that in the case of patent medicines they were not liable for the value of these goods, and they proposed to take the damaged goods and rewrap them for use and sale, in lieu of furnishing new goods or paying for them at the market value. After a long trial it was held, and the verdict so orders, that the goods should be compensated for at the market price. It matters not whether this market price has any correspondence with the merit or cost of articles used, whatever be the usual price at which they pass current in the market. open This is sound argument, and this case will probably in future decide this particular phase of drug insurance. COMMISSIONED RANK FOR MILITARY PHARMACISTS. W ITH an army of one hundred and eighty thousand men in the field, the United States has many problems to cope with which will tax the efficiency of its army organization to the utmost. It has been estimated by military authorities that 6 per cent of the total military force is necessary to furnish adequate hospital service for armies in the field. A sick list of 2 per cent is reckoned upon as being a fair minimum estimate of the number of sick, exclusive of those wounded in general engagements. Where troops are serving in tropical countries, however, the percentage on the sick list rises very rapidly, and in a recently published work on medical service with colonial troops, a French medical authority has stated that the mortality of French soldiers serving in the tropics reaches the alarming figure of 47 per cent annually. The signal and brilliant victory of Admiral Dewey at Manila practically necessitates garrisoning the Philippine Islands with United States troops. The superior marksmanship and strategical ability of the American Navy which was demonstrated so signally before the forts of Cavite will, no doubt, serve to clear the Atlantic as it has the Pacific of Spanish men-of-war. For the present we will probably have an army of occupation in the Philippines numbering at least 10,000 troops. While the plans of the Government as regards the occupation of Cuba have not been made public, it is highly probable that we shall send from 30,000 to 60,000 men to that island during the rainy season, when the dangers from malarial diseases of all sorts and from yellow fever are at their maximum for unacclimatized troops. This being the case, the main problem presented to the United States is the protection of its soldiers from the effects of campaigns in the tropics. It is, therefore, highly essential that this Government should place the sanitary division of its army on the most efficient footing possible. To do this, it is necessary that the pharmaceutical service in the army be placed on that footing which the wider experience of European countries has shown is best suited for the demands of active service. As has frequently been pointed out in these columns, every European country, save England alone, recognizes the importance of the pharmaceutical branch of the military service by giving pharmacists rank as commissioned officers. In the United States service all the higher functions of the pharmaceutical branch of the sanitary department are performed by surgeons, a condition which is certainly not conducive to obtaining the best results. By placing this branch of the service in the hands of pharmacists as it should be, their expert knowledge would undoubtedly prove of great gain to the army. Both France and Italy have large colonial possessions which necessitates maintaining armies in tropical regions, and the organization in either of these countries, or, in fact, any one of the nations on the European continent, might well serve as a model for the reorganization of the pharmaceutical service of the United States Army. The chief pharmacist in the military service of France ranks as a Major-General; in Austro-Hungary and in Italy the chief pharmacist has the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. The commissions held range down to that of second lieutenant, and in field service these are assisted by hospital stewards. With such rank as an incentive, we could command in our army the services of the ablest pharmacists, and there would, undoubtedly, be a corresponding improvement in the efficiency of this branch of the service, which is now too entirely subordinated to the medical branch to obtain the best possible results. The Committee on the Status of the Military Pharmacists appointed by the American Pharmaceutical Association has taken a very conservative stand and has been content to ask for a very slight advance in the condition of the military pharmacist. While this conservatism may have been justified by the conditions existing in times of peace, we feel that with our army upon a war footing, the entire pharmaceutical service should be remodeled along lines which will place the service on a more effective basis, and