all important. It would be a solid reason for a higher 
standard of scientific teaching. 
T. M. Rihmington. 
Bradford, December loth, 1872. 
The Woeking of the Phaemacy Act. 
Sir,—I think with your correspondent, Mr. Metcalfe, that 
the Pharmacy Act has fallen short of what it was intended 
to be. So far a3 protection goes, I think it is a perfect 
failure. For instance, take the small shops whose ignorant 
proprietors are called “ quack doctors.” What protection 
has the qualified chemist from them ? Simply next to none 
at all. They are not allowed to sell any of the poisons men¬ 
tioned in the schedule, but that does not prevent their selling 
soda carb., acid, tart., rad. gent., sarsaparilla, and such, 
articles which really constitute the country chemists’ busi¬ 
ness ; neither does it prevent their prescribing for any de¬ 
luded person who is foolish enough to go to them, and of 
the latter there are plenty. It does not prevent their opening 
shops and calling them “ Botanical Dispensaries,” and them¬ 
selves professors or members of some society which never ex¬ 
isted. Neither does it prevent the abominable insults which 
chemists and druggists are subjected to by quacks who hold 
forth in our country markets, and at the street corners in our 
country towns. It is against these ignorant men that pro¬ 
tection is needed, not only by chemists but by the public 
needs. 
As to the evasion mentioned by Mr. Metcalfe, I know 
of a similar case. This sad state of things might, I think, 
be very easily remedied. In place of allowing certain poisons 
only to be sold by registered men, I would restrict the sale 
of all the articles mentioned in the Pharmacopoeia to those 
men who have shown themselves to be fit and proper persons 
to be entrusted with the sale of such articles. By so doing, 
the grocers would be prevented, not only from selling cream 
of tartar, etc., but patents also. To my mind, it is a question 
whether a grocer or stationer who now sells a bottle of 
Collis Browne’s or Towle’s chlorodyne does not commit a 
breach of the Pharmacy Act, and render himself liable to 
prosecution. 
I hope the matter will receive thorough ventilation through, 
the columns of your Journal. 
J. N. M‘Neil.. 
Crewe, December 3rd, 1872. 
Sir,—Evasions of the Pharmacy Act are not at all unfre¬ 
quent, and I quite fail to understand how your correspon¬ 
dent (W. Metcalfe) has in his power the remedy for such 
cases as are within his own cognizance. I am strongly of 
opinion, and it is the opinion of chemists generally, that the 
sale of all medicines intended for internal use shall be in the 
hands of qualified persons only. 
Notwithstanding the fact that many patent medicines act 
as powerful narcotics, and in not very excessive doses as poi¬ 
sons, it is possible that through the present imperfect state of 
the law, any person may, by paying the licence fee, sell such 
articles indiscriminately. 
Though we enjoy the very doubtful monopoly of the sale of 
acid, hydrocy., morphia, belladonna, etc., yet by mixing these 
drugs, and calling the mixture by some arbitrary name, any 
grocer or small shopkeeper may purvey the “nostrum” ad 
libitum. Indeed, there is nothing to prevent the sale of 
morphia itself, pure and simple, providing only that it is. 
called by some mysterious name, and sent out as a :: atent.” 
As regards this (not unimportant) branch of the ousiness. 
raising the cost of the licence three or four fold might to 
some extent palliate the evil, but it can only be effectively 
suppressed by an amendment to the Pharmacy Act as sug¬ 
gested by Mr. Metcalfe. 
