THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
Orthography,  the  topic  selected  for  editorial  comment  this 
month,  is  defined  by  lexicographers  as  the  art  of  writing  words  with 
the  proper  letters  according  to  accepted  usage :  the  part  of  grammar 
which  treats  of  the  nature  and  properties  of  the  letters  and  of  the 
art  of  writing  words  correctly.  It  is  derived  from  the  Greek  ortkos, 
right,  straight,  correct,  and  grapho,  I  write.  In  other  words,  it  is 
correct  spelling,  and  to  spell  "is  to  write  or  print  words  with  their 
proper  letters."  An  orthographist  is  one  who  spells  correctly  or  in 
accordance  with  the  rules  of  grammar.  It  would  be  interesting,  if 
it  were  possible  of  determination,  to  learn  what  percentage  of  Amer- 
icans at  this  time  could  lay  claims  to  such  a  designation.  Like- 
wise, to  ascertain  the  relative  influence  of  perverted  educational 
methods  and  of  passing  literary  styles  in  causing  the  lamentable 
lack  of  knowledge  of  this  part  of  grammar  exhibited  by  such  a 
large  proportion  of  the  present  generation. 
This  subject  has  received  but  scant  consideration  in  pharma- 
ceutical literature,  possibly  because  pharmaceutical  journalism, 
very  happily,  has  not,  to  any  appreciable  extent,  been  influenced  by 
the  propaganda  for  spelling  reform.  The  article  entitled  "The  End 
of  Simplified  Spelling"  from  the  Montreal  Pharmaceutical  Journal, 
reprinted  in  this  number  of  the  Journal,  is  commended  for  careful 
perusal.  In  our  correspondence  and  intercourse  with  pharmacists 
we  have  noted  that  comparatively  few  have  been  carried  away  by 
this  fad  and,  moreover,  that  some  of  these  have  rather  lately  joined 
in  the  fag  end  of  the  movement. 
AUGUST,  1920 
ENGLISH  ORTHOGRAPHY. 
