44 
Editorial. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
t     Jan.  2,  1871. 
Mr.  Donovan,  of  Dublin.  From  the  Medical  Press  and  Circular  of  Nov- 
30th,  we  learn  that  this  distinguished  apothecary,  the  last  of  his  order,  has  re- 
tired from  his  profession  in  comfortable  circumstances.  Michael  Donovan  is 
an  Honorary  member  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  and  has  writ- 
ten many  papers  on  pharmaceutical  subjects.  The  editor  says  of  him  :  "  Mr. 
Donovan's  name  was  familiar  to  the  readers  and  scientific  men  of  the  last  half 
century  as  the  associate  and  colleague  of  the  first  Irish  Physicians  of  his  day. 
Pursuing  his  well  considered  course,  he  persistently  refused  either  to  lay  claim 
to  medical  experience,  though  immeasurably  in  advance  of  most  general  apothe- 
cary practitioners  in  this  respect,  or  to  remove  one  step  either  "side  of  the  path 
of  science  to  which  he  had  devoted  himself.  Far  seeing  and  believing  in  the 
greatness  of  his  art,  he  foretold  the  virtual  extinction  of  the  Irish  Apothecaries 
Company,  which  has  arisen  from  their  abandonment  of  their  proper  functions, 
and  alone  he  maintained  a  silent  and  life-long  protest  against  the  theory  and 
the  policy  which  regards  pharmaceutical  chemistry  as  nothing  better  than  drug 
selling." 
Specific  Medication  and  Specific  Medicines.    By  John  Scudder,  M.  D.,  Prof. 
of  Practice  of  Medicine  in  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute,  Cincinnati.  Wil- 
stach,  Baldwin  &  Co.,  Cincinnati.    1870  ;  pp.  253,  12mo. 
This  book,  written  by  the  editor  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Journal,  is  a  new 
contribution  to  the  literature  ©f  the  eclectic  practitioners.  The  author  gives, 
in  a  preliminary  chapter,  his  views  on  specific  medication,  specific  diagnosis, 
difference  from  homoeopathy,  administration  of  medicines,  the  form  of  medi- 
cine, the  dose  and  preparation  of  remedies,  office  pharmacy  and  classification 
of  remedies.  Four-fifths  of  the  book  is  occupied  with  brief  therapeutic  notices 
of  a  long  list  of  the  Materia  Medica,  chiefly,  however,  indigenous,  but  not  con- 
fined to  American  plants  nor  to  vegetable  medicines.  Among  the  specifi^c 
remedies^^  the  author  recommends  infusion  of  honeybees  as  a  diuretic,  tinc- 
ture of  cactus  grandiflorus  in  heart  disease,  collinsonia  in  ministers'  sore  throat, 
gelsemiura  in  affections  of  the  brain  and  spinal  centres,  leptandra  for  the  intes- 
tinal canal,  lobelia  in  difficult  labor,  and  this  he  considers  a  sedative  between 
veratrum  and  aconite.  The  entire  work  appears  to  be  Dr.  Scudders'  opinions 
and  views  of  the  value  of  the  several  medicines  treated. 
Charter,  By  Laws  and  Code  of  Ethics  of  the  Maryland  College  of  Pharmacy. 
Baltimore,  1870;  pp.  14,  8vo. 
The  new  charter  of  this  .institution  bears  date  March  23d,  1870,  the  old 
charter  expiring  by  limitation  on  the  27th  inst.  The  new  charter  empowers 
the  College  to  grant  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Pharmacy.  The  College  in  con- 
structing these  by-laws  have  adopted  the  action  of  the  late  Educational  Con- 
vention. Law  X  says  :  "  No  diploma  shall  be  recognized  that  is  not  based 
upon  four  years'  practical  service  with  some  reputable  pharmacist."  Law  Y 
establishes  an  educational  standard  for  students,  who  are  required  to  pass  an 
examination  befere  being  admitted  to  the  lectures  ;  and  Law  YII  requires  the 
student  to  be  21  years  of  age  before  he  can  receive  his  diploma.  These  more 
stringent  rules  will  raise  the  status  of  Pharmacy  in  Baltimore,  and  deserve  to 
be  generally  adopted. 
