Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Jan.,  1875.  ]■ 
Revision  of  Pharmacopoeia. 
23 
In  this  way  I  have  no  doubt  most  excellent,  scientific  and  full  reports 
could  be  obtained  that  could  not  be  procured  by  any  other  means. 
This  plan  would  bring  out  much  of  the  latent  talent  of  the  country, 
and  would  stimulate  experiment,  investigation  and  research  throughout 
the  land,  and  have  lasting  good  effects  upon  the  interests  of  our  profes- 
sion generally.  And  that  which  would  render  the  plan  more  valuable 
and  hold  out  the  greatest  promise  of  good  reports,  is  the  fact  that  it  would 
leave  every  pharmacist  the  privilege  of  choosing  his  subject,  and  labor- 
ing in  that  portion  of  the  vineyard  which  best  suits  his  tastes,  and  for 
which  his  knowledge  and  talent  best  adapt  him.  While  one  would 
select  fluid  extracts,  or  one  of  the  other  classes  of  galenical  preparations, 
another  would  choose  a  section  that  would  involve  more  chemical 
knowledge.  Consequently,  each  report  would  be  the  choicest  product 
of  each  man's  labor  and  peculiar  skill. 
We  have  many  industrious,  energetic,  skilful  and  ambitious  pharma- 
cists and  chemists  in  this  country,  and  there  are,  I  have  no  doubt,  many 
that  would  enter  for  the  prize  and  for  the  honor  that  securing  it  would 
confer. 
This  plan  might  also  be  the  means  of  drawing  out  many  secret  and 
valuable  formulas  and  processes  that  have  been  hoarded  by  selfish  and 
illiberal  pharmacists  for  their  own  special  uses,  through  a  feeling  some- 
what akin  to  that  which  makes  the  miser  hoard  his  gold.  The  invita- 
tion to  competitors  for  these  prizes  should  not  be  confined  alone  to  the 
delegates  appointed  to  the  National  Convention,  but  should  be  cordially 
extended  to  every  member  of  both  the  medical  and  pharmaceutical 
professions. 
Medical  men  could  render  valuable  aid  in  this  important  work,  in 
making  reports  that  would  embrace  a  list  of  the  various  articles  and 
substances  that  are  unoilicinal,  belonging  to  the  Materia  Medica  list ; 
also  the  various  and  new  unofficinal  preparations  and  remedies  that 
should  be  given  a  place  in  the  officinal  list,  and  they  should  be  accom- 
panied by  the  reasons  upon  which  their  claims  are  based.  The  report 
should  also  embrace  a  list  of  articles  that  are  ncnju  officinal  that  should 
be  dismissed,  and  the  reasons  for  their  dismission.  Accompanying  the 
report,  a  special  report  might  be  made  on  the  new  remedies  that  have 
loomed  up  and  become  popular  in  the  last  decade,  giving  a  collated  re- 
port of  the  evidence  of  their  merits,  as  obtained  from  the  various  med- 
jcal  journals,  and  also  from  other  standard  authorities,  and,  in  fact,  all 
other  available  sources.    There  are  also  many  other  interesting  and 
