CODEX, OR FRENCH PH ARM ACOPCEI A. 
293 
minds of those who had occasion to consult its pages. Beside, 
if it had been presented in Latin, the Committee had no 
authority to prevent its immediate translation into French 
by some one less competent for the duty, which imperfect 
edition might entirely supersede the use of the official work. 
For these reasons, the main text has been given in French, 
accompanied, however, w T ith the Latin synonym of each 
simple and compound; so that, with this, no pharmacien can 
ever be at a loss in understanding a prescription, whose terms 
are expressed in Latin. The chemical nomenclature, which 
has been employed for those substances and combinations 
which are purely chemical in their nature, differs considerably 
from that employed in this country. It consists of the em- 
ployment of the new terms, resulting from a combination of 
the French chemical nomenclature with that of Berzelius. 
But, with a strict regard to the character of the work, and its 
practical employment, the common names still in use are re- 
tained, but in a subsidiary form, neglecting, however, all those 
old synonyms which had become obsolete. As a specimen 
of the nomenclature thus employed, we annex the formula 
for hydrocyanic acid : 
" Acide Cyanhydrique. 
Medicinal Prussic Acid. 
Acidum cyanhydricum aqua dilutum. 
j& — Cyanure de mercure, {cyanuretum hydrar- 
gyricum,) 30 
Acide chlorhydrique, (acidum chlorhydri- 
cum, 20." 
Then follow minute directions, occupying a page, for the 
mode in which the process is to be conducted, and the pro- 
portion of water which is to be added to the product of the 
distillation, which is directed to be six times its volume. 
It will be observed, in regard to the nomenclature, that the 
name of the acid, in all salts, is a noun, while the name of the 
base is an adjective; in this respect essentially differing from 
the English and Latin mode of designating salts, wherein the 
VOL. iv. — no. iv. 38 
