860 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[October 28,1871* 
Sir,—In the Latin paper set for the candidates at the recent 
Preliminary Examination occurs this question, “ How is the 
noun-adjective of three articles declined P” One of the candi¬ 
dates, who had been reading with me before the examination 
and was quite unable to understand the question, was courte¬ 
ously furnished, by Mr. Haselden, with this explanation, 
quoted from Edwards’s Eton Latin Grammar (1858), “ Noun¬ 
adjectives of three articles are declined like nouns of the third 
declension,— e.g. nic and hasc tristis; hoc triste.” Now 
if this be what is meant by an adjective being “ of three 
articles,” I should like to ask what declension Hie bonus, 
H.EC bona, hoc bonum resembles. I might further quote 
Donaldson, Smith, Arnold, and Priscian to the effect that in 
Latin there are no articles, and equally high authorities as 
to the inappropriateness of the term “noun-acljective;” but 
I would hasten to draw your attention to the fact, that with 
respect to examinations the Pharmaceutical Society is un¬ 
doubtedly behind the age. Of course in the Arithmetic papers 
the Examiners could not go far wrong, but in the Latin and 
English questions there is great room for improvement. In 
the former subject, for example, following the text-books ot 
the last generation—the questions are either ridiculously easy 
or such as will be found unanswered throughout the volu¬ 
minous works of Arnold, Smith, Kennedy, etc. And in the 
English papers, the Definite and Indefinite Articles are per¬ 
tinaciously adhered to, while the modern improvements in 
the nomenclature of pronouns are regarded as dangerous in¬ 
novations. I do hope, Sir, that some attention will be given 
to this subject, so that in the future there may be more con- 
fidence in the examination-system, and less injustice towards 
the candidates. 
You must not think I have written these lines from any 
ill-will towards the examiners, for I am happy to say the 
only gentleman who read with me succeeded in passing, 
though he did not answer the question quoted. 
W. E. Snell, Lond. Univ. 
Provincial Education. 
Sir,—I should like to say a few words in reply to Mr. 
Mason’s letter in last week’s Journal. 
I do not know whether Mr. Mason is a practical man with 
regard to pharmaceutical education, but from his letter I 
should rather think that such is not the case. He does not 
seem to agree with Mr. Smith’s plan of making the Minor 
the main object of provincial associations, but rather seems 
to think that the great desire of apprentices is to “ cram.” 
Now I maintain that such is not the case. From what I 
know of provincial associations, I have found that the large 
majority consists of the apprentices, and the Preliminary 
being passed, what have they next to do but to study for the 
Minor, and such being the case, what becomes the principal 
object of associations but the Minor ? And as for cramming, 
I know from my own experience of apprentices that nine- 
tenths of them abhor cramming, and honestly desire to 
thoroughly master the required subjects. To say that appren¬ 
tices must cram, is to say that those who enter our ranks are 
beneath ordinary traders in mental abilities; and yet Mr. 
Mason, I have no doubt, would declare that the rising phar¬ 
macist is in every respect a superior man. So long as the 
Minor remains compulsory and the Major permissive, the 
candidates for the Minor will greatly exceed those of the 
Major; but to make the difference less, let every attention be 
paid to apprentices and their studies by provincial associa¬ 
tions, and the result will greatly exceed then’ expectations. 
October 24 tli, 1871. Spectator. 
Trade Latinitt. 
Sir,—The budding genius of Dr. Kitto was annoyed at the 
business announcements of his neighbourhood, “ Logins for 
singel men,” “ Rooms to leet, enquair withing,” and he pre¬ 
pared neat and accurate substitutes, which he sold at a very 
modest rate. If some person would perform a similar office 
for our trade Latinity, it might save us from many a glaring 
absurdity, and remove a stumbling-block from the way of 
those unfortunate apprentices whose “ Preliminary ” succeeds 
their indentures. A “ happy family ” is congruity compared 
with the confused numbers, genders and cases of trade lists 
and advertisements. In a short price-list of pharmaceutical 
preparations only, I have counted no less than two dozen errors 
in that portion which remains in type from month to month. 
