Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
March,  1904. 
A  Symposium. 
141 
This  would  lead  to  the  following  definitions: 
I.  Pharmacology:  (i)  Wider  sense  (also  General  Pharmacology): 
All  that  scientific  knowledge  pertaining  to  drugs.  This  term  should 
be  preferred  to  its  synonym,  materia  medica,  if  the  emphasis  is  put 
on  the  action  of  drugs. 
(2)  Restricted  sense  (al>o  Physiologic  Pharmacology),  or  Pharma- 
codynamics) :  All  scientific  knowledge  pertaining  to  the  reactions 
between  drugs  and  living  structures.  (The  science  so  defined  will 
utilize  materia  medica  and  therapeutics,  as  it  does  physiology, 
physics  and  chemistry;  but  does  not  include  them.) 
II.  Pharmacodynamics:  A  little-used  synonym  of  physiologic 
pharmacology. 
III.  Materia  Medica:  (i)  Wider  sense:  Synonymous  with  gen- 
eral pharmacology;  being  preferred  when  the  emphasis  is  on  the 
physical  and  chemical  characters  of  the  drugs. 
(2)  Restricted  sense :  All  scientific  knozvledge  pertaining  to  the 
physical  and  chemical  characters  of  drugs y  their  source,  preparation  and 
dosage. 
This  includes  their  designation,  source,  habitat,  collection,  etc. ; 
gross  and  microscopic  structure  ;  chemical  constitution  and  charac- 
ters ;  physical  properties  (appearance,  odor,  taste,  solubility,  specific 
gravity,  etc.)  ;  and  dosage. 
The  subject  may  be  sub-divided  into  the  materia  medica  of  crude 
organic  drugs  ;  of  organic  and  inorganic  principles;  and  of  pharma- 
ceutic products. 
Organic  Materia  Medica  (also  Pharmacognosy)  treats  of  the  materia 
medica  of  crude  organic  drugs.  It  is  often  convenient  to  sub- 
divide it  into  their  gross  anatomy,  histology  and  chemic  properties. 
IV.  Pharmacographia  :  A  practically  obsolete  synonym  of  Materia 
Medica. 
V.  Pharmacognosy:  (i)  In  the  wider  sense,  an  objectionable 
synonym  of  General  Materia  Medica. 
(2)  Restricted  sense :  Synonymous  with  Organic  Materia  Medica. 
(3)  Often  further  restricted  to  the  science  of  identifying  drugs. 
VI.  Pharmacy  :  The  science  and  art  of  preparing  drugs  for  medici- 
nal use. 
VII.  Therapeutics  :  The  application  of  drugs  and  other  remedial 
agents  (such  as  electricity,  etc.)  to  the  treatment  of  disease. 
Very  sincerely  yours,        Torald  Sollmann. 
Cleveland,  O.,  January  20,  1904. 
