A thoroughly up-to-date Pharmacopeia—one which will truly reflect the best medical practice of the present time—will contribute more to sane drug therapeutics than any other one thing. It is a question, therefore, that should be considered seriously and without further delay, since the time for the convention that is to decide the policy on which the next revision is to be made and who shall be in control is rapidly approaching. In THE JOURNAL last week,1 Sollmann put the question squarely before the medical profession: “If the Pharmacopeia is not and cannot be made practically important to the physicians, then let us abandon it altogether.” It is needless to say that not many physicians would seriously entertain the suggestion of abandoning the Pharmacopeia; yet the attitude of indifference shown by the profession in general in connection with the last pharmacopeial convention was almost equivalent to abandoning it—so far as medical men were concerned.
In order to make the Pharmacopeia a more useful book, however, it is necessary to break what Sollmann so aptly terms a “vicious circle”: “Physicians take no interest in pharmacopeial revision, because the Pharmacopeia does not represent their vital interest; and the Pharmacopeia does not represent their interest because they take no interest in its revision.” The question of vital importance now is how can this vicious circle be broken? Physicians who have given the matter serious thought believe that important changes are required; it is necessary, therefore, that the delegates of the medical profession to the next convention should inform themselves specifically as to the needs, direction and aim of pharmacopeial revision. Sollmann makes a number of pertinent suggestions on this subject which should be carefully studied by all, and especially by those who will represent the medical organizations at the next convention.
The carrying out of some of the suggestions (the method of selecting the Committee on Revision, for example) would involve certain changes in the present by-laws of the convention; these should, of course, receive most careful consideration. But the present by-laws state that “the Committee on Revision shall execute such orders or resolutions as have been assigned to it by the convention,” and it is in this manner (as well as in the collecting of data for the committee) that the delegates can make their influence felt without any change in the present by-laws. Among the subjects of most medical interest on which the committee might be positively instructed, the following are suggested: standards for admissions, elimination of all secrecy, frequency of revision and the issue of supplements, and the question of doses. It is highly desirable that delegates and prospective delegates pay especial attention to these questions.
Attention may again be called to the conditions of medical representation in the Pharmacopeial Convention of 1910. In addition to the delegates appointed by the Army, Navy, and Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service and by the American Medical Association, incorporated medical colleges and medical schools connected with incorporated colleges and universities, and incorporated state medical associations, provided they “shall have been incorporated within and shall have been in continuous operation in the United States for at least five years before the time fixed for the decennial meeting of this corporation,” are each entitled to three delegates, elected in the manner they shall respectively provide. There are also a few organizations not hereinbefore mentioned, admitted to representation in the convention of 1900, which are entitled to send delegates. We again urge that county and other medical societies should take up the subject, discuss it thoroughly, and make their wishes known by resolutions or otherwise. The U. S. Pharmacopeia was originally created and kept up by physicians. Let us at least take sufficient interest in it to make it as near what we want as is possible under present conditions.
1. THE JOURNAL A. M. A., Nov. 6, 1909, liii, 1543.
JAMA. 1909;53(20):1645
Editor's Note: JAMA 100 Years Ago is transcribed verbatim from articles published a century ago, unless otherwise noted.
Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature
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