we believe that now, when the eyes of the people are turned towards the army, it is the very best time to inaugurate a vigorous campaign on behalf of this department of the Sanitary Corps. Experience during the Civil War demonstrated the necessity of the existence of a Government Laboratory under expert direction, and the late Professor John M. Maisch had charge of such a laboratory for some years with the most gratifying results to the Government. The position which Professor Maisch occupied was practically the same as that occupied by the Chief of the Pharmaceutical Service in Italy, France and Hungary, and this position should have carried with it the title and emoluments commensurate with the great responsibil ity. Whether or not the present war be prolonged, and whether or not the United States becomes a colonial power, there is great and immediate need for a reorganization of the pharmaceutical branch of the military service. IMPROVEMENTS IN OPIUM THE PREPARATIONS. HE prize in the Prize Essay Contest goes a second time to the West, Ed. E. Williams, of Antigo, Wis., being awarded the prize for the essay printed in this number. The prize winner's previous article on "Two Preparations of Orange" has received the widest possible circulation, having been reprinted in nearly all the leading journals of this country and in many foreign drug periodicals, a circumstance which points to the valuable character of his communication, as well as to the value of this department, which places at the disposal of the druggists of the country a means of acquiring the kind of knowledge that may be put to most practical utility in the drug store. We commend the practical suggestions for the improvement of two widely used United States Pharmacopoeia preparations given in Mr. Williams' article in this number to the consideration of the committee on the revision of the United States Pharmacopoeia. The Best, by Far. It doesn't cost anything to say this, nor will it make your journal any more valuable, but I am going to say it just the same: The AMERICAN DRUGGIST is by far the best drug journal that I have seen. It contains just what the druggist wants to know and leaves out a lot of that rot which fills a great many of the journals which go to the drug trade. Typographically, it is perfect. HARRY M. GRAVES, Manager "Advertising for Druggists.”. Williamstown, Mass., April 11, 1898. None Brings so Satisfactory Results as the "American Druggist." several drug journals, but none of them has brought We are advertising in us as satisfactory results as our advertisement in the AMERICAN DRUGGIST. Our inquiries are multiplying, and our capacity has recently been doubled twice, as well as the volume of business done. OHIO GUM CO. Lisbon, Ohio. The British Pharmacopoeia, 1898. BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT IN LONDON. We continue our review of notable changes in the new British Pharmacopoeia and other features of the volume likely to be of interest and value to exporters of manufactured galenicals. PART II.-Continued from Page 220. LONDON, April 20, 1898.-The somewhat ambiguous term "essences" has been dropped; they are all "spirits" now. A class of liquors concentrati which are really concentrated infusions or strong tinctures, takes the place of a number of the watery infusions, and others are permitted to be used in place of corresponding official infusions and decoctions, although it is noted that they differ from the freshly prepared in that they contain a small quantity of alcohol. The recognition of this class of preparations is nevertheless considered a well-deserved compliment to those manufacturing pharmacists on your side and on this who have originated and advertised these practical and scientific galenical conveniences. The re-percolation process is introduced for the first time in the case of several of the liquid extracts which, for the most part, represent one ounce of the drug in each fluid ounce (or 100 cubic centimeters, equal to 100 grammes). The liquid extract of belladonna, which is to be used in the preparation of the alcoholic extract, liniment, ointment, plaster and tincture, is to be standardized and additional assay processes, considered to be the most reliable in each case, are given for that and for the liquid extract of ipecacuanha, which is used in the vinegar and wine, the acetic extract being now discarded. Tincture of opium is to be standardized instead of being made from assayed opium; and liquid extract of nux vomica, from which the solid extract and tincture are to be prepared, is to be made to yield 1 per cent of strychnine, irrespective of total alkaloidal content, ascertained by the method devised by Dunston and Short. The changes in the designations of various strengths are important. The terms spiritus tenuior and spirit of wine are discontinued. Alcohol, as such, is to be