Gray's supplement to the pharmacopoeia : being a concise but comprehensive dispensatory and manual of facts and formulae for the chemist and druggist and medical practioner / E. Theophilus Redwood.

Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Gray's supplement to the pharmacopoeia : being a concise but comprehensive dispensatory and manual of facts and formulae for the chemist and druggist and medical practioner / E. Theophilus Redwood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

    17/1136 (page 5)
    The London Pharmacopoeia, which had first appeared in 1618, and had undergone slight alterations and improvements in sub- sequent editions of 1621, 1632, and 1639, was remodelled in 1650. In this edition, the names of the original authors of the several . formulae, which had previously been inserted, were omitted. Several new formulas were added, and some of the old ones left out. Similar alterations were again made in 1677. An excellent formula for Usquebach, sive aqua vifce, Hibernis popularis was inserted in this edition, (see formulae,) and several other equally important additions were made. The next material change was made in 1721, under the presidency of Sir Hans Sloane; when, for the first time, the botanical names of the vege- tables included in the Materia Medica, were given; it being stated in the preface, The catalogue of simples has been drawn up entirely de novo: the name of each plant, and in some cases there is more than one, has been annexed; as well the officinal name, as that which is retained by the more accurate botanists. Those who know how easily plants of the same genus and name may be confounded, must clearly see that errors could scarcely have been avoided in any other way, than by employing this dis- tinction of terms:' This was the first step towards a scientific im- provement m the work; in other respects, however, it still re- tained its original character, the great majority of the formulas remaining unaltered, although a few of the obsolete ones were omitted. Among other changes, Saccharam Hordeatum (barleu- sugar) was substituted for Saccharum Penidium, {toffy). At this period, a more correct and concise method of pre- scribing, * began to prevail among the most eminent of the physicians, with whom the old-fashioned formulas, lengthened out with redundancy of heterogeneous and often incompatible in- gredients, had fallen into disuse; and a desire soon prevailed for ettcc ting a more radical reformation in the Pharmacopoeia than had hitherto been attempted. Most of the formulas adopted by the London College, even those of the Pharmacopoeia of 1721 weie taken from the works of Mesne, Nicolaus, Renodius Fernel' ^ authors 0f this class, with reference to toil* the College mthe preface to their Pharmacopoeia of 1746 state <<ft were certainly a disgrace, and just reproach, if pharmacy should any longer abound with those inartificial and ir/egXfixtures Sri V T°raUCe °f th6 first ^es ^troduced, and he pen , i SaSS Pfons enibrced; against which SJStaS the most nart^ VCS - ^ SGarch °f* antidotes. ^ich for otacks dreams Z^T^fj^ d°ntiu^ cWivcd fro* frame oomStioZ «ftrol0g?oal fancies; and vainly hoping to compositions, that might singly prevail against every * Trcfnce to the London rimmiacopcein. 1746.