180 BRITISH AND UNITED STATES PH ARMACOPCEIAS. 
of the progressive improvements made in these works. 
So, also, there is reason to believe that aid has been afforded 
to our British brethren in return, Thus it is that the Phar- 
macy of the two countries is so linked together, that we, on 
this side of the water, feel the importance of studying the 
changes made in the Pharmacopoeias of the British Empire. 
From the length of time that has elapsed since the last re- 
vision of the Dublin Pharmacopoeia, now sixteen years, it is 
to be hoped that a revised edition of that work will shortly 
appear, in which advantage will be taken of the great im- 
provements which have been made in the interim, and 
every reasonable concession in nomenclature be made in favor 
of the important principle of uniformity of officinal names. As 
yet the three British Colleges have not been able to agree 
upon one Pharmacopoeia for the British Empire, a result 
which, if ever accomplished, will not only be an important 
benefit to the British nation, but an influential step in the pro- 
gress of Pharmacy, wherever the English language is spoken. 
The present Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia is the result of a re- 
vision after an interval of twenty-two years, and the present 
London work, after the lapse of twelve years. 
The subject of nomenclature, though secondary to the para- 
mount object of the proper preparation of medicines, is con- 
fessedly very important. A number of synonymes [creates 
confusion, obstructs the advancement of the medical and 
pharmaceutical student, and leads to serious mistakes. Admit- 
ting these positions, it is highly gratifying to observe that the 
discrepancies in nomenclature are becoming less and less 
with every revision of the British Pharmacopoeias. 
One great step in the simplification of nomenclature was 
made in 1820, in the first U. S. Pharmacopoeia. In the preface 
to that work it is stated, that "a single word is always used for 
the officinal name of the medicine, wherever such a word is ex- 
pressive, and without ambiguity. For example, the name 
Jalapa is used instead of Convolvulus Jalap a, of the Edin- 
burgh Pharmacopoeia, and Jalapsc Radix, of the London ; 
Colocynthis, instead of Cucumis Colocynthis, and Colo- 
cynthidis Pulpa, &c The advantages of this mode are, 