considered as ethyl hydroxide (C'H'OH): Absolute alcohol is to apply to a mixture of that and not more than 1 per cent of water. Alcohol (90 per cent) is a mixture of 90 volumes of ethyl hydroxide and 10 of water. This is practically the spiritus rectificatus of the 1885 B.P. and may be designated as such. There are four other strengths of alcohol -70 per cent, 60 per cent, 45 per cent and 25 per cent. The term ethylic alcohol occurs occasionally in manufacturing processes when alcoholic liquids of varying strengths are implied. Organo-therapy finds a place in the inclusion of thyroideum siccum and a liquor thyroidei. There is a radical change in the lozenges, which are now to be incorporated with either a simple basis, a tolu basis or a fruit basis, formulas for which are given, as occasion may require. Suppositories are permitted to be made either by cold or hot processes and tannin and mercurial suppositories, for instance, are not now to contain 15 grains of total ingredient to fill a 15-grain mould, but a sufficient quantity of the base to fill a mould of about 15 or 16 grains capacity, an acceptable change which has been advocated in your columns, as well as lately in those of the Chemist and Druggist. Unguentum paraffini is introduced as a basis for ointments and may be made of varying proportions of hard and soft paraffins, as occasion may require, thus obviating the adoption of a soft paraffin of higher melting point than that formerly official, which Col. Cheesebrough proved was impossible to produce without the addition of a certain proportion of hard paraffin. Unguentum aquae rosae is one of the "new" ointments. It has not been given its vulgar title of "cold cream," nor the one by which it has been known in memory of its inventor-Ceratum Galeni. There are no compressions or drops of any sort recognized. Tabellae trinitrinae, made with chocolate, and lamellae, made with gelatine, for ophthalmic use, are re tained, both practically proprietaries and out of the scope of the ordinary practicing pharmacist, since, indeed, no process is given for their manipulation, and while the preface states that, "it has not been thought desirable to describe in the Pharmacopoeia various pharmaceutical devices which have been introduced in recent years for the more easy administration of medicines and while, when so directed by the practitioner, they may be dispensed in such non-official forms as capsules, cachets, granules and the like,” an almost significant omission is made of compressed tablets, which have certainly, with the machines for making them, come over to stay. The most of the semi-official formulary of the British Pharmaceutical Conference, which have been published from time to time in these columns, are now absorbed, and these include a tincture and syrup of wild cherry and a form of Easton's syrup, but one for the preparation of a syrup to resemble Fellow's has been omitted, although there was one devised by the B.P.C. The alkaloidal liquors are now to be of a uniform strength of 1 grain in 110 minims and 1 gramme in 100 cubic centimeters. In the matter of Nomenclature, a good many changes have been made in the names of substances and the English synonyms do not always correspond to the Latin headings. Thus, acidum carbolicum is to be known as Phenol. The final "e" in the case of non-alkaloidal substances is dropped, as in glycerin and pepsin. The hydrobromates and hydrochlorates are now "ides" and hydrates are hydroxides. This is in accordance with a suggestion of Seward J. Williams, F.C.S., of Orange, N. J., made in the Chemist and Druggist some months ago. Asafetida is now spelled without the diphthong and creasotum is creosotum. The extracts of hyoscyamus and belladonna have "viride" added to their nams. Ipecacuanha becomes ipecacuanhae radix, and jaborandi, jaborandi folia. Some Latin endings have been mended. Chemistry. Descriptions of processes for the production of pharmaceutical chemicals are entirely omitted. The sources of substances are indicated generally "by the interaction of such and such," or, like chloroform, "by heating a mixture of chlorinated lime, slaked lime, ethylic alcohol and distilled water." This involves the exclusion of many crude substances, like metallic silver and bismuth. The formula for several chemical products, such as spiritus aetheris nitrosi and chemical mixtures, such as sulphurated antimony are, however, retained. The chemical formulae and data generally has been brought into line with modern standards, solubilities are given throughout and these and melting points have been revised and adjusted. involving an amount of labor and painstaking on the part of the experts entrusted with that work which must have been very considerable. This is particularly apparent in the case of the essential and fixed oils. Most of the monographs have been entirely recast and in most