-Atn.  Jour.  Pliann.  ) 
Oct.,  1881.  j 
Ph  armacojjwial  Pi  epai -ations. 
499 
THE  EQUALIZATION  of  the  STRENGTH  of  OFFICIAL 
PHARMACEUTICAL  PREPARATIONS  CONTAINING 
POTEN  T  DRUGS. 
By  Peter  Squire. 
Head  before  the  Fifth  International  Pharmaceutical  Congress. 
The  dangerous  differences  which  existed  between  the  three  Pharma- 
copoeias of  London,  Edinbargh  and  Dublin  paved  the  way  for  the 
British  Pharmacopoeia,  and  the  advantages  which  have  resulted  from 
the  change  have  fully  justified  the  idea  of  superseding  the  former  con- 
ditions of  local  self-government  in  medicine  by  one  uniform  guide 
and  standard  applicable  to  the  whole  Britisli  Empire.  A  similar  expe- 
rience has  been  gained  by  the  substitution  of  the  ''Pharmacopoea  Ger- 
manica^^  in  place  of  the  Pharmacopceias  previously  used  for  several 
States  of  the  German  Confederation.  So,  likewise,  in  Switzerland 
and  the  United  States,  respectively,  there  is  but  one  national  Pharma- 
copoeia. And  for  some  years  past  the  idea  has  been  gaining  strength 
that  it  is  becoming  desirable  to  extend  this  principle  to  tlie  Pharmaco- 
poeias of  various  countries,  at  least  so  far  as  to  attain  international 
uniformity  in  the  strength  and  composition  of  certain  medicines. 
Among  the  reasons  that  may  be  adduced  in  favor  of  such  a  pro- 
ceeding, it  may  be  mentioned  that  many  persons  now  travel,  not  only 
for  business  or  pleasure,  but  also  for  health.  Now,  from  a  glance  at 
the  accompanying  tables  (see  pp.  503  to  505),  furnishing  a  comparison 
of  the  strength,  etc.,  of  certain  preparations  universally  used,  and  com- 
mon to  most,  if  not  all  PharmacoprxMas,  it  will  be  evident  that  medi- 
<3ine  dispensed  according  to  a  prescription  ordering  any  one  of  those 
preparations  would  possibly  vary  very  much  in  character  according  to 
the  country  in  which  it  was  obtained  by  the  2)atient.  The  present 
may  be  regarded  as  a  favorable  time  for  the  consideration  of  this  sub- 
ject, since  new  editions  of  some  of  the  Pharmacopoeias  are  being  pre- 
pared. For  some  years  past,  moreover,  there  has  been  a  strong  desire 
for  uniformity.  In  addition  to  differences  in  strength,  which  are 
greatest  of  all  in  tincture  of  cantharides,  the  formulae  often  vary  by 
ordering  different  materials  to  be  used,  as  in  the  case  of  tincture  of 
aconite,  for  which  either  the  root,  the  dried  herb  or  leaves,  and  in 
some  instances  the  fresh  herb  are  ordered.  The  same  remark  applies 
to  tincture  of  belladonna.  It  is  to  be  noticed  that  in  the  preparations 
of  opium  the  Pharmacopoeias  of  France  and  of  Belgium  have  in  sev- 
eral editions  ordered  tlie  extract  of  opium  to  be  used  in  making  the 
tincture.  They  have  also  substituted  extract  of  opium  for  powdered 
opium  in  the  very  old  formula  for  Dover's  powder,  thus  making  it  of 
double  strength,  as  in  the  ])resent  "  Pharmacopee  Fran9aise.''  A  com- 
parison of  the  formula  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  Gallica  of  1818  with  that 
in  the  Universal  Piiarmacopoeia,  published  by  Swediaur  in  1803,  will 
show  how  this  has  occurred.  The  last-named  work  was  the  source 
from  which  the  formula  was  stated  to  have  been  taken  for  the  Phar- 
macopoeia Gallica,  although  extract  of  opium  is  ordered  in  place  of 
the  opium  powder  of  the  original. 
