The dispensatory of the United States of America

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VALUABLE MEDICAL BOOKS,

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Preface

THE FIRST EDITION.

The objects of a Dispensatory are to present an account of medicinal substances in the state in which they are brought into the shops, and to teach the modes in which they are prepared for use. The importance of these objects, and the general value and even necessity of a work of this nature, will not be disputed. It may, however, be a question, how far the wants of the medical and pharmaceutical community in this country are supplied by the Dispensatories already in circulation ; and whether such a deficiency exists as to justify the offer of a new one to the public attention. The great merits of the works severally entitled " The Edinburgh New Dispensatory/' and " The London Dispensatory," the former edited by the late Andrew Duncan, M.D., the latter by Anthony Todd Thomson, M.D., are well known wherever the English language is spoken. Founded, as they both are, upon the excellent basis laid by Lewis, they are nevertheless entitled, from the great addition of valuable materials, and the distinctive character exhibited in the arrangement of these materials, to be considered as original works ; while the style in which they have been executed speaks strongly in favour of the skill and industry of their authors. But they were calculated especially for the sphere of Great Britain, and are too deficient in all that relates exclusively to this country, to admit of being received as standards here. In the history of our commerce in drugs, and of the nature, growth, and collection of our indigenous medical plants ; in the chemical operations of our extensive laboratories ; and in the modes of preparing, dispensing, and applying medicines, which have gradually grown into use among us; there is much that is peculiar, a knowledge of which is not to be gained from foreign books, and is yet necessary to the character of an accomplished American pharmaceutist. We have, moreover, a National Pharmacopoeia, which requires an explanatory commentary, in order that its vi Preface.

precepts may be fully appreciated, and advantageously put into practice. On these accounts it is desirable that there should be a Dispensatory of the United States, which, while it embraces whatever is useful in European pharmacy, may accurately represent the art as it exists in this country, and give instruction adapted to our peculiar wants. It appears due to our national character, that such a work should be in good faith an American work, newly prepared in all its parts, and not a mere edition of one of the European Dispensatories, with here and there additions and alterations, which, though they may be useful in themselves, cannot be made to harmonize with the other materials so as to give to the whole an appearance of unity, and certainly would not justify the assumption of a new and national title for the book. Whether in the Dispensatories which have been published in the United States, these requisites have been satisfactorily fulfilled, it rests with the public to determine. That valuable treatises on Materia Medica and Pharmacy have been issued in this country, no candid person, acquainted with our medical literature, will be disposed to deny. In offering a new work to the medical and pharmaceutical professions, the authors do not wish to be considered as undervaluing the labours of their predecessors. They simply conceive, that the field has not been so fully occupied as to exclude all competition. The pharmacy of continental Europe is ground which has been almost untouched ; and much information in relation to the natural history, commerce, and management of our own drugs, has lain ungathered in the possession of individuals, or scattered in separate treatises and periodicals not generally known and read. Since the publication of the last edition of our National Pharmacopoeia, no general explanation of its processes has appeared, though required in justice both to that work and to the public. The hope of being able to supply these deficiencies, may, perhaps, be considered a sufficient justification for the present undertaking.

The Pharmacopoeia of the United States has been adopted as the basis of this Dispensatory. It is followed both in its general division of medicines, and in its alphabetical arrangement of them under each division. Precedence is, in every instance, given to the names which it recognises; while the explanations by which it fixes the signification of these names, are inserted in immediate connexion with the titles to which they severally belong. Every article which it designates is more or less fully described ; and all its processes, after being literallv copied, are commented on and explained whenever comment or ex planation appeared necessary. Nothing, in fine, has been omitted,

Preface. vii

which, in the estimation of the authors, could serve to illustrate its meaning, or promote the ends which it was intended to subserve. This course of proceeding appeared to be due to the national character of the Pharmacopoeia, and to the important object of establishing, as far as possible, throughout the United States, uniformity both in the nomenclature and preparation of medicines. In one particular, convenience required that the plan of the Pharmacopoeia should be departed from. The medicines belonging to the department of Materia Medica, instead of being arranged in two divisions, corresponding with the Primary and Secondary Catalogues of that work, have been treated of indiscriminately in alphabetical succession ; and the place which they respectively hold in the Pharmacopoeia is indicated by the employment of the term Secondary, in connexion with the name of each of the medicines included in the latter catalogue.

