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WEIGHTS AND MEASURES OF THE NEW PHAEMACOPŒIA.
726 support these four propositions. But of the present six candidates I fear but two, Mr. Lane and Mr. Hancock, are likely to promote so searching a reform. All sincere reformers will, therefore, vote for these two gentlemen. to
T
Brompton, June,
am-
1863.
Sir.
obedient servant. D. O. EDWARDS, F.R.C.S.
vour
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES OF THE NEW PHAEMACOPŒIA. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,—I have ventured to address you on a subject as to which practitioners must feel an interest, but as yet have not expressed a public opinion; I mean the weights and measures medical
The terms hectogramme and decagramme are rarely used in practice, these quantities being usually expressed in grammes; thus-100 grammes, 10 grammes. Grammes of substances divided into 15 parts will give grain doses. A decigramme is equal to 1½ grain. The word " gramme" has been objected to on account of its similarity to the word "grain," and apprehensions have been felt as to a mistake possibly occurring from that circumstance; but a gramme is fifteen times more than a grain, and therefore a very moderate knowledge of doses is an entire protection from such an error. I am. Sir. vour obedient servant. P. SQUIRE, President of the Pharmaceutical Society Oxford-street, of Great Britain. June, 1863.
to be used in medicine. There is now a Bill before
Parliament, which will be read a APOTHECARIES’ HALL, IRELAND. second time early in July, for decimalizing the weights and To the Editor of THE LANCET. The Pharmaceutical Society has presented a petimeasures. tion in favour of the Bill, and meetings of chemists have been SIR,—Permit me to call your attention to an error in your held in various parts of the country that have passed resoof the General Medical Council of the recent report lutions in favour of the Bill; the Leeds Association of Chemists in reference to the proceedings nature of the vote come to regarding the have even addressed the Medical Council, praying it to adopt of the title of the Apothecaries’ Company of Dublin the metrical system in the British Pharmacopœia. I may men- " to Medicine in Great Britain and Ireland." practise tion also, that the committee appointed by the Medical Council Your report states that"on their claim it was shown that to prepare the British Pharmacopoeia proposed its adoption. authorities were in direct conflict, and that the Council There is, doubtless, a great advantage in the metrical over the legal did not, therefore, reopen the inquiry." system now in use in expressing the formulas. Take, as an Whereas the inquiry was fully reopened in the Council on example, the formula for mistura ferri composita P.L ; and I the occasion referred to, and the claim of the Company so might have taken decoction of aloes and several others, but one clearly shown and proved that the Council affirmed the prowill suffice:— position by a large majority of votes. It is with much pleasure I observe that this decision of the Mistura Ferri Composita. Council is in accord with your own view, as set forth in a leadTake of-Myrrh, in powder 2 drachms. ing article of THE LANCET so far back as the 1st of October, 1859. Carbonate of potash 1 drachm. I am. Sir. vours verv trulv. Rose water ......18 fluid ounces. CHARLES HENRY LEET, of iron 2½scruples. Sulphate to the Court of Examiners. Secretary 1 fluid ounce. Spirit of nutmeg The Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland, White sugar 2 drachms. June 1863. Dublin, 23rd, Total-19 ounces, 5 drachms, and 2 scruples. It would require some little calculation to find the relative ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. proportion of the active ingredients; whereas if the formula were expressed in the metrical system a glance would be sufficient to show it. THE approaching election of Fellows into the Council of this The weights in the above are apothecaries’, and the measure which will take place on Thursday next, the 2nd institution, is the imperial; but in the new Pharmacopeeia the apothecaries’ is exciting the greatest interest; and, as several corthe and to and ounce to proximo, is be abolished imperial pound weight be substituted; and it is this change from one system to an- respondents are desirous of knowing how the voting will be other, without change of names, to which chemists object. conducted, it has been ascertained that the following plan will The present pound contains 12 ounces, 5760 grains. be adopted :ounce " 480, On entering the