392 
Pharmacy  in  Prussia,  etc. 
(  Am.  Jotjr.  Phaem. 
t    Sept.  1, 1871. 
ling,  dispensing  and  use  of  poisons.  Poisons  for  use  in  the  arts  and 
trades  or  for  the  extinction  of  vermin,  are  sold  only  to  responsible 
adult  persons  known  as  such  to  the  apothecary  ;  the  purchaser  has  to  ^ 
sign  an  acknowledgement  stating  the  kind  of  poison,  its  quantity,  for 
what  to  be  used,  by  whom  dispensed,  and  to  share  the  responsibility  in 
case  of  misuse  or  accident  by  his  neglect.  These  receipts,  like  the 
prescriptions  containing  poisons,  have  to  be  entered  into  the  poison 
journal,  and  together  with  the  same  have  to  be  kept  open  to  inspection 
at  the  visitations  or  at  any  time  by  the  authorities. 
The  Prussian  Pharmacopoeia  is  published  in  the  Latin  language,  al^ 
the  articles  being  arranged  alphabetically,  and  is  characterized  by 
precision  and  terseness,  as  well  as  by  profoundness  and  accuracy,  the 
result  of  the  high  standard  and  the  individual  accomplishment  of  its 
authorsas  well  as  of  the  great  care  with  which  it  has  been  consummated. 
Besides  the  Pharmacopoeia  a  compendium  of  unofficinal  formulas, 
edited  by  two  apothecaries  in  Berlin,*  is  in  general  use.  The  Phar- 
macopoeia and,  when  requisite,  this  compendium,  are  the  uncompro- 
mising authorities  for  preparing,  keeping  and  dispensing  all  medicines, 
and  the  former  must  be  in  the  possession  of  every  apothecary,  assist- 
ant and  apprentice. 
The  apothecaries  are  obliged  to  prepare  their  pharmaceutical  prepa- 
rations and  most  of  the  pharmaceutical  chemicals  themselves,  or,  when 
the  small  extent  of  their  business  does  not  make  this  profitable,  they 
have  to  buy  them  from  other  manufacturing  apothecaries.  They  are, 
however,  responsible  for  the  goodness  and  quality  of  the  entire  stock  of 
their  establishments  ;  therefore  nearly  every  officine  is  provided  with  a 
more  or  less  comprehensive  laboratory,  containing  every  convenience, 
reagents  and  utensils  for  practice  or  research.  Small  steam  apparatus 
like  the  well  known  one  of  Beindorfif  are  commonly  used  where  heat  is 
required  as  for  decoctions,  infusions,  for  distilling,  evaporating,  drying, 
etc.  Where  there  are  two  or  more  assistants,  they  are  engaged  one 
for  the  store  and  the  other  for  the  laboratory;  the  former  is  termed 
"  Receptarius,"  (prescription  clerk)  the  latter  "  Defectarius ;"  for  the 
sake  of  instruction  in  many  places  they  change  these  respective  occu- 
pations with  each  other  monthly  or  quarterly.  The  apprentices  gener- 
ally work  the  first  two  years  in  the  store  and  then  share  the  labors  in 
*  Prseparata  chemica  et  pharmaca  composita  in  pharraacopoea  Borussicae 
Hon  recepta,  quae  in  officinis  borussicis  usitata  sunt.  Ed.  Schacht  et  Laux, 
Berlin. 
