2 
THE MEDICAL CODNCIL AND THE PHARMACOPCEIA. 
in this decision by a memorial which had been addressed to them by the Chemi¬ 
cal Society, as follows:— 
“ To the President of the General Council of Medical Education and Registration. 
' “Burlington House, 19th March, 18GG, 
“ Sir,—The President and Council of the Chemical Society venture to call the atten¬ 
tion of the Medical Council to the system of chemical notation adopted in the British 
Pharmacopoeia; and, as they are informed that a new edition of that Pharmacopoeia is 
in course of preparation, they entertain a hope that it may not be an inopportune 
moment to urge upon the Medical Council the desirableness of considering whether, in 
the forthcoming edition of the work, the use of chemical symbols could not be advan¬ 
tageously dispensed with altogether. In the few cases which may seem specially to call 
for the use of such formulse, a percentage representation of the composition of the body 
would, it appears, supply all the necessary data. 
“ The grounds on which the President and Council of the Chemical Society have been 
induced to suggest this course are these:— 
“ The system of notation at present adopted in the British Pharmacopceia is con¬ 
structed in conformity with views which are rapidly disappearing from chemical teach¬ 
ing in this country. 
“The Pharmacopoeia is necessarily the text-book on which the examinations of 
Students of Medicine and Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Chemistry are based. It ap¬ 
pears, therefore, extremely desirable that no work shall be put forth on official autho¬ 
rity, such as that of the Medical Council, which shall be at variance with the views 
propounded by many of the most active experimental leaders and principal teachers of 
chemical science ; or which shall oblige the teacher to adopt a double numerical system 
in his exposition of the facts of chemical science to his pupils,—a course which is always 
a source of embarrassment both to professor and learner. 
“ It is obvious that the adoption of a plan such as the one now suggested does not 
necessitate any expression of opinion on the part of the Medical Council upon a subject 
which is still under discussion. At the same time, it will relieve the Council from the 
inconvenience of appearing pledged to the maintenance of doctrines which are no longer 
believed to be correct by many of the most competent to form an opinion on the subject. 
“ The President and Council of the Chemical Society trust that the importance of the 
subject will sufficiently explain their anxiety to bring this matter under the considera¬ 
tion of the Medical Council. 
“ Wm. Allen Miller, President of the Chemical Society. 
“ To Dr. Bu7'roivs.” 
• Dr. Apjohn strongly advocated the use of symbols, and although favourable 
to the old system of notation he suggested, as a sort of compromise, that for¬ 
mulse should be inserted representing the composition of bodies by the old, and 
also by the new method. This was opposed by all the other members of the 
Committee, but after some discussion the Council passed a resolution “That it 
be an instruction to the Pharmacopoeia Committee to give for each therapeutic 
compound, of definite constitution, occurring in the forthcoming edition of the 
Pharmacopoeia, two formulae—the first being that in ordinary use at present, 
the second being one constructed in accordance with the more recent views of 
W'hat is called the ‘unitary system.’” 
Another subject relating to the Pharmacopoeia was introduced by a commu¬ 
nication from the Metric Committee of the British Association for the Advance¬ 
ment of Science, as follows:— 
“ T'o the Genercd Council of Medical Education and Registration. 
“ 10, Farrar’s Buildings, Temple, May, 18GG. 
“Gentlemen,—We are desired by the Metric Committee of the British Association 
for the Advancement of Science to seek your aid in promoting the practical adoption of 
the Metric Weights and Measures Act, passed in 1864, being the 27 & 28 Viet. c. 117, 
An Act to render permissive the use of Metric Weights and Measures in the Unittd 
