ficata, Carbonas ferri, and Ferri oxidum nigrum purificatum, among the metallic preparations, although they have allowed the three laft alfo to retain their former places among the fimple preparations. This overfight, however, is of very little confequence, and will not occur again, if, as we hope, the College fhall diftribute, more fyftematically, the other mifcellaneous preparations, fome of them by no means diftinguished for fimplicity, which are arranged under this head. It is not of much importance what principles of arrangement are adopted in fuch a work as this; but they should be adhered to as correctly as poffible, and fhould never mislead. Some Colleges have chofen an alphabetical order, and it anfwers the purpofe fufficiently; but, fince the editors of the prefent Pharmacopoeia have preferred a more fcientific plan, they fhould not have claffed the foeculum or matter depofited from the expreffed juice of the wild cucumber among the infpiffated juices, nor have fwelled the lift of infufions with the Potio carbonatis calcis, which is a mixture, or the Aqua calcis, which is a faline folution, or the Mucilages, which fhould form a clafs by themfelves. The changes in the Nomenclature, are much more numerous and important; and in adopting thefe, the College feems to have been guided by the most comprehenfive and enlightened views. They have not, as on former occafions, contented themfelves with correcting obvious errors, and introducing occafional. improvements; but they have attempted a complete reform on general principles. Their fole object has been, to give to me dicinal fubftances fuch titles as may eatily and readily exprefs their real nature and compofition. To attain this object, they have bettowed upon all fubitances derived from the animal or vegetable kingdoms, the names which they poffefs in the most approved fyftems of natural history; and wherever it was applicable, they have ufed the language lately introduced with fuch evident advantages into the feience of Chemistry. Now, when we confider that Materia Medica and Pharmacy are but branches of Natural History and Chemistry, or rather that they may be defined, the application of thefe fciences to the purpofes of medicine, the propriety of thefe principles, in an abstract point of view, does not feem to admit of doubt. But fince other names have already received the fanction of cuftom, it may still be queftioned whether a reform, conducted on thefe indifputable principles, be altogether practicable. If its practicability can be proved, all other objections to its expediency will be eafily removed; and, that it is practicable to a certain extent, is proved in the prefent work. The principles might perhaps have been carried ftill further; but the reafons which the College have. given for not doing fo, are, in our opinion, juft and fatisfactory. Left the titles of fome medicines fhould become too bulky and complicated, they have attempted to exprefs, by them, only their active and effential conftituents. For the fame reason, they have preferibed fome fimples in common ufe, as Opium, Mofchus, Caftoreum and Crocus Anglicus, by their officinal names, thinking it fufficient to point out, in the catalogue of the Materia Medica, the animals and vegetables from which they are obtained. They have also left unchanged, fome names, fuch as Tincture and Spirit, which, although fcarcely chemical, have been long in common ufe in Pharmacy. But although, upon the whole, the Edinburgh College have given an excellent example of a reformed pharmaceutical nomenclature, we think it may ftill be useful to explain, more minutely, the principles on which it seems to have been formed, to fhow what it would have been if they had been ftrictly adhered to, and to ascertain the rules by which exceptions may be regulated. The general principles are, 1. The officinal names of all substances employed in medicine fhould be the fame with the fyftematic names. 2. The titles of compound medicines fhould indicate the nature of their compofition. To carry the first law into effect, it feems only necessary to felect the fyftems which are to be followed. The new chemical nomenclature is fo ingeniously contrived, and fo well adapted for general ufe, that there does not appear to be any objection to employing it without limitation. On the contrary, for the purposes of Pharmacy it is rather deficient; the authors and improvers of that nomenclature, not having extended it as yet fo far, as to exprefs fome very common forms of combination in a manner at all confiftent with the brevity of a name. Some observations which have occurred to us on this fubject, will be introduced with more propriety hereafter, when we fpeak of compound