142 
A  Symposium. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharrru 
t      March,  1904. 
Dear  Professor  Kraemer : 
I  agree  with  you  thoroughly  that  there  is  a  decided  haziness  sur- 
rounding the  term  "  pharmacology,"  although  perhaps  not  as  much 
around,  the  other  two  words  mentioned.  I  will  not  refer  to  any 
dictionary,  but  give  you  my  definition  or  conception  of  the  three 
terms : 
Pharmacology  is  the  science  which  treats  of  the  physiological 
effects  of  drugs  upon  the  several  parts  of  the  living  organism. 
Materia  Medica  is  that  branch  of  medicine  which  describes  drugs,, 
their  therapeutic  effects  and  doses. 
Pharmacognosy  is  the  science  which  treats  of  the  history,  deriva- 
tion, physical  properties,  adulterations  and  chemical  constituents  of 
drugs,  and  methods  of  recognizing  the  same. 
Therapeutics  is  the  art  of  applying  drugs  in  disease. 
Very  truly  yours,        A.  R.  L.  Dohme. 
Bai/TimorE,  Md.,  January  21,  1904. 
My  dear  Dr.  Kraemer: 
I  am  fully  aware  of  the  uncertain  and  confused  use  of  the  terms 
materia  medica,  pharmacology,  pharmacognosy,  pharmacography 
and  pharmacodynamics.  Custom  is  just  as  apt  to  fix  a  term  as  is 
correct  etymology.  It  is  furthermore  true  that  as  we  advance  in 
the  knowledge  of  a  subject  we  cannot  appropriately  retain  and  apply 
the  terms  of  the  past.  Without,  however,  entering  into  lengthy 
explanations  and  discussions  I  would  offer  the  following : 
Materia  medica  (there  is  no  plausible  reason  why  we  should  con- 
tinue to  follow  the  old  custom  of  beginning  these  two  words  with 
capitals),  which  means  medicinal  things  or  substances  or  agents, 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  pharmacist  should  be  applied  to  that 
course  in  the  curriculum  of  pharmaceutical  studies  treating  of  sub- 
stances (animal,  vegetable,  mineral,  imponderables  as  light,  air,, 
electricity,  etc.)  used  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  giving  the  major 
attention  to  physiological  action  and  the  doses  of  the  various 
preparations. 
Pharmacology  has  a  broad,  extensive  meaning  and  includes  phar- 
macy or  the  art  of  preparing  medicinal  substances  as  well  as  their 
action  and  uses.  The  term  cannot  well  be  applied  to  any  one  course 
or  one  department  of  a  college  of  pharmacy.  It  could  be  applied 
to  pharmacy  and  pharmacography  as  distinct  from  chemistry  and 