But though precedence has thus been given to the Pharmacopoeia of the United States, those of Great Britain have not been neglected. The nomenclature adopted by the different British Colleges, and their formulae for the preparation of medicines, have been so extensively followed throughout the United States, that a work intended to represent the present state of pharmacy in this country would be imperfect without them ; and the fact that the writings of British physicians and surgeons, in which their own officinal terms and preparations are exclusively employed and referred to, have an extensive circulation among us, renders some commentary necessary in order to prevent serious mistakes. The Pharmacopoeias of London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, have, therefore, been incorporated, in all their essential parts, into the present work. Their officinal titles are uniformly given — always in subordination to those of the United States Pharmacopoeia, when they express the same object; but in chief, when, as often happens, no corresponding medicine or preparation is recognised by our national standard. In the latter case, if different names are applied by different British Colleges to the same object, that is generally preferred which, is most in accordance with our own system of nomenclature, and the others are given as synonymes. The medicines directed by the British Colleges are all described, and their processes cither copied at length, or so far explained as to be intelligible in all essential particulars.

Besides the medicinal substances recognised as officinal by the Pharmacopoeias alluded to, some others have been described, which, either from the lingering remains of former reputation, or from recent reports in their favour, or from their important relation to medicines in general use, appeal- to have claims upon the attention of the physiviii Preface.

cian and apothecary. Opportunity has, moreover, been taken to introduce incidentally brief accounts of substances used in other countries or in former times, and occasionally noticed in medical books ; and that the reader may be able to refer to them when desirous of information, their names have been placed with those of the standard remedies in the Index.

In the description of each medicine, if derived immediately from the animal, vegetable, or mineral kingdom, the attention of the authors has been directed to its natural history, the place of its growth or production, the method of collecting and preparing it for market, its commercial history, the state in which it reaches us, its sensible properties, its chemical composition and relations, the changes which it undergoes by time and exposure, its accidental or fraudulent adulterations, its medical properties and application, its economical uses, and the pharmaceutical treatment to which it is subjected. If a chemical preparation, the mode and principles of its manufacture are indicated in addition to the other particulars. If a poison, and likely to be accidentally taken, or purposely employed as such, its peculiar toxicological effects, together with the mode of counteracting them, are indicated ; and the best means of detecting its presence by reagents are explained.

The authors have followed the example of Dr. A. T. Thomson, in giving botanical descriptions of the plants from which the medicines treated of are derived. In relation to all indigenous medicinal plants, and those naturalized or cultivated in this country, the advantages of such descriptions are obvious. The physician may often be placed in situations, in which it may be highly important that he should be able to recognise the vegetable which yields a particular medicine ; and the apothecary is constantly liable to imposition from the collectors of herbs, unless possessed of the means of distinguishing by infallible marks the various products presented to him. A knowledge of foreign medicinal plants, though of less importance, will be found useful in various ways, independently of the gratification afforded by the indulgence of a liberal curiosity in relation to objects so closely connected with our daily pursuits. The introduction of these botanical notices into a Dispensatory appears to be peculiarly appropriate, as they are to be considered rather as objects for occasional reference than for regular study or continuous perusal, and therefore coincide with the general design of the work, which is to collect into a convenient form for consultation all that is practically important in relation to medicines. The authors have endeavoured to preserve a due pro-

Preface. ix

portion between the minuteness of the descriptions, and their value as means of information to the student ; and, in pursuance of this plan, have generally dwelt more at length upon our native plants, than upon those of foreign growth : but in all instances, in which they have deemed any botanical description necessary, they have taken care to include in it the essential scientific character of the genus and species, with a reference to the position of the plant in the artificial and natural systems of classification ; so that a person acquainted with the elements of botany may be able to recognise it when it comes under his observation.

In preparing the Dispensatory, the authors have consulted, in addition to many of the older works of authority, the greater number of the treatises and dissertations which have recently appeared upon the various subjects connected with Pharmacy, and especially those of the French writers, who stand at present at the head of this department of medical science. They have also endeavoured to collect such detached facts scattered through the various scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical journals, as they conceived to be important in themselves, and applicable to the subjects under consideration ; and have had frequent recourse to the reports of travellers in relation to the natural and commercial history of foreign drugs. The occasional references in the body of the work will indicate the sources from which they have most largely drawn, and the authorities upon which they have most relied. In relation to our own commerce in drugs, and to the operations of our chemical laboratories, they are indebted for information chiefly to the kindness of gentlemen engaged in these branches of business, who have always evinced, in answering their numerous inquiries, a promptitude and politeness which merit their warm thanks, and which they are pleased to have this opportunity of acknowledging.*

It has not been deemed necessary to follow the example of the British Dispensatories, by inserting into the work a treatise upon Chemistry under the name of Elements of Pharmacy. Such a treatise must necessarily be very meagre and imperfect ; and, as systems of chemistry are in the hands of every physician and apothecary, would uselessly occupy the place of valuable matter of less easy access.