library, the Fellows will find papers with the names of the six candidates printed thereon in chronological The proposed pound contains 16 ounces, = 7000 grains. " ounce" 437 5 " order, commencing with that of Mr. Hawkins, the retiring As there is to be no drachm nor scruple, all quantities member, and finishing with that of Mr. Hancock. Providing under the ounce will have to be expressed in grains; and this himself, therefore, with one of these, the elector may retire to unfortunate ounce, already containing a fraction of a grain, can a distant part of that or another room, and draw his pen through be doubled, but not divided, to make a whole number of grains. the names of those candidates for whom he does not vote, Under these circumstances, chemists are of opinion that it taking great care not to leave more than three names, though a would be far better to go to the metrical system at once, and less number may be left if he please; i. e., he may vote for one, learn something that is permanent, than be put to great incon- two, or three, and no more. On the last occasion several votes were venience for a system which can only be temporary. The lost by leaving four names in the list, which were at once canmetrical is always employed in analysis, most of the modern celled. Having corrected his voting paper, and folded it up to medical practitioners have already been accustomed to it in prevent any prying eye from seeing how he has exercised his experiments during their pupilage, and all educated pharma- franchise, the elector will then sign his name and address on ceutists are well acquainted with it; so that there seems no another paper provided for that purpose, which he will hand obstacle to its introduction at once. There are, it is true, many to a clerk of the cheque, who will ascertain if his name is in members of the profession still in practice who have not become the list of Fellows, whereupon he will be introduced to the acquainted with it, and perhaps will never now trouble them- President, Mr. Luke, and invited to deposit his voting paper selves to learn it; but a few simple comparisons will soon in a box provided for that especial purpose. All the Fellows indoctrinate them into a sufficiently practical acquaintance to present having voted, a period of ten minutes will be allowed, in pursuance of the charter, to ascertain if any other elector serve for prescribing. wishes to vote, at the expiration of which time the President Apothecaries’ Weight. 1000 Grammes or 1 Kilogramme = 32 ounces 1½ drachm. will declare the voting closed, and will at once proceed to ascertain the numbers, in which he will be checked by the 100 or 1 Rectogramme = 3¼ " " officers of the College, and as many Fellows as may like to do 10 or 1 drachms. " Decagramme = 2 the same. This having been done, and the numbers counted, 1 Gramme 15¼ grains. the President will declare the result, with which this portion ’1 or 1 Docigramme " 1 " of the proceedings will close. It may not be generally known, but the fact deserves to be Imperial Measure. 1 Litre 35 fluid ounces. recorded, that the succe.,z,3ful candidate polling the least number ’1 of votes will take the place of Mr. Coulson ; and, as it would or 1 Decilitre 3 " " have been this gentleman’s turn to resign his seat next year, in or 1 Centilitre ’01 ,, 2 3/4 fluid drachms. or 1 Millitre like manner his substitute will do the same. This will be = 17 minims. ’001 ,,
recognition
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T
Brompton, June,
am-
1863.
Sir.
obedient servant. D. O. EDWARDS, F.R.C.S.
vour
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES OF THE NEW PHAEMACOPŒIA. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,—I have ventured to address you on a subject as to which practitioners must feel an interest, but as yet have not expressed a public opinion; I mean the weights and measures medical
The terms hectogramme and decagramme are rarely used in practice, these quantities being usually expressed in grammes; thus-100 grammes, 10 grammes. Grammes of substances divided into 15 parts will give grain doses. A decigramme is equal to 1½ grain. The word " gramme" has been objected to on account of its similarity to the word "grain," and apprehensions have been felt as to a mistake possibly occurring from that circumstance; but a gramme is fifteen times more than a grain, and therefore a very moderate knowledge of doses is an entire protection from such an error. I am. Sir. vour obedient servant. P. SQUIRE, President of the Pharmaceutical Society Oxford-street, of Great Britain. June, 1863.
