_Materia Medica._--Many important contributions have been made to the pharmacopœia in the century. In 1807 the remedy known as ergot was brought to the notice of the profession by Dr. Stearns, and named by him pulvis parturiens. Iodine was first used as a medicine in 1819 by Dr. Coindet, Sr., of Geneva. Quinine was discovered by Pelletier and Caventou in 1820, although Peruvian bark had long been used for the same purpose. Chloral hydrate, discovered by Liebig in 1832, was applied in medicine in 1869 by Dr. Liebreich, of Berlin. Carbolic acid was discovered in 1834 by Runge. Artificial seidlitz powders were first put up under Savory’s British Pat. No. 3,954, of 1815. Veratrum viride, lobelia, worm seed, and chloroform were all introduced in the first part of the century. The sulphates of morphia, strychnia, atropia and other alkaloids are of comparatively recent addition to the pharmacopœia, and the iodide of potash, tincture of iron, digitalis, bichloride of mercury, sub-nitrate of bismuth, boracic acid and gallic acid, chlorate of potash and Dover’s powders have become standard remedies within a hundred years. In the latter part of the century the new remedies derived from coal tar have occupied an important place. Of these may be mentioned antipyrine, by Knorr (pat. Oct. 28, 1884), phenacetin, by Hinsberg (pat. March 26, 1889), salol, by Von Nencki (pat. Sept. 28, 1886), sulfonal, by Bauman (patented Jan. 22, 1889), antikamnia (acetanilide), and many others, besides new and valuable antiseptic compounds, such as salicylic acid and formalin. A characteristic feature of the modern practice of medicine is in improved forms of its administration. Sugar-coated pills, gelatine capsules and cod liver oil emulsions make the remedy much less disagreeable to take, and very ingenious and effective machines have been devised for putting up remedies in such forms. [Illustration: FIG. 174.--THE OPHTHALMOMETER.]