* The authors deem it proper to state that they are peculiarly indebted for assistance to Mr. Daniel B. Smith, president of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, to whom, besides much important information in relation to the various branches of the Apothecary's business, they owe the prefatory remarks on Pharmacy which are placed at the commencement of the second part of the work, and the several articles, in the Materia Mcdica, upon Leeches, Litmus, and the Carbonate and Sulphate of Mugtiesia. 2* x Preface.

The authors may perhaps be permitted to observe, in relation to themselves, that they have expended much time and labour in the preparation of the work ; have sought diligently for facts from every readily accessible source ; have endeavoured by a comparison of authorities, and a close scrutiny of evidence, to ascertain the truth whenever practicable ; and have exerted themselves to the extent of their abilities to render the Dispensatory worthy of public approbation, both for the quality and quantity of its contents, and the general accuracy of its statements. They are conscious, nevertheless, that in so great a multiplicity of details, numerous errors and deficiencies may exist, and that the faults of undue brevity in some cases, and prolixity in others, may not have been entirely avoided : but they venture to hope that a candid public will make all due allowances ; and they take the liberty to invite, from all those who may feel interested in the diffusion of sound pharmaceutical knowledge, the communication of friendly suggestions or criticisms in relation to the objects and execution of the work.

Philadelphia, January, 1833.

PRESFACE

THE SECOND EDITION.

In presenting to the public a second edition of the Dispensatory of the United States, the authors consider it due to themselves to state, that it is not a mere reprint of the first. They have subjected the whole work to a careful revision, correcting errors which occurred to their own notice or were kindly pointed out by their friends, supplying omissions whenever observed, curtailing superfluities both of matter and expression, and occupying the space thus gained by such additional facts and comments as appeared to them most likely to be useful. The period which has elapsed since the publication of the first edition, is too short to have allowed opportunity for many new discoveries in pharmaceutical science ; but such as have been announced in the journals of Europe or this country, have been introduced, whenever deemed of sufficient practical importance. The authors have also had recourse, with advantage, to the recent volumes of Berzelius's great work on chemistry, and to several German treatises of high authority on botany, materia medica, and pharmacy, which they had not the opportunity of consulting in the original preparation of the Dispensatory. Several new articles, as those on coffee, tea, and tannin, have been added to the division of Materia Medica ; and in the Appendix has been given a list of numerous drugs and medicines not included in the officinal catalogues, with brief descriptions, proportioned to their former or present importance, or to the degree in which they are related to medicine and pharmacy. By these additions the work has been swelled nearly one hundred pages ; and the authors trust that its value has been increased in at least an equal proportion. If, however, deficiencies and errors should still be observed, some excuse for them may be found in the shortness of the period allowed for revision ; little more than ten months having elapsed since the publication of the first edition.

Philadelphia, November f 1833.

Abbreviations employed in the Work.

U.S. — "The Pharmacopeia of the United States of America. By authority of the National Medical Convention, held at Washington, A.D. 1830."

Lond. — London Pharmacopeia, A.D. 1824.

Ed. — Edinburgh Pharmacopeia, A.D. 1817.

Dub. — Dublin Pharmacopeia, A.D. 1826.

Off. Syn. — Officinal Synonymes, or the titles employed by the Pharmacopoeias with the accompanying explanations, when these titles are not given in chief.

Sex. Syst. — The Sexual System, or the artificial system of Linnaeus, founded on the sexual organization of plants.

Nat. Ord. — The Natural Order to which any particular genus of plants belongs. When not otherwise stated, it is to be understood that the natural orders referred to are those recognised by Professor Lindley, of the University of London, in his "Introduction to the Natural System of Botany."

Gen. Ch. — The Generic Character, or scientific description of any particular genus of plants under consideration.

Off. Prep. — Officinal Preparations; including all the preparations into which any particular medicine directed by the U.S. Pharmacopoeia and the British Colleges enters. When the same preparation has received different names in the different Pharmacopoeias, only one of these names is mentioned, and precedence is always given to that of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia.

Sp. Gr. — Specific Gravity.

Equiv. — Chemical Equivalent, or the number representing the smallest quantity in which one body usually combines with others.

Linn. — Linnaeus. — Juss. Jussieu. — De Cand. De Candolle. — Willd. Sp. Plant., Willdenow's edition of the species plantarum of Linnaeus.— Woodv.Med. But. Woodville's Medical Botany, 2nd edition.

Fr.y French. — Germ., German. — Ital., Italian. — Span., Spanish. Arab.

Arabic.

THE

DISPENSATORY

OF

THE UNITED STATES.