<££>itoriai Department 
Prescriptions in English. — The following communication from a New 
York correspondent, advocating the use of the vernacular in prescription 
writing, we publish for the benefit of our readers, many of whom agree with 
the author. 
Mr. Editor-) — Notwithstanding your phillipic against plain English names 
being used in writing prescriptions, I am of the opinion that such a law is 
the only remedy for numerous errors. The law, however, should not forbid 
the use of the scientific, or any -other name, whether it be in the Greek, 
Latin, or any other language; but should require that the English name be 
used in addition to such other name. It should also require that the direc- 
tions should be in plain English, or the native tongue of the patient. Then 
all would be plain and above board, with that honorable frankness which 
always characterizes good sense and real knowledge. This should apply 
equally to the quantities directed in the prescription, which snould be put 
down in plain ordinary figures, or English words, thus: u 1 ounce," "3 
drachms," "equal parts," " 15 drops," &c. 
What is the object of this concealment practised by physicians — or rather, 
what is its utility ? The object generally is to conceal from the patient and 
his friends, the medicine administered. But for what purpose? Evidently 
either to prevent their interference, to keep them ignorant, or to defend the 
craft of the physician. All these objects appear to me to be mischievous. 
In the first place, the patient has a full right to judge in his own case. He 
would be instructed if concealment were not used ; and to promote the craft 
of the profession by secrecy, or a flourish of learned terms, appears to me 
quite exceptionable, and unworthy of the age in which we live. 
In every instance, which has recently occurred, of death to the patient, 
the catastrophe would have been avoided, had the plain names been used. 
Shall life be trifled with in this manner, and death dealt out in the dark, 
when a little more frankness and homely plainness in the prescription would 
prevent it? It may be said that the apothecary should be more careful, or 
better qualified for his duties. This is very true, and the remark will equally 
apply to the physician. The life of the patient is in his hands, and careless- 
ness or vanity is, in this case, a crime. Let the law guard against the fatal 
consequences, as well as may be. 
I hope to see a law passed to this effect, in our State as well as yours, and 
also requiring that every bottle, box and parcel, of quack medicines, or medi- 
cines put up for sale in that style, shall contain a list of the articles used in 
its composition, and their proportions. Such a law would effectually obviate 
a mischievous concealment, which is now practised, and would inform the 
purchaser what he was about to administer to himself or his friend. 
Yours, &c, Oliver Hull, 
New York. 
We do not agree with Mr. Hull in his view of the necessity of writing 
prescriptions entirely in English ; nor do we believe he has attributed the 
custom of employing Latin terms to the true motive in by far the greater 
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