92 
EDITORIAL. 
observation,  for  the  task  which  he  proposes  to  accomplish,  viz :  to  write  a 
work  that,  in  the  language  of  the  prospectus,  "will  be  original,  having  none 
of  the  characteristics  of  a  compilation.  The  field  he  has  explored,  the 
objects  he  has  sought,  and  the  manner  of  pursuing  his  inquiries,  have  been 
quite  different  from  ordinary  writers.  His  classification  differs  materially, 
and  is  founded  upon  different  principles  from  any  that  has  preceded  it,  and 
will  commend  itself  to  any  one  who  will  examine  it  critically  and  with  a 
view  to  its  practical  tendency.  It  will  therefore  be  a  new  system  essentially, 
and  may  justly  be  entitled  a  revision  of  the  Materia  Medica."  Originality 
is  often  very  desirable  in  a  writer  ;  on  the  subject  of  Materia  Medica, 
however,  which  is  made  up  of  the  accumulated  observations  of  centuries,  it 
is  highly  important  that  all  well  ascertained  facts,  by  whomsoever  observed, 
should  be  duly  registered,  so  as  to  present  a  correct  view  of  the  present 
state  of  the  science  ;  and  on  the  score  of  nomenclature,  where  a  well  under- 
stood system  has  been  generally  adopted  by  writers,  or  in  a  country  where 
a  respectable  pharmacopoeia  exists,  originality  of  nomenclatural  language  is 
not  only  an  inconvenience,  but  a  positive  evil,  as  leading  to  confusion  of  ideas. 
In  looking  over  the  first  numberof  Dr.  Tully's  work?we  are  struck  with  many 
novelties  in  names,  as  Cidorohydrargyrous  acid  and  DicJdorid  of  mercury, 
for  calomel ;  Disoxyd,  for  black  oxide  of  mercury  ;  Froto  nitrate  of  silver  ; 
Hydrite  of  Potassa  for  the  hydrate  ;  Cyanid  of  hydrogen  for  hydrocyanic 
acid;  Chlorite  for  chlorate  of  potassa,  &c.  As  the  number  before  us  is 
almost  wholly  devoted  to  the  modus  operandi  of  medicines,  a  subject  to  be 
discussed  more  appropriately  by  medical  journalists,  we  will  defer  a  critical 
notice  of  the  work  until  it  has  progressed  further,  hoping  that  the  author 
in  the  part  of  his  book  devoted  to  materia  medica  and  the  preparations,  will 
not  depart  so  far  from  the  generally  received  nomenclature  as  the  few  in- 
stances, in  the  present  number,  where  he  has  had  to  employ  the  names  of  me- 
dicines, lead  us  to  think  he  intends.  In  discussing  the  operation  of  medi- 
cines on  the  system,  it  is  evident  that  Dr.  Tully  has  thought  much  and 
experimented  much.  The  style  of  the  author  is  peculiar,  and  his  language 
exhibits  many  words  peculiar  to  his  pages.  The  typography  is  good,  and 
the  paper  and  general  getting-up  creditable  to  the  publishers.  We  shall 
look  with  interest  for  the  eoming  numbers,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
wishes  of  the  publishers,  will  exchange  with  pleasure. 
A  Memoir  on  the  Life  and  Character  of  James  B.  Rogers,  M.  D.,  Professor 
of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  By  Joseph  Carson, 
M.  D.    October,  1852. 
Dr.  Carson  has  acquitted  himself  well  in  the  preparation  of  this  modest 
and  truthful  memento  of  the  life  and  character  of  his  lamented  col- 
league. 
The  subject  of  this  memoir  was  born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  Feb- 
ruary 22d,  1803.    His  father,  Dr.  Patrick  Kerr  Rogers,  emigrated  to  this 
