1 N ST RUCTIONS 
ISSUED BY THE 
SIXTH DECENNIAL CONVENTION 
FOR THE 
REVISION OP THE PHARIiAOOPIEIA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
TO THE 
COMMITTEE OF REVISION AND PUBLICATION 
APPOINTED BY THE SAME. 
1880. I. General Principles to be followed in Revising the Pharmacopoeia.* 
1. Language.—The text of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia 
is to be written in the English language ; but the titles 
of the officinal substances and preparations are to be 
given, as heretofore, both in Latin and English. 
2. Alphabetical Arrangement.—The present division 
into “Materia Medica ” (comprising a Primary and 
Secondary List) and “ Preparations ” is to be abolish- 
ed, and all articles are to be arranged in a continuous 
alphabetical order, retaining, however, such headings 
as Extracta, Extraeta Fluida, Decocta, Infusa, etc., 
wherever it may be found useful to give general direc- 
tions referring to the whole class. At the same time 
all formulae for the preparation of the single members 
of each class shall be made complete in themselves. 
3. Synonyms.—The different headings shall be ac- 
companied, in a manner not interfering with the per- 
spicuity of the text of the formulae, by a list of 
synonyms in common use. 
4. Cross-References.—At the end of each article a 
short paragraph is to be added, giving the names of 
all the preparations into which the substance or pre- 
paration, treated of in the article, enters. 
5. Descriptions of Crude Drugs.—To all crude drugs, 
of animal or vegetable origin, concise but complete 
descriptions are to be added, sufficient to indicate the 
distinctive characteristics visible to the naked eye, 
and, when necessary, such as are visible under an 
ordinary good pocket lens, magnifying about 10 dia- 
meters. Where external and visible properties are 
insufficient to properly characterize the substance (as 
in the case of gums, resins, balsams, etc.), it shall be 
further defined by its physical and chemical proper- 
ties. 
The botanical names of plants shall be accompanied 
by the name of the author, but all therapeutical dis- 
cussion shall be omitted. 
6. Descriptions of Chemicals.—All mineral sub- 
stances, or chemical preparations, except those where 
differences in process produce different results, are to 
be described and defined by concise and complete 
tests of identity and purity, without giving processes. 
Processes for the preparation of Morphia, Quinia, and 
the other alkaloids are to be omitted, but the articles 
“Opium” and “Cinchona” shall be accompanied 
with detailed processes of assay for the alkaloids; and 
the minimum percentage of total alkaloids to be re- 
quired in Cinchona, and them inimum and maximum 
percentage of Morphia in Opium shall be prescribed 
in the Pharmacopoeia. 
N.B. A resolution was adopted that the Committee of Re- 
vision consider with great care the words used in the preceding 
section. 
7. Chemical Formulae.—R\\ chemicals of a definite 
composition should have their primary rational [thus : 
Acetic Acid: HO, C4H303; HC,2H302.] formulae added, 
both according to the old and to the new notation, 
together with their atomic or molecular weights. The 
formulae according to the new nomenclature should 
be distinguished by prominent type. 
8. Processes for Chemicals.—In the case of those 
chemical preparations, where different processes yield 
different results, the process to be followed in each 
case shall be described in detail. 
9. Parts by Weight.—All measures of capacity shall 
be abandoned and quantities shall be expressed in 
parts by weight; except that in the matter of Fluid Ex- 
tracts, the Committee of Revision and Publication 
shall have authority to adopt such process or processes 
as shall seem to it best. 
10. Formulce of Preparations at present officinal. 
a. All such tinctures, wines, etc., in which a slight 
variation of dose is of no importance, are to be made 
as nearly as possible of a uniform percentage strength* 
that is, 1 part of the drug is to be made into 5 parts 
of tincture, etc., or into 10 parts of tincture, as the 
case may be. 
b. In the case of highly active preparations, as 
Tinctura Aconiti Radicis, Tinct. Nucis Vomicce, Tinct. 
Opii, Tinct. Veratri Viridis, the present strength is to 
be as nearly as possible retained; but in the liquid 
Opium preparations, excepting Paregoric, the strength 
of 10 per cent shall be adopted, if found advisable. 
11. Numerical Relation of Quantities.—The quanti- 
ties, or parts by weight, of the ingredients entering 
into a composition, are to be expressed in the simplest 
possible terms ; and, whenever possible, in a centesi- 
mal ratio. 
12. Temperature shall be expressed both in degrees 
of Centigrade and in degrees of' Fahrenheit, thus : 
oo° C. (= oo° F.) 
13. Definitions of Physical Properties.—Varieties 
and degrees of color, consistence, transparency, fine- 
ness of powders, etc.,1 shall be as closely defined as 
possible. 
