EDITORIAL. 
189 
some  able  pharmaceutists,  who  will  give  character  to  any  movement  in 
which  they  may  take  part,  and  it  is  greatly  to  be  desired  that  all  such 
should  be  enlisted,  and  every  other  well  disposed  member  of  the  profession 
who  is  favorable  to  progress,  notwithstanding  such  may  be  deficient  them- 
selves. We  have  always  believed  that  the  movement  of  1842  was  too  ex- 
clusive, too  few  were  embraced  in  it  to  render  it  popular,  and,  as  a  conse- 
quence, it  did  not  succeed.  The  object  of  such  organizations  should  be  to 
raise  the  status  of  the  entire  body:  its  fruits  should  not  be  for  those  already 
enlightened,  so  much  as  for  those  who  desire  improvement ;  and  the  pro- 
minent part  taken  by  the  more  educated  should  be  viewed,  as  it  generally 
deserves  to  be,  as  their  good  will  offering.  We  are  far  from  advocating  an 
indiscriminate  admission,  but  every  one,  however  small  his  pretensions, 
who  has  correct  views  of  the  vocation  of  the  apothecary,  should  be  included. 
We  trust  that  the  new  organization  will  be  in  full  operation  by  September 
next,  when  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  will  meet  in  Balti- 
more, and  claim  fellowship  through  their  regularly  appointed  delegates. 
Pharmacy  in  the  District  of  Columbia. — A  correspondent  in  George- 
town, D.  C,  gives  information  that  the  preliminary  steps  towards  an  organi- 
zation of  the  pharmaceutists  of  Washington  and  Georgetown  have  been 
taken,  and  that  it  is  proposed  to  apply  to  Congress  for  a  charter  with  col- 
legiate powers  should  the  organization  be  effected.    This  is  also  good  news. 
Fluid  Extract  of  Ergot. — A  correspondent  calls  our  attention  to  an 
oversight  in  the  formula  for  fluid  Extract  of  Ergot  at  page  302,  of  the  vol- 
ume for  1855,  in  which  the  author  !ia3  confounded  Avoirdupois  and  Troy 
weight.  The  strength  indicated  by  the  declaration,  "  that  a  fluid  drachm 
represents  40  grains  "  would  give  in  two  pints  256  x  40  =  10240  grains  or 
rather  less  than  two  pounds  Troy  ;  so  that  it  is  probable  Mr.  Baker  in- 
tended Troy  instead  of  Avoirdupois,  or  if  the  latter,  that  he  must  have 
expressed  the  strength  incorrectly. 
Chimie  appliquee  a  la  phyaiologie  ei  tJierapcutique,  By  M.  Ls  Bocteur 
Mialhe,  Pharmacien  do  l'Empereur,  Professeur  Agrege  a  la  Faculty  de 
Medecine  de  Paris,  etc.    Paris,  1855,  pp.  703  octavo. 
We  acknowledge  the  reception  of  this  book  from  the  author.  It  has  not 
been  possible  to  introduce  a  review  of  it  into  this  number,  but  must  content 
ourselves  at  present  with  a  short  notice  of  its  contents.  Dr.  Mialhe  has 
Jong  directed  his  attention  tu  that  part  of  therapeutics  which  refers  to  the 
changes  produced  on  medicines  (organic  and  inorganic,)  after  their  inges- 
tion, which  has  led  him  to  extend  his  investigations  to  embrace  the  physio- 
