292  Proposed  Changes  in  the  Pharmacopeia.  {Am)l™/1t%!m' • 
assumed  and  recommended  for  use  by  the  professions.  Should  the 
metric  system  of  weights  be  adopted,  such  standard  officinal  spoon 
might  very  conveniently  have  the  exact  capacity  of  four  u  fluigrams  " 
of  distilled  water  ;  a  volume  expressed  by  the  French  metric  system,, 
as  four  millilitres.  The  capacity  of  such  a  spoon  (a  "  metrispoon  ") 
would  be  in  our  present  measures  64*9  minims  ;  the  ordinary  teaspoon 
being  supposed  to  hold  60  minims  or  one  fluid-drachm.1 
Omitting  several  minor  points  in  consequence  of  the  unreasonable 
length  already  reached  by  this  communication,  this  portion  of  the  subject 
may  be  concluded  with  a  reference  to  the  suggestions  already  made  by  the 
committee  of  fifteen  appointed  by  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Asso- 
ciation for  the  purpose  of  considering  and  reporting  upon  any  improve- 
ments which  may  be  thought  advisable  in  the  next  revision  of  the 
Pharmacopoeia.  This  committee  has  recommended  :  "  1st,  That  all 
measures  of  capacity  be  abandoned  ;  2d,  That  all  substances  be 
weighed,  and  that  the  quantities  be  given  in  parts;  3d,  That  all  sub- 
stances in  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  be  arranged  alphabetically  ;  4th, 
That  the  descriptions  of  crudedrugs  be  made  more  exact  and  complete  ; 
5th,  That  the  formulas  for  the  manufacture  of  chemicals,  which  are 
recognized  as  produced  entirely  by  manufacturing  chemists,  be  omitted,, 
(with  the  exception  of  such  chemicals  as  produce  different  results  when 
made  by  different  processes),  and  that  a  description  of  the  chemical  be 
substituted  with  such  tests  as  shall  be  conclusive  as  to  its  identity  and 
purity  ;  6th,  That  it  is  desirable  that  there  should  be  a  larger  number 
of  tables  for  reference  introduced  into  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia. 
Remembering  that  the  Association  has  never  had  even  a  representa- 
tion in  the  decennial  Convention,  such  enlightened  activity  and  disin- 
terested zeal  in  attempting  to  awaken  inquiry,  to  stimulate  suggestion, 
and  to  promote  discussion  in  regard  to  all  the  details  of  the  approaching 
revision,  cannot  be  too  warmly  applauded.  Where  shall  we  look: 
throughout  our  land  to  discover  traces  of  any  similar  interest,  or  any 
similiar  procedure  in  any  organized  body  of  either  profession  ?  If  this 
spontaneous  heartiness  of  co-operation  in  a  great  public  work  has  in 
any  quarter  of  the  medical  domain  occasioned  among  any  individuals 
a  touch  or  suspicion  of  jealousy,  we  believe  that  a  very  brief  experi- 
ment in  devoting  attention  to  the  defects  or  the  requirements  of  the 
1  The  suggestion  of  a  standard  "metrispoon  "  was  published  by  the  writer  in  th& 
Medical  and  Surgical  Reporter  for  February,  1877,  vol.  xxxvi,  pp.  171,  172. 