to be used in medicine. There is now a Bill before
Parliament, which will be read a APOTHECARIES’ HALL, IRELAND. second time early in July, for decimalizing the weights and To the Editor of THE LANCET. The Pharmaceutical Society has presented a petimeasures. tion in favour of the Bill, and meetings of chemists have been SIR,—Permit me to call your attention to an error in your held in various parts of the country that have passed resoof the General Medical Council of the recent report lutions in favour of the Bill; the Leeds Association of Chemists in reference to the proceedings nature of the vote come to regarding the have even addressed the Medical Council, praying it to adopt of the title of the Apothecaries’ Company of Dublin the metrical system in the British Pharmacopœia. I may men- " to Medicine in Great Britain and Ireland." practise tion also, that the committee appointed by the Medical Council Your report states that"on their claim it was shown that to prepare the British Pharmacopoeia proposed its adoption. authorities were in direct conflict, and that the Council There is, doubtless, a great advantage in the metrical over the legal did not, therefore, reopen the inquiry." system now in use in expressing the formulas. Take, as an Whereas the inquiry was fully reopened in the Council on example, the formula for mistura ferri composita P.L ; and I the occasion referred to, and the claim of the Company so might have taken decoction of aloes and several others, but one clearly shown and proved that the Council affirmed the prowill suffice:— position by a large majority of votes. It is with much pleasure I observe that this decision of the Mistura Ferri Composita. Council is in accord with your own view, as set forth in a leadTake of-Myrrh, in powder 2 drachms. ing article of THE LANCET so far back as the 1st of October, 1859. Carbonate of potash 1 drachm. I am. Sir. vours verv trulv. Rose water ......18 fluid ounces. CHARLES HENRY LEET, of iron 2½scruples. Sulphate to the Court of Examiners. Secretary 1 fluid ounce. Spirit of nutmeg The Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland, White sugar 2 drachms. June 1863. Dublin, 23rd, Total-19 ounces, 5 drachms, and 2 scruples. It would require some little calculation to find the relative ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. proportion of the active ingredients; whereas if the formula were expressed in the metrical system a glance would be sufficient to show it. THE approaching election of Fellows into the Council of this The weights in the above are apothecaries’, and the measure which will take place on Thursday next, the 2nd institution, is the imperial; but in the new Pharmacopeeia the apothecaries’ is exciting the greatest interest; and, as several corthe and to and ounce to proximo, is be abolished imperial pound weight be substituted; and it is this change from one system to an- respondents are desirous of knowing how the voting will be other, without change of names, to which chemists object. conducted, it has been ascertained that the following plan will The present pound contains 12 ounces, 5760 grains. be adopted :ounce " 480, On entering the library, the Fellows will find papers with the names of the six candidates printed thereon in chronological The proposed pound contains 16 ounces, = 7000 grains. " ounce" 437 5 " order, commencing with that of Mr. Hawkins, the retiring As there is to be no drachm nor scruple, all quantities member, and finishing with that of Mr. Hancock. Providing under the ounce will have to be expressed in grains; and this himself, therefore, with one of these, the elector may retire to unfortunate ounce, already containing a fraction of a grain, can a distant part of that or another room, and draw his pen through be doubled, but not divided, to make a whole number of grains. the names of those candidates for whom he does not vote, Under these circumstances, chemists are of opinion that it taking great care not to leave more than three names, though a would be far better to go to the metrical system at once, and less number may be left if he please; i. e., he may vote for one, learn something that is permanent, than be put to great incon- two, or three, and no more. On the last occasion several votes were venience for a system which can only be temporary. The lost by leaving four names in the list, which were at once canmetrical is always employed in analysis, most of the modern celled. Having corrected his voting paper, and folded it up to medical practitioners have already been accustomed to it in prevent any prying eye from seeing how he has exercised his experiments during their pupilage, and all educated pharma- franchise, the elector will then sign his name and address on ceutists are well acquainted with it; so that there seems no another paper provided for that purpose, which he will hand obstacle to its introduction at once. There are, it is true, many to a clerk of the cheque, who will ascertain if his name is in members of the profession still in practice who have not become the list of Fellows, whereupon he will be introduced to the acquainted with it, and perhaps will never now trouble them- President, Mr. Luke, and invited to deposit his voting paper selves to learn it; but a few simple comparisons will soon in a box provided for that especial purpose. All the Fellows indoctrinate them into a sufficiently practical acquaintance to present having voted, a period of ten minutes will be allowed, in pursuance of the charter, to ascertain if any other elector serve for prescribing. wishes to vote, at the expiration of which time the President Apothecaries’ Weight. 1000 Grammes or 1 Kilogramme = 32 ounces 1½ drachm. will declare the voting closed, and will at once proceed to ascertain the numbers, in which he will be checked by the 100 or 1 Rectogramme = 3¼ " " officers of the College, and as many Fellows as may like to do 10 or 1 drachms. " Decagramme = 2 the same. This having been done, and the numbers counted, 1 Gramme 15¼ grains. the President will declare the result, with which this portion ’1 or 1 Docigramme " 1 " of the proceedings will close. It may not be generally known, but the fact deserves to be Imperial Measure. 1 Litre 35 fluid ounces. recorded, that the succe.,z,3ful candidate polling the least number ’1 of votes will take the place of Mr. Coulson ; and, as it would or 1 Decilitre 3 " " have been this gentleman’s turn to resign his seat next year, in or 1 Centilitre ’01 ,, 2 3/4 fluid drachms. or 1 Millitre like manner his substitute will do the same. This will be = 17 minims. ’001 ,,
recognition
...
...
...
......
=
......
......
I,
=
=
=
=