How many others the friendly contractions hid I cannot 
conjecture. In an advertisement a short time since, often 
repeated, a youth fresh from school, with the Concords firmly 
impressed on his mind, would have had no difficulty in ren¬ 
dering the Latin* for creeping solution of wheat, though 
he might wonder whether the preparation was intended for 
the microscopic exhibition of animalcules analogous to “ eels 
in paste; ” but he would be utterly unable to construe “ liquor 
quinoe ammoniata.” 
It is, however, the misfortune of many persons to be obliged 
to use a language very foreign to them. But the insertion 
of a Latin motto on the title page of the price list of a che¬ 
mists’ association must be optional, and it would not be hy¬ 
percritical to demand correctness. In such asentencef I find 
gratuitous accents are so placed that an adjective is made to 
appear an adverb, and in two instances neuters plural of the 
second declension and accusative case are converted into 
ablatives singular of the first declension, governed by the pre¬ 
position per ! If these errors are all to be laid upon that 
scapegoat, the printer’s devil, surely some means of exorcism 
should be found. Professional men, and the educated part 
of the public, whose eyes may perchance fall upon such ex¬ 
amples of Latinity, will be apt lightly to estimate our claim 
to be considered an educated body. 
Henricus. 
J. Abbott. —Our correspondent appears to confound Nar- 
dostachys Jatamansi (the Spikenard of the ancients) with 
Sumbul. To the latter alone apply the remarks of doubt as 
to its botanical origin. By some it has been supposed to be 
the root of a Valerianaceous plant, probably of N. Jatamansi, 
but by others, and more recently, it has been attributed to an 
Umbelliferous plant. See Pharm. Journ. 3rd Ser. Vol. I. 
p. 807. 
JL. Sparshott. —Your letter and enclosure has been for¬ 
warded to the publisher. 
“ Give and Take.” —See Mr. Allchin’s paper on “The Preser¬ 
vation of Leeches,” PnARM. Journ. 1st Ser. Vol. XV. p.453. 
A. P. S. —We would recommend you to communicate with 
Mr. F. Baden Benger, the Hon. Secretary of the Manchester 
Chemists and Druggists’ Association. 
Dispensing Charges. — Mr. W. M. Betts, in reply to Mr. 
Leay’s comments on a former communication of his {ante, 
pp. 260, 300), says that it is an absurdity to call each item in 
a prescription a pennyworth, and that anything like a busi¬ 
ness establishment would ridicule the very thought. He asks 
whether the “pet of the period, the Intelligent British Ar¬ 
tisan,” would fill a bottle with pure water for nothing ? and 
expresses an opinion that if pharmacists stand behind the 
counter and serve the public for nothing, the public will esti¬ 
mate then’ worth at its proper value. 
“Inquirer.” —There is such an examination. For infor¬ 
mation respecting it you should apply at Apothecaries’ Hall. 
J. T. Chapman. —Your letter has been handed to the 
Secretary. 
C. Glaister. —The advertisement has been forwarded to 
the publishers. 
T. Cragg. —Candidates for the Preliminary Examination 
in London and the provinces must present themselves on one 
of the regularly appointed days, viz. the first Mondays in 
January, April, July and October. 
P. E. Fox. —A recipe for making green fire will be found 
in Vol. I. p. 357 of this series. 
A. Williams. —6x6 \_pollices=.~\ inches. 
“ Scribo.” —For information as to the preparation of Pan¬ 
creatine, you may consult the paper by Dr. Dobell on “The 
Special Action of the Pancreas on Fat and Starch,” read be¬ 
fore the Royal Society, and published in the ‘ Proceedings of 
the Royal Society,’ vol. xvi. p. 209. 
T. Hambridge. —The derivations are not positively known. 
T. Small. —Candidates who pass their examination in 
Edinburgh may compete for the prizes given in London at 
the end of the Session. 
* Liquor Tritici Repens” {sic). 
f “ Longum est iter per preecepta, brev& et efficax per 
exempla” {sic). Price list of the Midland Counties Che¬ 
mists’ Association, Revised. 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received from 
Mr. T. Cragg, Mr. G. C. Jones, Mr. Prowse, Mr. J. A. 
Wilson, Mr. J. Tully, Mr. J. T. Miller, Mr. B. Keene, Mr. 
J. J. Matthias, Mr. E. Nuttall, Mr. W. Watts, Mr. J. H. D. 
Jenkinson, A. B., C. E. D., “Chemist’s Assistant,” “'A Che¬ 
mist,” “Nil Admirari,” “Spectator.” 