titles. From the received chemical language, we meet with very few deviations in the prefent work. In general, they have expreffed, with great neatnefs, the relation between the acid and bafe in compound falts, in which either is predominant," by prefixing the particles fub or fuper to the name of the acid. There are, however, fome exceptions. Boras fodae fhould have been Sub-boras fodae; Carbonas potoffae, Sub-carbonas potaffae; and Sulphas aluminae, Super-fulphas aluminae. In fome triple falts they have omitted the name of the lefs important bafe. Sulphas alumine is the fuper-fulphas alumine et potaffae of chemifts; and Tartris antimonii fhould have been Tartris antimonii et potaffae. The great length of thefe names is not Hh 2 a fufficient objection; for if, on any account, we deviate from the names adopted by chemists on rational principles, we are retaining diftinctions between the language of Chemistry and Phar macy, the progrefs towards the abolition of which, is a striking merit of the New Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. Besides, the names now adopted actually belong to other chemical fubftances; and if the proper names are too inconvenient, we would prefer their old fynonymes, Alumen and Tartarus emeticus. Ammoniaretum cupri means a combination of oxide of copper with ammonia; but, as in the fubftance to which that name is given, the whole of the fulpuhric acid contained in the fulphate of copper is fill prefent, Sub-fulphas cupri et ammonia would perhaps be more correct. Simple names fhould be given to fimple fubitances; but we find vinegar named Acidum acetofum-diftilled vinegar, Acidum acetofum diftillatum-and vinegar, in that concentrated state in which it is obtained by decompofing the acetates, Acidum acetofum forte: whereas, the latt, being the moft fimple ftate, thould be Acidum acetofum or rather aceticum; difilled vinegar, Acidum aceticum dilutum; and common vinegar, Acidum aceticum imAurum. Adjectives ending in -atus, derived from the names of chemical fubftances, denote, according to Mr Chenevix, the lateit reformer of chemical language, that their fubftances are acidified and in the state of combination. On this principle the terms Ammoniatus, Camphoratus, Sulphuratus, and Opiatus, ufed by the Edinburgh college, are objectionable. The excellent memoir of M. Prouft on the fulphurets of antimony, publifhed fince the Pharmacopeia, naturally fuggefts fome improvements on their nomenclature. He has found that the old Vitrum antimonii and Crocus antimonii are both combinations of fulphuret of antimony with oxide of antimony; but that, in the former, it is only one ninth, and in the latter amounts to one fourth of the compound. Thefe differences in proportion might be marked, by naming the glafs, Oxidum antimonii cum fulphureto, and the Crocus, Sulphuretum antimonii cum oxide, instead of Oxidum antimonii cum fulphure vitrificatum, and Oxidum antimonii cum fulphure per nitratem potafa. The general principle of adopting the fyftematic names of animal and vegetable fubftances, is liable to more objections, of which the most obvious is their inconvenient length: for to the name of the genus and fpecies, that of the variety must be often added, and almost always the part or production in ufe must be indicated. Thus, to exprefs fimple fubftances, we fhould fay, Gumma refina Aloes perfoliatae Scotorinae, Mofilus moschi mofchiferi, Oleum volatile muciei fructus myrisicae mofchatae. It therefore becomes a matter of fome importance to abridge thefe names conveniently. The most obvious method is, to omit thofe thofe parts which are leaft neceffary; but, unfortunately, we have no very general rules for determining thefe, and must be guided in our felections entirely by circumftances. When varieties are mentioned, the specific names may be almoft always left out, as, Aloes Socotorina for Aloes perfoliata Socotorina. In fome inftances, when feveral fpecies of the fame genus are used indifcriminately, the fpecific names may be omitted. Thus, it is fufficient to fay, Refina pini, Oleum volatile pini. The fpecific name may be alfo omitted when it is not characteristic, and when only one fpecies of a genus is officinal; as lutea after Gentiana, officinale after Guaiacum, &c. But where the fpecific name is characteristic, it is better to omit the generic name: thus ferula and cucumis are left out, while affa foetida and colocynthis are retained. Alfo, when there are more fpecies than one in ufe, the fpecific names, when characteristic, are enough. Catechu, Benzoin, Falapa, Scammonia, are fulliciently diftinctive, without Mimofa, Styrax, and Convolvulus. The part or nature of the productions of organized bodies may be always omitted from the