^fi'm™'}       United  States  Pharmacopoeia.  269 
measures  was  abolished,  and  instead,  by  way  of  a  compromise,  the 
formulas  were  given  in  parts  by  weight,  with  the  notable  exception 
of  those  where  definite  quantities  were  called  for,  and  here  the 
metric  weights  were  given  with,  and  as  an  alternative  for,  troy  or 
apothecaries'  weights.  This  book  then  marked  the  definite  intro- 
duction of  the  metric  system  of  weights  and  measures  into  the  prac- 
tice of  pharmacy  in  the  United  States.  Altogether  it  was  a  credit- 
able and  highly  scientific  production,  and  one  that  will  prove  to  be 
a  landmark  in  the  advance  of  pharmacy. 
The  unfortunate  feature  of  this  edition  was  the  price  at  which 
the  book  was  to  be  sold.  That  this  was  a  mistake,  and  one  that 
was  recognized  and  not  sanctioned  by  a  large  number  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Revision  Committee,  is  evidenced  by  the  tone  of  an  edi- 
torial in  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  (1882,  p.  636).  In  this 
editorial  the  writer  called  attention  to  the  high-handed  action  of 
the  sub-committee  on  publication,  and  disclaimed  any  sympathy 
with  the  impending  contract  for  publishing  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
The  direct  result  of  this  peculiar  action,  of  course,  was  that  the 
book  was  not  popular  with  the  great  majority  of  pharmacists.  It 
found  its  way  into  the  shops  of  but  a  comparatively  few  of  the  more 
advanced  and  more  progressive  members  of  the  profession.  Prob- 
ably the  most  interesting  feature  in  this  connection  is  the  fact  that 
the  individuals  and  interests  against  whom  the  blow  was  directed 
really  benefited  very  materially  by  the  change.  This  is,  however,  a 
subject  that  is  hardly  in  keeping  with  the  intentions  of  this  particu- 
lar paper;  suffice  it  to  say,  therefore,  that  as  a  working  manual  the 
Pharmacopceia  was  largely  displaced  by  one  or  the  other  of  the 
various  commentaries  or  works  of  that  kind. 
The  1890  edition,  while  following  the  lines  that  had  been  mapped 
out  by  the  previous  Revision  Committee,  included  some  radical 
changes.  Among  these  was  the  abolition  of  the  parts  by  weight, 
and  the  complete  adoption  of  the  metric  system  of  weights  and 
measures.  In  addition  to  this,  many  of  the  obsolete  or  useless 
drugs  and  preparations  were  discarded,  and  a  higher  standard  of 
purity  was  required  for  those  retained.  These  requirements,  in 
many  cases,  have  been  considered  too  high,  and  it  is  true  that  in 
some  instances  a  theoretical  degree  of  purity  was  demanded  that 
was  difficult  if  not  impracticable  to  obtain  in  practice. 
This  last  edition  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  while  not  as  popular  as  it 
