ON THE CHOICE OF FORMULAE. 
121 
others, and which are incorporated into the best Pharmaco- 
poeias. 
A. The London Pharmacopoeia, that of the United States, 
(Boston 1826,) the American Formulary of Dr. Benjamin 
Ellis, (Philadelphia 1826,) direct a scruple of tartar emetic, 
four ounces of water, and six ounces of Spanish wine. As 
the medicinal weights are the same in the United States as in 
England, and as the drachm of the same value as ours, is only- 
divided into sixty grains, it results that the scruple here 
prescribed is divided into twenty grains, and that each ounce 
of the wine contains exactly two Troy grains of tartar emetic- 
This salt makes the two hundred and fortieth part of it. 
B. The Edinburgh, the Belgian, (Hague, 1823,) the 
Finland (Abo, 1819,) Pharmacopoeias, those of Hanover 
(1823,) of Oldembourg, in Westphalia, (1801,) of Prussia, 
(Berlin, 1813,) prescribe twenty-four grains of tartar emetic 
to the pound of Spanish wine. Now, in all these countries 
the medicinal pound is of twelve ounces, and the grains have 
the same value as the English; this wine, then, still contains 
two grains of tartar emetic to the ounce, (of sixty to the 
drachm and of 480 to the ounce,) or the two hundred and 
fortieth part of its weight. 
C. The Military Pharmacopoeia of Prussia, (Koenisberg, 
1823,) the Swedish Pharmacopoeia (Stockholm, 1819,) direct 
two grains of tartar emetic to the ounce of wine. But as the 
grains are also sixty to the drachm, the strength of the 
wine is the same as in the preceding. 
We understand, then, that these three formulae (a scruple 
to ten ounces, twenty-four grains to the pound, two grains to 
the ounce,) apparently very difterent, are nevertheless one 
and the same; and as this is the one most generally used, it 
is desirable that it be admitted into the new Codex in the 
following form: — 
Tartrate of potassa and antimony ^i or one part. 
M Malaga wine §x or 240 parts. 
Dissolve and filter.* 
* The United States Pharmacopoeia, (1831,) has adopted this for- 
mula; its advantages may be learned from the U. States Dispensatory. 
VOL. III. NO. II. 16 
