OF MATERIA MEDICA, PHARMACY, AND THERAPEUTICS, INCLUDING THE LIBRARY PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF DRUGS, THE SPECIAL THERAPEU- PROFESSOR OF THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IN THE COOPER MEDICAL COLlege of SAN FRANCISCO: AUTHOR OF " 'QUIZ-COMPENDS" OF ANATOMY AND MATERIA MEDICA, "AN ITS DEFECTS." LATE A. A. SURGEON, U. S. ARMY. P. BLAKISTON, SON & CO., 1012 WALNUT STREET. NP PRESS OF WM. F. FELL & CO. PHILADELPHIA Copyright, 1890, BY P. BLAKISTON, SON & CO. PREFACE. THE book, which this preface completes, has occupied the writer's leisure hours during the past two years, and in a measure has grown out of some less pretentious volumes previously written by him. The continued favor shown by teachers and students, both in this country and in England, to his three manuals in the "Quiz-Compend" series for students, and particularly to the volume on Materia Medica and Therapeutics, has encouraged their author to hope that a handbook from him on the same subject, but embracing a wider scope, might meet with a corresponding degree of appreciation. The fact that quite a number of new manuals on Materia Medica have lately appeared, has not deterred him. from entering the field, nor diminished his confidence in the approbation of his readers; but has rather seemed a proof that most of the older textbooks on this branch of medical knowledge are no longer satisfactory, even with the regular revisions which they undergo at stated periods. Hence he expects for this handbook a position, among the recent manuals of its class, as high as its merits and demerits may entitle it to receive in the estimation of those for whose use it has been prepared. The author's intention has been to produce a book which would embrace in a single volume the Essentials of practical Materia Medica and Therapeutics, treating of each subject in as concise phraseology as possible consistent with the delineation of every important feature. He has also endeavored to formulate such minute and definite directions for the framing of Prescriptions as might elucidate what to many is a very difficult problem. Furthermore, he has tried to present as much information upon the subject of Pharmacy as every physician should possess, in order to handle the implements of his profession with confidence, and to direct their use by others with pharmaceutical accuracy. The complete fulfilment of these aims would be realized if the book should take rank as a working companion to the advanced student and the junior practitioner; and be deemed by them a reliable guide through the forest of observations and experiments on drug actions and uses, which makes progress slow for the already over-burdened mind, when ploughing through the more exhaustive and exhausting text-books. Although this book is essentially a compilation, as all books of its class must be, there will be found in its pages much original matter derived |