Am  jour,  pharm.  |     Revision  of  the  Pharm 
August,  1919-    J  1 
515 
stated  that  they  have  no  use  for  it.  Pharmacists  have  declared  that 
it  is  one  book  they  could  get  along  without. 
That  the  stated  revisions  of  the  pharmacopoeia  are  not  received 
with  enthusiasm,  and  that  the  book  does  not  attain  popularity,  is 
the  consensus  of  opinion.  It  is  interesting  to  note,  however,  that 
the  fifth  revision  (1870)  attained  an  unusual  popularity.  For  years 
after  it  had  become  out  of  date,  and  a  new  revision  had  been  made, 
the  fifth  edition  was  still  being  sold.  At  the  present  day,  although 
four  revisions  have  since  been  published,  the  edition  of  1870  may 
still  be  found  on  the  shelves  of  many  pharmacists,  and  among  the 
books  used  at  the  dispensing  counter  and  in  the  laboratory.  One 
reason  for  this  unusual  popularity  is  ascribed  to  the  fact  that  this 
fifth  revision  contained  processes  and  formulas  which  have  not  been 
carried  to  the  subsequent  revisions. 
M.  I.  Wilbert  expressed  the  belief  that  the  popularity  of  the 
pharmacopoeia  depends  to  a  great  extent  upon  the  price  at  which  it 
is  sold.  Corroborating  this  view  is  the  fact  that  the  edition  of  1870 
was  sold  at  a  comparatively  low  price.  The  subsequent  editions 
have  been  subjected  to  considerable  criticism  on  account  of  their 
high  price. 
To  meet  this  apparent  condition,  might  it  not  be  feasible  to  issue 
several  editions  of  the  book — for  example,  a  full  edition  in  the  best 
binding  for  those  who  may  desire  this  particular  form,  and  an 
abridged  edition  for  physicians,  nurses  and  students,  who  may  only 
desire  to  acquaint  themselves  with  certain  parts  of  the  work? 
Wilbert  also  stated  that  he  believes  that  so  far  as  possible  the 
book  should  be  one  which,  through  its  inherent  merit,  will  present 
the  sum  total  of  our  present  knowledge  in  such  a  shape  that  it  will 
eventually  find  its  way  into  every  shop  where  drugs  and  medicines 
are  sold  or  prepared.  It  should  be  made  indispensable  to  the  work- 
ing pharmacist  as  a  guide  and  reference  to  his  daily  work ;  a  book 
which  he  will  learn  to  cherish  on  account  of  the  information  that  it 
contains ;  a  book  that  he  will  follow,  because  its  formulas  are  simple 
and  concise,  and  which  without  unnecessary  care  will  give  prepara- 
tions that  compare  favorably  in  appearance  and  efficiency  with  any 
that  can  be  produced  by  the  manufacturing  pharmacists. 
The  book  should  be  good  enough  and  cheap  enough  to  appeal  to 
the  physician  as  a  source  of  information,  a  necessary  text-book  to 
the  student,  and  to  the  apothecary  a  manual  and  guide  in  his  even- 
da  v  work. 
