The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-08
Pharmaceutical ExamlnIa,Ions.

PORTLAND, February, 1889.
To the Pharmacists of Maine:
Appeals have often been made to the Com
missioners of Pharmacy for copies of the
questions to be asked az an examination, or
at least for some indication as to the direc-
ton and range of the questions. The first Of
these requests cannot, for obvious reasons,
be complied with. AS to the second, when
we consider the portentous volume of the
textbooks, the overwhelming multitude of
details contained in them, the hopelessness
of memorlzing more than minute fraction
of their contents, and the aimless and dis
conraging wanderings of student in search
of probable subjects for examination, the
wish expressed seems only reasonable. I'm
pressed with this conviction, the Commits
sioners have decided ON giving some sug-
gesti0ns for course of readingas prepare
ton for the questions which may be con-
talned In the question paper next to be form
ulated. In order to afford time for the pre-
scribed course of reading, the question paper
prepared in August, 1888. will be employed
in examinations for the most part, and per
haps all OF the current year, and the new
Question Paper will be prepared in season
Tor the February examination of 1890 But the
course OIL reading prescribed will be of adj
vantage In aiding to answer the question
now 10 use.
In Materla Medica, then, we ask some
questions about the remedies which have
been made officinal within the last ten years.
Examples: Acid Boric, Acid Hydrobromic,
Chloridum, Caffeine, Camphora Monobro--
mata, Chrysarobinum, Erythroxylon, Eucal.
yptus,L Gycyrrhizinum Ammoniatum, Guar
ana. Lithinm, Physostigma, Pilocarpine,
logue may be found in. the Pharmacopeia OF
1880 9th revsion), in the List of Articles ad-
ded.
In Chemistry the student is recommended
carefully to read the first fifty-eight or sixty
pages of Attfeld, paying particular attention
to the first two or three pages of definitions !;
then read the chemistry of the Basylous
Radicals or Metals, giving due heed to the
symbols and formulas, so that he can col.
rectly compute the number of atoms in any
given formula, and from their atomic weight
can compute the molecular weight Of com
pound, or the percentage of each constituent
The student may also be required to tell us
how much OF any given element is present In
an ounce or gramme of any compound.
Study also with care the analytical tables on
pages 1913, 16I. 2is, 2l9, 254, 255 not forgetting
the notes on the tables which sometimes 90
before them and sometimes follow them.
(The pages quoted are Of the 10th edition !;
In other editions they may differ more or
less) After the June examination of the
present year the plea that the applicant has
never studied Chemistry will.not be accepted
as valid excuse for failure to answer, in
part at least, the Chemical Questions
In Pharmacy, Remington or Parrish gener-
ally, with special attention to Chapter /,
(Remington) on Neurology. We believe that
the Metric System and Parts by Weight
hare come to stay, and shall accordingly
formulate some questions bearing on that
system of Weights and Measures. and also
upon the relations between weight and vol
ume. specially Of liquids. Study also Chap
ter LAV on IncOmpatibilities. Some of the
questions we ask in Extemporaneous Phar-
macy will belong to one or the other of the
two previous departments. We don't pro-
pose to burden the student with memorizing
weights sufficient data will be given with
every question involving such quantities for
computation. We would like to know
whether the applicant knows anything about
the articles he is working with when he is
compromising prescription.
We shall be happy to aid any student, en-
tering upon the above course of study, and
enc0untering any difficulty, with advice or
explanation to the best Of our liability, il he
writes to us, enclosing stamp for return
postage, and stating his trouble. ~
We issue this circular by way of expert
ment. We are conscious that much which
ought to be included is left out; yet it COM
prises very much more than can be contained
In any question paper for examinations, as
we are compelled to conduct them under
present conditions. We hope, however, for
some good results from their first attempt,
which has been made in the interest of those
who have never enjoyed the advantages of a
College of Pharmacy.
BY Order of the Commissioners of Pharmacy.