* 
92  EDITORIAL. 
much  greater  difficulty.  Moreover,  the  decimal  division  is  itself  only 
divided  by  the  numbers  two  and  five.  So  great  are  the  advantages  of  the 
duodecimal  division,  divisible  by  two,  three,  four  and  six,  that  it  was  pro- 
posed when  the  French  theory  was  in  contemplation  and  under  discussion, 
to  substitute  the  number  of  twelve  for  ten,  as  the  term  of  the  periodical 
return  to  the  unit." 
Every  apothecary  can  appreciate  the  force  of  these  suggestions  in  the 
division  of  pill  masses ;  and  the  practical  difficulty  of  doing  away  with  the 
quarters,  eighths  and  sixteenths  of  a  dollar  will  be  found  less  in  prefer- 
ence for  such  coins  than  in  the  inherent  advantage  and  convenience  of  that 
mode  of  division  over  the  decimal  system  in  practice,  when  it  comes  to 
fractions. 
The  second  Report,  that  on  Poisons,  of  which  S.  S.  Garrigues  was  Chair- 
man, does  not  recommend  any  direct  measures  of  a  legislative  character, 
but  thinks  that  when  such  action  is  had  it  should  arise  from  among  the 
pharmaceutists  of  each  State,  directed  to  its  Legislature.  The  difficulty  of 
getting  legislators  to  appreciate  the  position  of  the  respectable  pharmaceutist, 
in  regard  to  the  sale  of  poisons,  is  one  strong  objection  to  inviting  their 
attention  to  it.  In  order  to  curb  the  illicit  sale  of  poisons  they  impose  a 
burdensome  and  oppressive  series  of  precautionary  measures  on  the  regular 
pharmaceutist,  which  is  a  worse  evil  than  that  which  it  is  proposed  to 
remedy.  The  circular  "  appeal,"  as  recommended  by  this  Committee,  was 
published  in  our  last  number,  page  499. 
The  third  Eeport,  on  the  Progress  of  Pharmacy,  is  a  bulky  paper  of  thirty 
pages,  and  presents  a  succinct  account  of  the  principal  items  of  observation 
and  discovery  in  chemistry,  materia  medica  and  pharmacy,  since  last  meet- 
ing, followed  by  remarks  on  the  sale  of  poisons,  the  Colleges  of  Pharmacy, 
and  the  drug  trade.  It  is  useful  as  a  means  of  reference  to  the  several 
papers  it  notices. 
The  fourth  Report,  "  On  Local  Unofficinal  Formulae,"  is  a  paper  of  con- 
siderable length,  embracing  a  great  variety  of  preparations,  both  perma- 
nent and  extemporaneous,  we  cannot  do  better  than  select  a  few  of  these, 
which  are  as  follows  : — 
Dr.  Marshall  Hall's  Dinner  Pills. 
Take  of  Powdered  Barbadoes  Aloes  1 
Soap   J.  ^ 
Powdered  Ext.  Liquorice  j  S* 
Molasses  ,  sufficient  quantity. 
Make  a  mass  and  form  into  pills  of  four  grains  each 
I 
Eccoprotic  Powder. 
Take  of  Powdered  Rhubarb   )  of  each 
Calcined  Magnesia   )     1  oz. 
Mix. 