instances embody the best results of recent research. While special tests are given, with the impurities they are intended to detect bracketed against them, after the manner of the last U.S.P., general tests are relegated to the Appendix, space and repetitions being thus saved. There is a good deal of space economized in various ways throughout the book, which, as we indicated last week, contains rather fewer pages than the last edition. All volumetric and gravimetric quantities are, of course, expressed according to the metric scale. Botany and Pharmacognosy. The old standards have been retained. Bentley and Trimen's "Medicinal Plants" is still the principal work of reference. Modern botanical acceptance has been followed in the change of one or two of the familiar names of plants yielding drugs, as in ipecacuanha, which is now ascribed to psychotria ipecacuanha, Stokes. The microscopical characters of drugs are given in some instances, but it is questionable if these will prove of practical value to the working pharmacist unless he is an expert at the recognition of these characters, or has type slides or illustrations for purposes of comparison. Tests are introduced for the identification and rough determination of some of the active constituents of drugs and a maximum limit of ash is indicated in the case of capsicum, caraway, fruit and cloves. The geographical sources of the drugs are in some cases wide of the mark and show a tendency to follow the text books, although there were experts on the Phar macopoeial Committee who are acquainted with the markets and their sources of supply. The metric system of weights and measures is used alongside the Imperial, thus, as in the formula for centimeters) of the alcohol; add the tincture of opium and the solution of ammonia; mix well; filter; add enough of the alcohol to form 1 pint (or 1000 cubic centimeters) of the tincture." It is emphasized that these systems are not interchangeable and not intended to be equivalent. It will remain to be seen whether the latter will ever be adopted in practice in this country. Judging from the present tendency that is not likely. There is an elaborate index extending to 91 pages and embracing a full table of doses, besides the strengths of preparations. PART III. Although the new B.P. will not be published for a week or two yet, criticism of its contents has already fairly commenced and may be expected to continue for months to come. The British pharmaceutist has always grumbled about his Pharmacopoeia, and, although he may be said to have had a hand in the production of this one, we hear a grumble or two even from one or two of the members of the Pharmacist's Committee, that the "old fogeys" of the Medical Committee have made "hash" of some of the work of the pharmacists after it had passed from them. The pharmaceutical journals have given full synopses of all the important alterations in strength and composition and cnumerated the additions so that pharmacists have been apprised of impending changes in advance of publication. Wholesale houses announce that they are already prepared to meet the new requirements and some heart-burning has been caused by an announcement, made by the manufacturing house of Wright, Layman & Umney, practically simultaneously with the publication of the official copies, that they were ready, not only with all the new and altered galenicals, but with a "Guide to the new B.P.," extending to 52 8vo. pages for the use of pharmacists, medical men and students preparing for examination. The author of this is John C. Umney, Ph.C., F.C.S., whose father, Charles Umney, was a member of the Pharmaceutical Committee on the Revision, both being members of the firm named. Probably, however, no member of this committee has rendered more original work expressly for the determination of standards and data as now adopted in the official publication and probably, therefore, no one had a better right to be first in the commercial arena. It is anticipated that the new alcoholic percentages, to which we referred in a previous article, may lead to confusion with the excise authorities. The term "proof spirit" has for nearly a century been the statutory and sufficiently convenient and perfectly correct basis upon which have been worked out the assess ment of dues by our own and other Governments. Drawback on medicinal spirits and tinctures manufactured in bond has been calculated on this standard and now that it is abrogated and no strength corresponding to it has been adopted, and that the customs authorities are not likely readily to alter the factors which their of ficers have been accustomed to, considerable complication in the conditions of export of these preparations from this coun try is likely to result. Tinctures. Simple Tinctures, With doses of 5 to 10 minims. Tincture. Belladonnae (4) Cannabis indicae.. Cantharidis 40 Capsici Cocci Colchici sem. Croci Digitalis Ferri perchlor. Gelsemii 288824438881118842 5 70 M. 32 90 20 P. 5 60 20 M. 10 60 Cascarillae 40 5 70 28332382228484428888848182288 90 Myrrhae Pruni virginianae. 