The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-23
DIR. Sim and Cholera.
To the Editor of Ne Daily Me,ps

as he has resurrected the first article, and recon-
mended large doses OF the Others Wo will only
| practice on the Doctor with his own physic.
| In our review, we asserted that the article
theriaca (and not the "term," as Dr. 8. improper
ly credits us with saying) was obsolete, and not
| now admitted into any modern Pharmacopnia of
respectabiity. Our authority for this assertion
| was distinctly announced to be the United States
Dispensatory, whose opinion DR.. SIM now values 10
highly. Upon page 1861, edition 1865, VIC read as
follows: "Thoso exceedingly complex and un-
| scientific preparations formerly known by the
names OF theriaca and mithridate which have
been expelled from modern pharmacy"
DR.. SIM, in his reply to review, in your issue
Of the 18th inst, affirmed dogmatically that the
| "terms theriaca and theriace are commonly used
| by physicians in their prescriptions to signify
| molassos." adduced the Testimony of three Of
our most intelligent druggists to disprove this
| nertion. 1t has pleased Dr. Sim to imputo to them
| the "ndiuete of publishing their own ignorance"
and Of "settins up their opinions against the
United States Dispensatory." Let us now for the
sake Of the druggists, examine briefly the opinion
Of tho Dispensatory. Upon page 724, edition
1865 the last published, find that the recog-
nized officinal synonym for molasses is "syrupus
FuscuS." The synonyms "theriacs and treace"
| are noted as officnal only in the British Pharma-
/ ".
In his article in your issue Of the 17h referred us
to the United States Dispensatory, edition 1858.
page 662, as his authority for using the term
| thcriaca as Synonymous with molasses. Although
this reference to an old edition OF the book SHOW
/ ed that he was behind the age, we will meet him
| on his own ground Here tho term "Sacchari
Faex," as taken from the London and Edinburgh
Pharmacopeiss, is the recognized offc,nal syno-
nym for molasses. The term "theriaca" is noted
as the oficinal synonym Of tho Dublin Pharmaco.
peia.
| 1t is cloar, then, but curious, that DR.. sm
ignored the synonyms Of the U. g. Dispensatory,
and OF the London and Edinburgh Pharmacepeia
and adopted that OF the Dublin. He can but e1.
plain why. He should also explain why he no,o
refers tie druggists to the q. 8. Dispensstory.
DR.. SIN can hardly have forgotten in what country
he lives in-in what country he was educated He
is licentiate of q Scotch college, and he adopts
Irish pharmacy; he enjoys high appointment
| under the United States Governments, and he
ignores the scientific synonyms adopted by tho
q. 8. Dispensatory. Wehumbly submit that one
| In DR.. SIMS position should have conformed to
| the U. 8. Dispensatory, and abandoned his Irish
proclivities. But granting him the right OF a
choice between the q. g. Dispensatory and tho
| Dublin Pharmaoopeis would he not have exhibited
more common sense while dealing with prescrip.
tions Ito be filed by our local druggists,, il he
had followed the U. g. Dispensatory and thus
put it beyond the possibility OF their mistaking
the meaning of his prescriptions
| These druggists, whom it peases him to sneer
at do expect to be governed by the oficinal terms
Of the o. 8. Dispensatory, but they do not feel
obligated to compound medicines in the Irish
STYLE Their good name, we know, is yet safe with
q discriminating public. But we much regret that
Dr.. SIM did not secure bis sshare of tho public
gratitude by fu rnishing the names of the 'many,
druggists who propose, with him, 10 make moiass-
| es out OF an aromatic confeoton Of opium. 81
| much for our dose OF theraoa
HYDRocHLoRATE OF AMMoNIA-In our preceding
| article we expressed incredulity at the idea OF
| chlorodyne curing the sixty cases Of cholera at
Paris, and laughed little at DR.. S1m's belief that
the hydroohlorate Of ammonia was q still more
efficient remedy. DR.. SIN now quotes DR.. ANpER-
| BON as having announced, in 1854, the discovery
that ammonia was "as much Of specific for oho-
lera as qut ine is febrifuge In inter mittent
| fever"
We have the temerity to say that DIR. ANDER-
SON made very silly announcement, and we call on
experience of tho profession sinoe 1854 to sup
port our opinion. We refer DR.. S1M to the very
excellent Lecture on Cholera Of Deputy Inspector
Gen. MAoLHAH, MD, Professor Of Military Medi-
oine. published In the London Lancet for May,
| 1885, IL he believes that o specific for cholera
has been found, toll him to read the opinion OF
DR.. JOHN MACPHERSON, as given In the lecture al
luded to. After fourteen yeara experience In
Bengal, lie was convinced that ohloroSorm was
the only addition We moderns had yet acquired to
our stook OF cholera remedies; and he was, with
this exception, almost prepared to adopt the opin-
ion OF BoucHARDAr, after the cholera Of 1860,
"that he had not seen o single efacaoious remedy,
not one discovery, not single thought indicative
| Of scientifo progress." To believe in chorodyne
or ammonia 40 specific for cholera: Is to hold to
. ''sheet- anchor OF hope" that will drag with
every wind OF new doctrine.
But We only allude to this subj cot to ask DR..
BIM II his pharmacy proclsims Ammonia the
synonym OF the Hydrochlorats Of ammonia, lis
''sheat-anohor' in the disease 2 Wo do not think
he can now find refuge even in tho Dublin Phar-
macopoeia. And IL our impression be correct,
DIR. SIn should explain why DR.. ANDERsoN's dis.
oovery is alluded to The only inference we can
draw is, that Dr.. sIM wants to claim priority In
this groat discovery, for his experience began in
1882
CHLoRoDYNH.--To lot the public know more
about this article, and to give DR.. SIM the full
benefit Of the U. 8. Dspeusatory, We quote its
language In full from page 966, edition 1855
"'Chlorodyne.' An empirical preparation made
under this name haa heen extensively uaed In Ioh-
don, aud has recently acquired como general
reputation from having been the reputed cause OF
death In a recent case OF accidental poisoninQ In