THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For JUNE, 1766. Pharmacopoeia Medici. Auctore Joanne Berkenhout, M. D. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Becket. ELE LEGANCE, efficacy, and fimplicity, are the requifites to a good PRESCRIPTION:-and every work which has a tendency to accomplish thefe ends, has a proportional degree of merit.Dr. Berkenhout prefixes to his Pharmacopoeia, the Chemia Pharmaceutica Elementa; abstracted from the Lectures of Dr. Cullen*, the most ingenious and the most happy fyftematic chemift who has yet appeared; and to whom Dr. Berkenhout acknowledges his obligations in these words: Si in prima hujus libelli parte fcientiæ quicquid et novi illuceat, celeberrimo id omne Profeffori CULLEN referendum effe fatemur: viro in medicina docenda egregio, qui chemiam, primus et præcipuus in noftris hifce diebus, veram ad fcientiam redegiffe videtur." -Inftead of claffing bodies according to the three kingdoms, the fofffle, vegetable and animal, to which, indeed, there are many objections, the following is the method adopted by our Author: Corpora omnia in fex claffes dividuntur; viz. Salina, inflammabilia, metallica, terrea, aquofa, aeria: quarum quinque priores materiæ medicæ aliquid fuppeditant. *Profeffor of chemistry in the univerfity of Edinburgh, but very lately appointed profeffor of the theory of medicine in the fame univerfity. VOL. XXXIV. E e INFLAM INFLAMMABILIA. Sunt corpora quæ ignem concipiunt et confumuntur. Snativum animale empyreumaticum expreffum Sunt per calorem fufibilia, ad metallicam formam frigore redeuntia, et maxima gaudent gravitate specifica. Sunt folida, fapida, nec aqua pura fimplici folubilia, nec inflammabi lia, et nunquam fufibilia quin in vitrum abeant. TERREA.. absorbentes Sunt fluida, parum elaftica, nunquam inflammabilia, et circa gradum 34. Therm. Farenheitiani congelabilia. communis Aqua {mineralis. This method of claffing bodies, is eafy, accurate, and comprehenfive: we fhall take the liberty however to obferve, that under the divifion of the inflammable bodies, there are enumerated three varieties of the vegetable oils, viz. the expreffed, effential, and empyreumatic; and only two varieties of the animal, viz. the expreffed, and empyreumatic; and yet it is certain from experiments, that an effential oil is obtainable from animal as well as vegetable fubjects: there fhould therefore have been three varieties under each of thefe heads. To the varieties likewife of the femi-metals, viz. zinc, antimony, arfenic; fhould have been added the following, bifmuth, platina, cobalt, and nickel. After this general divifion, our Author proceeds to give an abstract of the chemical hiftory of the faline bodies; but previously draws out a table of the twelve neutral falts; thefe are formed by a combination of the four acids with the three alkalies.-As it is very. very useful for young chemifts to exercife themselves in this table, we fhall tranfcribe it: the firft column contains the four acids, the second the three alkalies placed oppofite to each acid, and the laft the neutral falts which are the refult of their combination. 1 Ammon. vegetabile. In the detail of the acids the following method is obferved : the fynonymes of each acid are firft enumerated; then the subjects, from which it may be obtained; and lastly, its chemical relations to other bodies.- After thus particularizing the acids, Dr. B. gives the proprietates acidorum generales. With fome chemifts this order is inverted, and the general properties are first related. The fame method is obferved with refpect to the alkalies, and the neutral falts; except that in the neutral falts, the various fubftances from which each neutral may be obtained, whether by a fingle or double elective attraction, are placed the laft.With the perfect neutral falts, our Author concludes the chemie pharmaceutica elementa, without giving any account of the metallic or earthy falts.We wifh, however, that he had not only compleated the falina, but that he had likewise proceeded to the other divifions, the inflammabilia, metallica, terrea, aquafa, which conftitute a part of the materia medica as well as the falina. Previous to the formula, we have two catalogues, the one including the medicamenta fimplicia, the other the preparata; and to each article are annexed, the fmalleft, the middle, and the extreme, dofes. This part has the merit of being concife, and at the fame time, as the articles are well chofen, comprehenfive. We shall now proceed to the formule themselves; and as we are convinced that the methodus præfcribendi may be brought to a much greater degree of fimplicity and perfection than it has hitherto arrived at; and as we wish to concur with our Author in promoting these valuable ends; we truft he will not be displeased with a free and candid examination of this part of the work, whether refpecting the arrangement, compofition, or dose, c his formula. E e 2 A INFLAMMABILIA. Sunt corpora quæ ignem concipiunt et confumuntur. animale Snativum empyreumaticum expreffum Sunt per calorem fufibilia, ad metallicam formam frigore redeuntia, et maxima gaudent gravitate specifica. perfecta Jaurum argentum Metalla argent. vivum. plumbum imperfecta cuprum ftannum ferrum zincum Semi-metalla antimonium arfenicum Sunt folida, fapida, nec aqua pura fimplici folubilia, nec infiammabi lia, et nunquam fufibilia quin in vitrum abeant. TERRE A.. Sunt fluida, parum elaftica, nunquam inflammabilia, et circa gradum 34. Therm. Farenheitiani congelabilia.. Aqua {mineralis. communis This method of claffing bodies, is eafy, accurate, and comprehenfive: we fhall take the liberty however to obferve, that under the divifion of the inflammable bodies, there are enumerated three varieties of the vegetable oils, viz. the expreffed, efsential, and empyreumatic; and only two varieties of the animal, viz. the expreffed, and empyreumatic; and yet it is certain from experiments, that an effential oil is obtainable from animal as well as vegetable fubjects: there fhould therefore have been three varieties under each of these heads.-To the varieties likewife of the femi-metals, viz. zinc, antimony, arfenic; fhould have been added the following, bifmuth, platina, cobalt, and nickel. After this general divifion, our Author proceeds to give abstract of the chemical history of the faline bodies; but previe draws out a table of the twelve neutral falts; these a combination of the four acids with the threes very useful for young chemifts to exercise themselves in this table, we fhall tranfcribe it: the first column contains the four acids, the fecond the three alkalies placed oppofite to each acid, and the last the neutral falts which are the refult of their combination. SALES. Volatile Vegetabile Tartar regenerat. Sal Rupellens. In the detail of the acids the following method is obferved: the fynonymes of each acid are first enumerated; then the fubjects, from which it may be obtained; and laftly, its chemical relations to other bodies.- After thus particularizing the acids, Dr. B. gives the proprietates acidorum generales. With fome che mifts this order is inverted, and the general properties are first related.The fame method is obferved with refpect to the alkalies, and the neutral falts; except that in the neutral falts, the various fubftances from which each neutral may be obtained, whether by a fingle or double elective attraction, are placed the laft.With the perfect neutral falts, our Author concludes the chemia pharmaceutica elementa, without giving any account of the metallic or earthy falts.We wifh, however, that he had not only compleated the falina, but that he had likewise proceeded to the other divifions, the inflammabilia, metallica, terrea, aquofa, which constitute a part of the materia medica as well as the falina. Previous to the formula, we have two catalogues, the one including the medicamenta fimplicia, the other the preparata; and to each article are annexed, the smalleft, the middle, and the extreme, dofes. This part has the merit of being concife, and at the same time, as the articles are well chofen, comprehensive. We shall now proceed to the formule themselves; and as we are convinced that the methodus præfcribendi may be brought to a much greater degree of fimplicity and perfection than it has hitherto arrived at; and as we wish to concur with our Author in fing these valuable ends; we truft he will not be displeased ee and candid examination of this part of the work, efpecting the arrangement, compofition, or dose, of |