20 Quassiae Quillaiae 20 Quininae 175 160 Senegae Serpentariae Sumbul Tolutana 70 90 90 Among the changes in strengths of the B.P. galenicals that are being severely criticised is the increase in the quantity of morphine in the B.P. chlorodyne (Tinctura Chloroformi et Morphinae Composita) to four times that of the 1885 B.P. preparation. This has been characterized Aconiti by Dr. J. C. McWalter, of Dublin, as "the most important-I would almost say, the most fatal-change in the new B.P." It is pointed out, and with a good deal of reason, that since it will be a considerable time before prescribers are familiarized with the new preparation, confusion may follow the dispensing of the stronger preparation when the weaker one was intended. Similarly, tincture of aconite has been reduced in strength in order to bring the dose into line with that of the other tinctures (on the somewhat roundabout principle of unburdening the memory of the prescriber, as explained in our first notice of the work) so that, again, untoward results may follow the administration of the older and more potent preparation should it so happen that any pharmacist should not have made the required change in the strength. Among other striking points in our list of tinctures may be noted the adoption of the tincture of fresh orange peel in place of the dried. The strong tincture of ginger has been omitted without apparent good reason, for it was in regular use and demand and is, indeed, still required in the preparation of syrup of ginger, the formula for it being incorporated in that for this syrup. Tincture of opium is to be process of rubbing up the gum with water made by the old-fashioned but efficient at 200° F., set aside for 6 hours, and add 90 per cent alcohol; set aside for 24 hours, strain, press, mix and set aside for another 24 hours; filter and then standardize 100 Cc. to contain 0.75 Gm. of morphine. Tinct. Camphor. Co., is to be made with tincture of opium instead of powdered opium. Saffron, the medicinal value of which is so strongly doubted in some quarters, is omitted from Tinct. Rhei. Comp. and retained in Tinct. Cinchonae Comp. Glycerin 2 oz. to the pint is an added constituent of the former of these two galenicals. The iodine and potassium iodide in Tinct. Iodi are to be dissolved in water before the spirit is added. Tincture of belladonna is to contain 0.048 to 0.052 per cent of alkaloids; that of nux vomica should yield 0.24 to 0.26 per cent of strychnine and tincture of jalap is to be standardized to 1.5 Gm. of resin in 100 Cc. The following table, prepared by the Chemist and Druggist, will enable a comparison to be made between our present official methods of dealing with tinctures and your own. It will be noted that they are divided into two main groups of uniform doses. The strength of alcohol now adopted as considered most suitable to each drug and as following the processes devised by Farr & Wright and submitted to meetings of the British Pharmaceutical Conference during several past years, has involved us in great changes in the menstrua to be employed. Nor is the strength prescribed perhaps always the best that could have been selected. It is pointed out, for instance, that in the case of hyoscyamus and jaborandi, both leaves, and containing chlorophyll, a stronger alcohol would have been advisable, since the green coloring matter is likely to be dissolved out in the weaker strength and to deposit as a sticky mass on the containing vessel. (1) The figures indicate the number of meshes per linear inch through which the comminuted drug should pass. (2) M., maceration process; P., percolation process. (3) These figures stand for the volumes of finished tincture which represent 1 part of the crude drug in the percolation process, and the volumes of menstruum to 1 of drug in maceration. (4) Made from liquid extract. Extracts and Liquors. American manufacturers will note that Extractum Euonymi siccum does not now get the synonym "Euonymin." A different process is official from that formerly given in the 1890 additions. The bark, in No. 20 powder, is exhausted by percolation in 45 per cent alcohol, the percolate evaporated to dryness, powdered and mixed with a fourth of its weight of calcium phosphate-not milk-sugar as formerly. Ergotin is given as a subheading for Extractum Ergotae. An extract of witch hazel is officialized in Liquor Hamamelidis, but as it is to be made from the fresh leaves, we will have to still depend on what we import from your manufacturers. The leaves are to be macerated in a little more than double their volume of a mixture of water 10 and 90 per cent alcohol for 24 hours and half of it distilled. