j  12  Committee  on  Pharmacopoeias.  {ANovemberPhia9riJ" 
an  authoritative  legal  standard  for  homeopathic  remedies  which  are 
necessarily  prepared  by  different  methods  from  those  of  the  present 
U.  S.  P.  or  N.  F.  need  not  be  discussed  in  this  report.  It  is  well 
known  that  in  some  sections  of  the  United  States,  homeopathic 
drugs  have  a  large  use  and  are  sold  by  many  druggists,  and  legal 
standards  for  such  that  are  commonly  sold  and  used  should  be  estab- 
lished and  designated  by  the  law.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
need  for  standards  for  homeopathic  medicines  can  at  least  be  met 
in  part  by  a  unification  of  the  pharmacopceial  standards.  In  the 
ninth  revision  of  the  U.  S.  P.  certain  innovations  were  introduced 
such  as  the  chapters  on  "  Biologic  Assays,"  "  Sterilization,"  and 
"  Diagnostical  Reagents  and  Clinical  Tests."  It  would  appear  as  no 
greater  innovation  for  the  tenth  revision  to  have  chapters  such  as 
appear  in  homeopathic  pharmacopoeias  on  "  Cleansing  of  Utensils," 
"  Vehicles,"  "  Selection  of  Medicinal  Substances,"  "  Preparation  of 
Potencies  and  Dilutions."  The  various  classes  of  preparations  used 
especially  in  homeopathic  practice,  such  as  mother  tinctures  or  fresh 
drug  tinctures,  solutions,  triturations,  etc.,  could  very  likely  be 
treated  by  general  formulas.  Representation  of  the  Homeopathic 
Societies  in  the  Convention  and  a  Subcommittee  on  Homeopathic 
Standards  of  the  Revision  Committee,  would  readily  provide  for 
this  part  of  the  revision. 
Regarding  the  revision  of  the  National  Formulary,  we  are  of 
the  opinion  that  the  time  is  ripe  for  the  cooperation  of  a  committee 
of  active  medical  practitioners  in  the  edition  to  be  soon  undertaken. 
Such  a  cooperation  of  the  medical  societies  should  be  solicited  by 
the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  which  owns  and  controls 
this  publication  and  should  be  given  by  the  formation  of  a  committee 
composed  of  practicing  physicians  acquainted  with  medical  customs 
and  usages.  In  close  cooperation  with  a  committee  of  revision  com- 
posed of  those  whose  experience  and  ability  as  pharmacists  should 
be  exceptional,  medical  assistance  would  be  of  great  value  in  sim- 
plifying combinations  and  eliminating  a  number  of  the  unnecessary 
and  duplicating  formulas.  Moreover,  it  should  stimulate  the  ac- 
quaintance of  the  physicians  with  the  various  useful  preparations  in 
the  book  and  their  increased  prescribing  of  these  to  the  advantage 
alike  of  the  patient  and  the  professions  of  medicine  and  pharmacy. 
Despite  the  efforts  of  the  various  propaganda  to  popularize  the 
Pharmacopoeia  and  the  National  Formulary,  it  remains  still  a  fact 
that  comparatively  few  of  the  physicians  are  to-day  sufficiently  ac- 
