, 1874-10-07

as unit, at present used in the prescription, and
delivery of medicines, ought TO be replaced.
Win the French Gramme-system; and the
Royal Board of Health has moreover pointed
out 10 Government the necessity of adopting the
latter system. And as it must be admitted
that the advantages Of using the French svs-
tenn OF weight and measure founded on the me.
ire, are especially patent in the prescription,
preparation and examination of drngs-seeine
that no other system of weight or measure az
lords the facility and thereby the accuracy of
computation which is so very necessary in the
frequent cases in which the object desired Is the
accurate dispensation Of minute fractions of a
grain OF a powerful drug, or to determine mi
mute decimal fractions of the units of measure
and weight, which affords one of the most relia-
bic means of testing the good quality of manv
important drugs,-GOvernment has considered
it necessary to submit the above draft, whose
lst 5 purpOrts the adoption of the French
Gramme.system.
The further enactments, which, as mentioned
in 5 2 of the draft, follow from the adoption of
the weight system in question and will be es-
tablished by Royal resolution, concern espe-
cially the extension 10 these islands of the new
Danish Pharmacopaia, in which the Gramme-
system is used, and which, on the whole, is
more complete and suited to the requirements
of the present time than the one now used
and the adoption Of a new Medicinal Tariff,
suited to the Gramme- system.
Government is III possession of such a
tariff which has been drawn up by the Medici-
nal Board of tn islands and approved by the
Royal Danish Board of Health, and, compared
with the present tariff, shows reduced prices
throughout.
The President introduced the Draft which
trcatedon asuhject ofso Special a nature, that he
suspected but few of the honorable Members
would be able to appreciate the merits or de-
merits Of the Draft. He would only say, that
the matter had been under consideration and
discussion several years by all the Authorities
concerned therein, and they have zealously
recommended that the measure be introduced as
involved in the Draft before the Council. In
fact il has already for som time been in prac-
teal use between some Of the younger physi-
clans and the Apothecaries, but it had now
arrived at a stage when it can be finally fixed
by law. Without pretending to understand
the specialities Of the case, it could, however,
be easily understood, that as there may occur
cases where the smallest difference in the
weight Of the medicine given might act preju-
dicialIy, it is necessary to adopt such measures
and weights as ar suited to afford the greatest
uC4lCG VI pl6ClSIUH anu al pdIIICo agree Cudb
the system proposed by this Draft, in &C.
cordance with the rules for the Mother
Country, is highly recommendable. For any
further requisite particulars he could refer to
the Draft and the Motives.
End Member for Frederiksted (Fabcr) beg
ged to recommend the Draft for the Councils
adoption. lie had very little to add to what
had been stated by His Excellency End is cen
tanned in the motives. Honorable Members
will notice that this change in the system of
medicinal weights has been introduced 6 years
ago in the Mother County, and as We have
here the same medicinal laws otherwise, it is
quite natural that the change should be made
here too. AS far as the Speaker knew, the
matter had been sent out long time ago, and
he supposed it was only owing to peculiar cir
cumstances that it had not been introduced be-
fore now. AS already stated by His Excel
lency, the change has been introduced already
TO a certain extent by the younger physicians
who were accustomed to the new system; the
Draft will when it becomes law only be doing
away with the old system and introducing the
new system
ISt Member for Frederiksted's Country Dis
trict (F7em5ng) would beg to inquire if the new
system would be affecting the estates here's
The overseers and managers have hitherto been
in the habit of ordering certain medicines for
the estates use; will they be able to under