518 
International  Pharmaceutical  Congress. 
{ 
Am.  Jour.  Pharaa' . 
Oct.,  1881. 
itself  with  an  International  Pliamiaco2iceia  of  powerful  drugs,  but  it  was 
quite  possible  also  to  undertake  the  construction  of  a  Universal  Pharma- 
copoeia;  materials  for  it  existed,  it  was  highly  desirable  and  it  was  quite- 
possible  to  accomplish  it. 
Mr.  Marteuson  desired  to  add,  by  way  of  explanation,  that  the  manu- 
script which  had  been  burnt  was  the  one  prepared  at  St.  Petersburg. 
Mr.  Gille,  Brussels,  remarked  that  there  was,  at  the  present  moment,  a 
congress  on  medical  science  just  commencing  its  sittings  in  London,  and 
one  of  its  meetings  would  be  devoted  to  the  subject  of  an  International 
Pharmacopoeia.  He  proposed  that  an  oflflcial  letter  to  the  medical  body  be 
written,  stating  that  the  meml)ers  were  engaged  on  this  question  and 
would  be  hajipy  to  assist  at  the  meeting  and  give  the  benefit  of  their  prac- 
tical experience  on  the  question.  The  Congress  might  also  express  its 
thanks  for  the  sympathy  w^hich  had  been  shown  to  pharmacists  by  medi- 
cal men. 
Mr.  Sinimberghi,  Rome,  agreed  with  this  proposal.  He  had  been- 
apx^inted  as  a  representative  to  that  assembly  by  the  Minister  of  Public 
Instruction,  he  being  of  opinion  that  this  assembly  would  form  part  of  the 
Medical  Congress  and  that  pharmacy  would  be,  as  in  other  places,  a  part 
of  the  Medical  Congress.  With  regard  to  the  pharmacopoeia,  he  said  the 
Italians,  unfortunately,  came  into  the  concert  of  civilized  nations  very 
late  and,  therefore,  they  had  not  as  yet  a  national  pharmacopoeia  of  their 
own,  but  the  preparation  of  one  had  been  entrusted  to  his  friend  Signor 
Csesaris  and  himself,  on  which  they  were  at  present  engaged.  He  hoped 
these  resolutions  would  be  carried  out,  because  it  would  assist  them  very 
considerably  in  the  formation  of  the  National  Pharmacopoeia  if  an  Interna- 
tional one  could  be  agreed  uj^on,  and  they  w^ould  be  also  able  to  advise 
their  government  to  adopt  it. 
Mr.  Greenish  explained  the  action  taken  by  the  Congresses  at  Vienna 
and  St.  Petersburg  relating  to  an  International  Pharmacopoeia,  and  that  it 
was  not  Dr.  Mehu's  manuscript,  but  a  new  pharmacopoeia,  drawn  up  from 
the  corrected  proofs  which  were  sent  to  the  committee  at  St.  Petersburg  by 
the  different  members  of  the  Congress,  which  had  unfortunately  been 
burnt. 
Mr.  Brunnengraber,  Rostock,  said  he  thought  all  present  were  agreed  to 
su^iport  the  proposition  of  Mr.  Madsen.  The  MS.  which  Mr.  Mehu  had 
in  his  hand  he  thought  could  only  be  used  as  useful  material  for  the  work. 
With  regard  to  an  International  Pharmacopoeia,  nothing  tangible  Avas 
produced,  because  the  work  ^vas  not  conducted  according  to  the  directions- 
given.  It  would  be  impossible  to  construct  an  International  Pharmaco- 
poeia in  the  manner  discussed  in  the  various  Congresses,  and  he  thought 
to  really  produce  a  satisfactory  result  tliey  must  be  content  to  begin  in  a 
small  way ;  he  would,  therefore,  propose  the  addition  to  Mr.  Madsen's 
motion  of  these  words,  "  and  recommends  that  a  committse  be  appointed 
to  do  the  necessary  work  and  that  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Great 
Britain  be  asked  to  undertake  to  carry  it  out." 
Mr.  Hamjjson,  London,  regarded  the  preparation  of  an  International 
Pharmacopoeia  something  like  the  making  of  a  universal  language  ;  it  waa 
