566 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
name, and being found in its place, all the information given respecting it will 
be found there. The object of a Pharmacopoeia being to define as clearly as 
possible all the articles to which it refers, to enable the prescriber of medicines 
to know their composition, and the dispenser to provide them in the conditions 
in which they are intended to be used, all these agents are thus brought into 
one category. The definition or other information given, may, in some cases, 
consist of natural historical facts, together with physical and chemical cha¬ 
racters and properties ; while in other cases there may be, in addition to these, 
a description of the methods by which the articles may be obtained in the exact 
state described ; yet the ultimate object in all cases is the same. In carrying 
this plan out, however, it may be desirable in some instances to insert the name 
of an article in more than one place, either for facilitating reference or for the 
purpose of classification. The mere adoption of the alphabetical arrangement 
would bring all preparations of a sort together, just as they are now brought in 
the part of the work containing the Preparations ; but, besides this classifica¬ 
tion of preparations under the respective heads of Aquae, Cataplasmata, Con- 
fectiones, Decocta, Emplastra, etc., which is convenient for the use of pharma¬ 
ceutists, there is another, perhaps more important to the medical man, which is 
to have appended to the account of every medicinal agent a list, alphabetically 
arranged, of all the preparations, or different forms for administration, contain¬ 
ing it. Thus, taking the first article in the Materia Medica, Gum Acacia, the de¬ 
scription of this would be followed by a list of preparations containing it, and 
this might, with advantage, indicate the proportions in which it is present in each 
preparation. In this way, under Gum Acacia we would have 
Preparations containing Gum Acacia. 
Mistura Cretse.1 part in 34 
Mistura Guaiaci.1 part in 85 
Mucilago Acacise.1 part in 24 
Pulvis Amygdalae compositus ... 1 part in 13 
Pul vis Tragacanthae compositus . . 1 part in 6 
Etc. etc. 
The only fact stated here with reference to any of the preparations in the list, 
would be the proportion in which the medicine, in connection with which the 
list is given, is contained in such preparations. In other respects, and also 
in this respect in another form, all the required information would be found 
where each preparation is described under its proper Latin name, in its alpha¬ 
betical place. Thus, Mistura Cretse would be found among the Misturae, and 
Mucilago Acacise among the Mucilages. This plan differs from that adopted by 
Mr, Squire in his 4 Companion to the Pharmacopoeiahis arrangement being 
such as is often used in, and is found suitable for, works on Materia Medica, 
while this appears to be better adapted for a Pharmacopoeia. 
2. Language and Nomenclature. —Although some persons were at first dis¬ 
posed to doubt the expediency of publishing the Pharmacopoeia in English in¬ 
stead of Latin, there appears now to be but one general feeling of approval 
with reference to this change. The work is written and retained in the lan¬ 
guage best known to its authors and to those for whose use it is intended. Under 
such circumstances there can be no excuse for any want of accuracy, fulness, 
and precision, in the descriptions given. 
With regard to the nomenclature best adapted for a Pharmacopoeia, there 
will no doubt be some differences of opinion. It appears to me desirable, as far 
as possible, to avoid the use of chemical names or symbols that are liable from 
time to time to be altered as new views in chemical science prevail. Frequent 
change in the names applied to medicines is in itself an evil. The most impor¬ 
tant objects to be attained are, that the names shall be familiar, concise, and ex- 