14. Specific Gravity.—A uniform method for taking 
the specific gravity of liquids shall be prescribed. 
15. Definite Expressions of Weight.—Whenever it 
is necessary to employ definite expressions of weight, 
as for instance, when :it is directed that a pill mass is 
to be divided into pills containing a certain weight of 
one or more constituents, this weight is to be ex- 
pressed both in metrical and in apothecaries’ weight. 
16. Weight of Finished Product.—In those formulae 
(for Syrups, Infusions, Elixirs, etc.), in which fixed 
quantities of ingredients are directed to be combined 
under circumstances \thich may involve a partial loss 
of any of the ingredients, as, for instance, where a 
variable amount of water may be lost by evaporation, 
the weight of the intended finished product should be 
specified, and when practicable should be brought up 
to 100 parts. 
17. Doses.—AH doses are to be omitted from the 
Pharmacopoeia. 
18. Tables to be appended to the Pharmacopoeia. 
a. List of new Additions. 
b. List of Articles dropped from the last Pharma- 
copoeia. 
c. List of Changes of Latin officinal Names. 
d. List of Changes of English officinal Names. 
e. Table of Weights and Measures. 
*For the sake of dearness and easy reference, the amendments adopted by the Convention have been at once incorporated into the 
sections to which they belong; and the resolutions have been arrangeckin a different order from that in which they were originally adopted. f. Table of Solubilities of the officinal Chemicals in 
Water and in Alcohol, at 15.50 C. (= 6o° F.), and at 
their boiling points. 
g. Alcoholometrical Table. 
h. Acidimetrical Tables (meaning tables of the 
specific gravity of acids). 
i. List of Reagents, for qualitative and quantitative 
—including volumetric—use, of a fixed strength or 
dilution, and accompanied by a brief statement of 
their use. 
k. Table of the Elementary Substances, with their 
symbols, atomicity, atomic weight, etc. 
* 
/. Weight and Volume Table. To facilitate the 
use of parts by weight (or, of the decimal system), in 
compounding, prescribing, and dispensing medicines, 
a table exhibiting the relationship between the weight 
and the measure of a given volume of any liquid pre- 
paration may be added. This should contain all the 
officinal liquids in alphabetical order. 
m. Table of the Specific Gravity of officinal Liquids 
for each degree between 10 and 250 C. (= 50-77° F.). 
n. A Table comparing the Strength of powerful 
Galenical Preparations of foreign Pharmacopoeias 
used in this country, with that of the corresponding 
Preparations of our own. 
0. A Table exhibiting the Differences in Strength 
of the Preparations, as made according to the present 
and the new U. S. Ph. 
p. A Table of Thermometric Equivalents. 
r. A Saturation-Table. 
s. Any other Tables which the Committee may 
deem expedient. 
t. A full Index containing all the Synonyms should 
conclude the book, with marks of accent, to indicate 
pronunciation, as heretofore. 
II. Resolutions regarding the Duties of the Committee of Revision, and the 
Duties of the Officers of the Convention. 
1. Title of Conunittee.—Resolved, that the title of 
Committee be: “ The Committee of Revision and 
Publication of the Pharmacopoeia of the United 
States of America.” 
2. Vacancies.—Resolved, that the Committee of 
Revision and Publication be empowered to fill its own 
vacancies. 
3. Dropping of Members.—Resolved, that any mem- 
ber of the Committtee of Revision and Publication, 
who shall neglect to perform the duties which have 
been assigned to and accepted by him, without pre- 
senting to the Committee a satisfactory excuse, may 
be dropped from membership, and that his place 
be filled by a new appointment by the Committee, 
consent of two-thirds of the entire Committee being 
requisite for so dropping a member. 
4. Employment of Experts.—Resolved, that the 
Committee of Revision and Publication be authorized 
to employ skilled experts to make such trials and in- 
vestigations as may be necessary to enable the Com- 
mittee to pass intelligent judgment upon the details 
of the work before it, such trials and investigations to 
be made under the direction of the Committee. 
5. Publication of the Pharmacopoeia.—Resolved, that 
the Committee of Revision and Publication be in- 
structed to award the publication of the United States 
Pharmacopoeia to the publishing house offering the 
best terms; the Committee to hold the copyright ; the 
price of the book to be limited, and the book to be 
sold through the ordinary trade channels. Action 
under this resolution shall require the approval of a 
majority of the whole Committee. 
6. Supplements to the Pharmacopoeia.—Resolved, that 
the Committee be authorized and directed to publish 
a supplement at the end of five years,—or oftener, if 
deemed expedient. 
