228  U.  S.  and  Br.  Pharmacopoeias.      { Am-&£-i!8frm- 
have  been  standardized  to  five  of  the  U.S.P.  The  following  table 
gives  the  strength  of  those  tinctures  which  differ  most : 
Grammes  in  100  c.c. 
U.S.P.  BP. 
Tinct.  Aconite   35  5 
"  Aloes   10  •  2-5 
1 1  Arnicse  Rad.   10  5 
"  Cantharis    ,   5  1*25 
M  Cimicifugse   20  10 
"  Cinnamomi   10  20 
Colchici  Sem   15  20 
<(  Gelsemi   15  10 
"  Hydrastis   20  10 
"  Hyoscyami   15  10 
"  Iodi   7  2*5 
"  Opii  (Morphine)  ,  .  .  .  ,  i'3-i'5  075 
"  Quillajse   20  5 
"  Scillae   15  20 
"  Serpentariae   10  20 
"  Strophanthi   5  25 
It  will  be  noticed  that  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  strength 
of  some  of  the  most  active  tinctures,  especially  of  those  which  are 
oftenest  prescribed,  e.  g.t  Tinct.  Aconite  U.S.P.  is  seven  times 
stronger  than  the  B.P.  tincture,  Tinct.  Cantharides  four  times  as 
strong,  Tinct.  Iodine  nearly  three  times  as  strong,  Tinct.  Strophan- 
tus twice  as  strong  and  Tinct.  Opium  about  twice  as  strong.  It 
seems  not  only  extremely  unfortunate,  but  also  highly  dangerous, 
that  there  should  be  such  differences  in  strength  in  the  preparations 
of  two  nations  speaking  the  same  mother  tongue,  and  commer- 
cially so  closely  related  to  each  other.  If  an  English  or  Canadian 
physician  visiting  this  country  should  use  or  prescribe  Tinct.  Aconite 
U.S.P.  in  the  same  doses  as  the  B.P.  tincture,  it  would  inevitably  be 
fatal. 
A  very  striking  difference  in  the  pharmacopoeias  is  in  the  weights 
and  measures.  In  the  U.S.P.  the  metric  weights  and  measures  only 
are  used ;  in  the  B.P.  the  Imperial  weights  and  measures  (the  Impe- 
rial ounce  containing  437*5  grains,  the  Imperial  pint  20  fluid  ounces), 
alternative  formula  (which  are  only  proximate)  being  given  in 
metric  weights  and  measures.  To  show  how  cumbersome  is  the 
B.P.  system  of  weights  and  measures,  I  quote  from  the  formula  of 
Acidum  Sulphuricum  Dilutum  B.P. :  It  is  directed  to  take  sulphuric 
acid  1  fluid  ounce  and  5^  drachms  (more  exactly  165  fluid  ounces), 
