'^'^^'ocT'^iSi^""'}     International  Pharmaceutical  Co7igress.  521 
mission,  during  the  periods  between  tlie  pul)lication  of  the  successive 
editions,  to  investigate  such  new  drugs  as  make  their  appearance  in  the 
drug  market,  in  order  to  determine  the  characteristics  of  their  genuine- 
ness, and,  at  the  same  time,  to  submit  the  formuhe  given  in  tlae  pharma- 
coposia  to  a  continuous  examination. 
Tlie  resuhs  of  tliis  work  sliould  be  brought  to  tlie  knowledge  of  those 
interested  in  an  appropriate  manner,  by  official  publication. 
The  following  communication  from  J.  M.  Maisch,  Philadelphia,  was 
read: 
I  shall  be  very  much  mistaken  if  the  Congress  do  not  demand  ,  as  a  right, 
a,  larger  representation  of  pharmacists  in  the  periodical  revisions  of  the 
pharmacopceias ;  in  this  respect,  it  seems  to  me  that  there  can  be  but 
unanimity  of  views.  In  tliis  connection,  however,  I  tliink  it  would  be 
well  to  agree  also  upon  tlie  periodicity  of  revision.  While  this  in  Europe 
is  usually  left  to  various  circumstances,  we  have  in  the  United  States,  since 
1820,  a  decennial  revision.  As  weighty  an  authority  as  Dr.  Squibb  has 
advocated  a  new  revision  every  five  years,  a,  period  which,  urgent  cases 
•excepted,  seems  to  me  to  be  entirely  too  sliort;  while  I  approve  of  official 
moditications  and  additions,  like  tlie  Addenda  to  the  British  Pharma- 
copoeia, at  any  and  all  times. 
The  discussion  which  followed  was  very  interesting  in  explaining  the 
manner  in  which  the  revision  of  the  pharmacopoeia  has  been  accomp- 
lished in  the  different  countries,  and  which  may  be  summarized  as  follows : 
Germany. — The  Revision  Committee  is  called  together  when  necessary  ; 
the  desire  is  to  have  a  permanent  committee,  in  which  pharmacists  and 
chemists  should  be  equally  represented  with  medical  men. 
Great  Britain  — The  preparation  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  in  the  hands  of 
medical  men,  aided  hy  intelligent  pharmacists,  who  have  no  vote. 
France. — The  committee  is  composed  of  professors  of  the  school  of  med- 
icine and  the  school  of  pharmacy  and  the  members  of  the  Society  of  Phar- 
macy. The  work  is  done  by  the  latter.  Pharmaceutical  members  have 
only  a  consultative  voice;  but  the  committee  never  forbids  jDharmacists  to 
vote  or  to  bring  forward  motions. 
United  States. — The  committee  consists  of  physicians  and  pharmacists, 
the  latter  being  in  the  majoritj^  and  the  former  being  ready  and  willing 
to  accord  to  the  pharmacists  the  right  to  decide  all  questions  of  a  purely 
pharmaceutical  character. 
Belgium. — The  committee  consists  of  three  pharmacists  and  two  medical 
men . 
Hussia. — The  council  is  composed  of  16  medical  men  and  two  pharm- 
acists; the  latter  prepare  the  pharmacopoeia  and  submit  it  to  the  medical 
council,  whose  approval  is  only  a  formalit3^ 
Italy. — The  commission  at  first  appointed  consisted  of  physicians,  but 
upon  the  representation  of  the  Italian  pharmacists  the  government 
appointed  an  equal  number  of  pharmacists. 
Holland.— ThQ  commission  in  18()4  consisted  of  two  professors  of  botany 
and  i:)harmacology,  one  professor  of  chemistry  and  four  ])harmacists.  At 
the  request  of  the  i^harmacists,  a  jihysician  was  also  appointed  to  advise 
what  remedies  ought  to  be  introduced  into  the  pliarmacopo^ia. 
Austria. — The  commission,  which  is  not  a  permanent  one,  consisted  of 
six  chemists,  the  other  members  having  been  professors  of  botany  and  of 
chemistry. 
