574 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
that the best arrangement was that in which the descriptions of all the prepara¬ 
tions of an article were given in connection with the article itself. This was 
the arrangement in the ‘ Companion to the Pharmacopoeia,’ and it was at least 
convenient to prescribers of medicines. He did not think, however, with re¬ 
ference to many of the preparations ordered in the Pharmacopoeia, that it was 
necessary or desirable to describe the processes for their production. There 
were a great many chemical products that were made only on the large scale by 
chemical manufacturers, and it was useless to attempt the description of the pro¬ 
cesses for such products in the Pharmacopoeia. The best processes in such cases 
were kept secret, and the authors of Pharmacopoeias could obtain but an imper¬ 
fect acquaintance with them, which was of little or no use. Whatever processes 
for such products were given in the Pharmacopoeia, did not affect the manufac¬ 
ture, for the manufacturer would pursue his own method in spite of what was 
thus recommended. With reference to the question of chemical symbols, he 
thought their omission would not be an advantage. It was asked, could we not 
substitute for the symbols, which are subject to change, proportions by weight, 
which would represent composition ? He thought, however, that figures repre¬ 
senting the analyses would give a very imperfect idea of composition. On the 
subject of weights and measures, his opinion differed so entirely from that of the 
author of the paper, that he would pass it over without further comment. Then 
came the subject of the introduction of new substances into the Pharmacopoeia, 
which he thought involved considerable difficulty. It was no doubt desirable to 
include in the Pharmacopoeia most established medicines, but unfortunately the 
pharmaceutists of the present day were, like the Athenians of old, always seeking 
for something new, and would it be possible to recognize all the new prepara¬ 
tions that were brought out ? Among the new forms of medicine alluded to, 
Hr. Redwood had particularly mentioned Plasma as a substitute for greasy oint¬ 
ments, but there were some points to be considered in connection with this sub¬ 
ject, to which no allusion had been made. It must be recollected that Plasma 
would not mix with an ordinary ointment; and therefore, if a medical man 
wished to prescribe a medicine which was kept in the form of Plasma, and an¬ 
other that was kept in the form of ointment, the two could not be united. He 
believed also that glycerine in a concentrated state was rather irritating to the 
skin. 
Hr. Waring said the subject under discussion was one in which he was greatly 
interested, for, as some present might perhaps be aware, he was one of those 
engaged in the preparation of a Pharmacopoeia for India, and therefore neces¬ 
sarily had his attention directed to some of the points alluded to by Professor 
Redwood. He was not prepared, however, to enter fully into the discussion on 
that occasion, but hoped another opportunity might occur for doing so. With 
reference to the question of arrangement of matter, the opinion he had formed 
was, that it was desirable, in connection with each article of the Materia Medica, 
to have all the preparations of it described. He thought there had hitherto 
been a deficiency of information in our English Pharmacopoeias. 
Hr. T. Thomson, like his friend Hr. Waring, was much interested in this 
subject, which was one of very great importance, not only to the physician, but 
to all those interested in the administration of medicine. He also hoped the 
subject might be brought forward on a future occasion, when he might be better 
prepared to discuss it. He might remark, however, with reference to the sub¬ 
ject of chemical symbols, that he did not see the difficulty alluded to by Hr. 
Redwood in their use in the Pharmacopoeia. 
Mr. Daniel PIanbury said he felt that it would be impossible to do justice 
to the subject before the meeting in the short time they had left for discussion, 
yet he was anxious to offer a few observations upon it. He considered the 
shortcomings of the ‘ British Pharmacopoeia ’ to be so many, that it was satis- 