titles of their compounds, unless there be fimilar preparations of different parts or productions of the fame fubftance. Thus we fay, Cortex Lauri cinnamomi and Tinctura Lauri cinnamomi, Refina Guaiaci and Tinctura Guaiaci; and in a few cafes, when the nature of the production is peculiar, its name alone is thought fufficient, as Camphora, Mofchus, Opium, without adding Lauri camphorae, Mofchi moschiferi, and Papaveris fomniferi. It would alfo be better to use the specific names of fubitances whofe origin is unknown, as Kino, alone, than give them any falfe or incorrect appellation. In deferibing the preparations and compofitions, it is impoffible to be too minute in pointing out the part, ftate, variety, and, in general, every circumftance ufeful to be known with regard to the feveral ingredients; but in the titles of the compofitions, fuch minutenefs would be inconvenient; and therefore we must endeavour to render them fufficiently fhort, and at the fame time characteristic. To inveftigate the means of attaining these ends, we fhall confider the titles of compound medicines as confifting of two parts. The first part is commonly defcriptive of the form, as Pulvis, Pilula, &c.; 2dly, Of the nature of the substance, as Oleum volatile, Succus expreffus, &c.; 3dly, Of the menftruum, as Aqua,' Vi num, &c.; or, 4thly, Of the menftruum and mode of preparation, as Infufum, Spiritus, &c. Of thefe, the firft is a ftrictly pharmaceutical mode of expreffion, and is not liable to error in its application; the others are mostly chemical, and suggest fome remarks. The epithets, fixed and volatile, adopted by the Edinburgh College, mark the diftinction between the two claffes of oil more characteriAically than expreffed and diftilled; but they have car Hh3 ried 466 Edinburgh Pharmacopeia. ried their principle too far, in calling the expreffed oil of Mace Jan. a fixed oil; for it is, in reality, a compound of fixed and volatile oil, and the latter is the predominant conftituent. The natural combinations of refin and volatile oil, which were formerly called Turpentines, are now denominated by the Edinburgh College Refins, but, we are difpofed to think, incorrectly; for refin is a term appropriated by chemifts to one of the conftituents, and cannot therefore be applied with propriety to the compound. Now, as the College have diftinguifhed refins, when combined with a fmall quantity of benzoin, by the name of Balfams, it appears to us, that the old expreffion Turpentine should be retained to denote compounds of refin and volatile oil. Indeed, it is remarkable, that the College ftill call the latter conflituent, Oleum volatile terebinthinae; more efpecially, when another name, Oleum volatile pini, might have been given, in ftrict conformity with the principles they have generally adopted. The third and fourth method of denominating compofitions, demand particular attention, as they form a very important branch of chemical nomenclature, which has not yet been inveftigated. According to the law that the titles of compound bodies fhould exprefs the nature of their compofition, it is obvious that thofe of folutions fhould confift of the names of the folvent and folvend, properly combined. ncologifts have added to the name of the genus or acid, the geIn other compounds, the chemical nitive of the fpecies or bafe, as Sulphas baryta. In the fame way, the names of the folvends, in the genitive, might be combined with the name of the folvent. which the London College has exprefled the folutions of faline This, in fact, is the manner in bodies in water; but the other colleges ufe fometimes aqua, fometimes liquor, and fometimes folutio; nor has the principle been extended by the London College to other cafes. If ftrictly adhered to, aqua fhould form a part of the title of all folutions in water, alcohol of thofe in alcohol, and oleum of thofe in oil. But this is not fufficient for the purposes of pharmacy; for we often wish to exprefs the manner in which the folution is made. This may be done, either by the addition of an epithet, or by giving different terminations to the radical word, or by prefixing to it the first fyllable of the epithet as a characteristic propofition; as In. for folutions prepared by infufion, Dec. by decoction, and Dift. by diftillation. On this laft principie, In-aqua fhould be fubftituted for infufion, Dec-aqua for decoction, and Dift-aqua for aqua diftillata, In-alcohol, or fimply alcohol, for Tinctura, and Dift-alcohol for Spiritus. But although thefe, or fome fuch mode of expreffion, are what we would be led to by general principies, their harshness, and other objections to which they are exposed, make us prefer the terms at prefent in ufe. At the fame time, |