AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION.  427 
is  quite  possible  that  both  Mr,  Parrish  and  myself  might  judge  when  the 
proper  point  was  reached  ;  but  it  is  our  duty  as  examplers  to  say  that  we 
must  not  rely  upon  our  own  judgment  and  teach  others  so,  but  go  strictly 
according  to  the  text. 
Dr.  Pile. — Suppose  we  say  that  we  will  each  accept  your  paper  accord- 
ing to  his  own  opinion,  and  are  very  much  obliged  for  it. 
Dr.  Squibb. — -Then  I  have  done  more  harm  than  good.  If  I  am  to  dis- 
place better  authority  in  giving  this  information,  then  Mr,  Taylor  would 
say,  "you  had  better  have  kept  that  for  the  committee  ;  it  will  open  the 
door  for  others."  I  maintain  that  we  are  all  fallible.  I  am  sorry  to  have 
diminished  respect  for  what  should  be  the  authority  for  all  druggists. 
Mr.  Close. — I  think  we  want  more  individual  judgment.  If  Dr.  Squibb 
can  produce  better  preparations  at  less  expense,  he  should  be  at  liberty 
to  do  so. 
Prof.  Procter. — I  am  not  quite  so  strict  as  Dr.  Squibb.  If  a  man  can 
make  fluid  extracts  by  using  one  pint  of  alcohol  where  the  Pharmacopoeia 
directs  two  pints,  I  think  he  has  a  right  to  do  so,  provided  the  result  is 
the  same  as  that  of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  I  am  convinced  that  the  quan- 
tity of  menstruum  is  not  to  be  followed  in  all  cases,  and  was  adopted 
mainly  that  inexperienced  Pharmaceutists  might  have  a  safe  guide. 
Dr.  Squibb. — Here  comes  in  another  argument.  "We  employ  assistants  ; 
suppose  we  trust  our  improvements  to  them,  who  are  not  skilled — have 
not  the  judgment.  How  can  we  be  certain  of  the  results  if  they  be 
authorized  to  depart  from  the  officinal  standard  ? 
Mr.  Maisch  thought  Dr.  Squibb  had  changed  his  mind  within  a  few 
years,  referring  to  the  present  officinal  formula  for  compound  extract  of 
Colocynth,  which  was  suggested  and  used  by  Dr.  Squibb  long  before  the 
Pharmacopoeia  of  1860  was  issued,  and  which  he  approved  of.  In  perco- 
lation, when  working  on  a  large  scale,  he  (Mr.  Maisch)  had  found  it  neces- 
sary to  obtain  on  an  average  a  gallon  of  tincture  from  a  pound  of  a  pow- 
dered drug,  or  three  times  the  quantity  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  to  insure 
exhaustion. 
Dr.  Squibb  explained  why  he  had  made  the  innovation  in  reference  to 
the  use  of  Scammony  resin  at  a  time  when  good  Scammony  was  difficult 
to  procure,  and  that  the  proportion  was  based  on  the  best  authorities 
connected  with  the  revision  of  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Prof.  Parrish  thought  tfyis  a  clear  case  of  "  higher  law."  Dr.  Squibb  is 
obliged  to  take  some  law,  and  takes  the  highest;  he  (Mr.  Parrish)  was 
not  disposed  to  decry  higher  law. 
Mr.  Taylor. — I  should  be  sorry  to  see  any  deviation  from  the  Pharma- 
copoeia. We  should  bring  forward  our  improvements,  discuss  them, 
bring  them  to  the  notice  of  the  Committee,  and  in  this  way  have  the  de- 
sired corrections  made,  but  meanwhile  adhere  to  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Prof.  Procter. — Let  us  go  to  work  with  Dr.  Squibb's  article  for  a  text, 
and  carry  out  the  idea.  When  we  have  a  volume  of  testimony  sufficiently 
large,  let  us  make  the  change. 
