REPORT ON THE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
267 
rious or interested in the subject, an exacthistory of the revision 
of 1840 ; and should a reference ever be made to the proceed- 
ings of the Committee by whom the revision was undertaken, 
either as a beacon to be shunned, or an example to be imitat- 
ed, to these volumes reference may be made with perfect 
confidence in the accuracy and fidelity of the register. Could 
time now be afforded to bring before the notice of each member, 
every amendment, with its annexed comment, your Committee 
might refer simply to their journals for an account of their 
labors, and the College be spared the extended report with 
which the Committee is compelled to occupy your time ; but 
as such a notice and examination is utterly impracticable by 
the College in its collective capacity, your Committee will 
endeavor, as briefly as possible, to present such an analysis 
and comment as will convey an idea of the character and 
extent of the revision which they have made ; and as they 
trust will enable you, without hesitation, to extend to it 
the protection, and sanction your adoption of it as your 
own. 
By the resolution under which the Committee received 
their appointment they are directed and required to take the 
entire charge of the work ; to appoint a secretary, to subdivide 
into sections of such size as shall contribute most advanta- 
geously to a division of the labor, to fill vacancies which 
might occur in their body, to invite the co-operation of mem- 
bers and graduates of the College, to hold stated meetings at 
least once in two weeks, to keep a journal of proceedings, 
to arrange and compile the general results so as to produce 
a systematic work, to assign, as briefly as possible, the reasons 
for any changes which they might make, so that their proprie- 
ty might be determined, to prosecute the work as rapidly as. 
was consistent with due care and its proper execution, and 
to present to the College their work, as soon as finished, in a 
general report. Bound by these conditions, and guided by 
these directions, the Committee was directed to subject the Phar- 
macopoeia to a complete revision, and generally, by removals, 
additions and amendments, by observation, experiment and 