7. Plan for the 7text Decennial Revisio7i.—Resolved, 
that the Committee shall report a complete plan for 
the revision of the Pharmacopoeia at the next decen- 
nial Convention. 
8. Turning over Papers to mxt Convention.—Re- 
solved, that the Committee of Revision and Publica- 
tion be instructed to turn over to the Convention of 
1890 all the papers relative to their Proceedings. 
9. Calling the Convention of 1890.—Resolved, that 
the President of this Convention shall, on or about the 
first day of May, 1889, issue a notice requesting the 
several incorporated Medical Societies, the incorpor- 
ated Medical Colleges, the incorporated Colleges of 
Pharmacy and incorporated Pharmaceutical Societies 
throughout the United States, and the American Med- 
ical, and American Pharmaceutical Associations, to 
elect a number of delegates, not exceeding three, and 
the Surgeon-General of the Army, the Surgeon-Gene- 
ral of the Navy, and the Surgeon-General of the 
Marine Hospital Service, to appoint each not exceed- 
ing three medical officers, to attend a general Conven- 
tion for the Revision of the Pharmacopoeia of the 
United States, to be held in Washington, D. C., on the 
first Wednesday of May, 1890. 
Resolved, that the several bodies, as well as the medi- 
cal departments of the Army, Navy, and Marine Hos- 
pital Service thus addressed, shall also be requested 
by the President to submit the Pharmacopoeia to a 
careful revision and to transmit the result of their 
labors, through their Delegates, to the Committee of 
Revision, at least three months before the next meet- 
ing of the Convention. 
Resolved, that the several medical and pharmaceuti- 
cal bodies shall be further requested to transmit to the 
President of this Convention the names and residen- 
ces of their respective Delegates, as soon as they shall 
have been appointed ; a list of whom shall be pub- 
lished, under his authority, for the information of the 
medical public, in the newspapers and medical jour- 
nals, in the month of March, 1890. 
10. Providing for Succession to the President, in case 
of his Death, Resignation or l7iability toad.—Resolved, 
that in the event of the death, resignation, or inability of 
the President of the Convention to act, these duties 
shall devolve, successively, in the following order of 
precedence : upon the Vice-Presidents, the Secretary, 
the Assistant-Secretary, and the Chairman of the 
Committee of Revision and Publication of the Phar- 
macopoeia. OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION OF 1880. 
Robert Amory, M.D , Brookline, Mass.—President. 
Samuel C. Busey, M.D., Washington, D. C.—ist Vice-President. 
Prof. P. W. Bedford, New York, N. Y.—2d Vice-President. 
F. A. Castle, M.D., New York, N. Y.—Secretary. 
C. H. A. Kleinschmtdt, M.D., Washington, D. C.—Assistant Secretary. 
COMMITTEE OF REVISION AND PUBLICATION OF THE PHARMACOPEIA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
Charles Rice, Ph.D., New York, N. Y.—Chairman. 
Prof. Joseph P. Remington, Philadelphia, Pa.— ist Vice-Chairman. 
Prof. C. Lewis Diehl, Louisville, Ky.—2d Vice-Chairman. 
Prof. P. W. Bedford, New York, N. Y.—Secretary. 
Thomas Doliber, Boston, Mass.— Treasurer. 
Robert Amory, M.D., Brookline, Mass. (President of Convention). 
F. A. Castle, M.D., New York, N. Y. (Secretary of Convention). 
D. L. Huntington, M.D., Lieut.-Col. and Surgeon U. S. A., Washington, D. C. 
B. F. Gibbs, M.D., Medical Inspector U. S. N., Washington, D. C. 
Prof. Oscar Oldberg, Phar.D., Washington, D. C. 
Louis Dohme, Baltimore, Md. 
Laurence Johnson, M.D., New York, N. Y. 
Prof. J. F. Judge, M.D., Cincinnati, O. 
Prof. J. M. Maisch, Phar.D., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Prof. G. F. H. Markoe, Boston, Mass. 
Henry B. Parsons, Ph.C., Washington, D. C. 
Prof. Henry G. Piffard, M.D., New York, N. Y. 
W. S. W. Ruschenberger, M.D., Medical Director U. S. N., Philadelphia, Pa. 
E. R. Squibb, M.D., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Alfred B. Taylor, Philadelphia, Pa. 
W. S. Thompson, Washington, D. C. 
Prof. O. A. Wall, Ph.G., M.D., St. Louis, Mo. 
Prof. E. S. Wood, M.D., Cambridge, Mass. 
T. F. Wood, M.D., Wilmington, N. C. 
Prof. T. G. Wormley, M.D., Philadelphia, Pa. 
OFFICE OF THE COMMITTEE 
209-211 EAST 23d STREET, NEW YORK.