The Early History of Medicine in Philadelphia.
medical jurisprudence, the college has been consulted by the civil authorities both of our State and City.
From the institution of the college, one of their principal views was the formation of an American Pharmacopœia. To make this work useful to the whole country, a circular letter was addressed by them, in the year 1789, to all the known medical societies, as well as to many eminent practitioners in the United States, requesting their advice and assistance; but the general apathy on the subject, and the small number of communications received by them, retarded the completion of their design.[1]
In 1793 the college published a volume of "Transactions," containing an Address to the members on its establishment, in which is set forth the object of the institution, and suggesting the many resources which our country offers for the improvement of medicine; as well as contributions from
- ↑ A small collection of recipes intended for the use of the Revolutionary army surgeons was published by Dr. William Brown in 1782. Copies of this, and of the circular letter of the College, both of which are exceedingly rare, are in my possession. The first work of the kind accomplished in the United States was by the Massachusetts Medical Society in 1806, but no National Pharmacopœia was published until 1820.
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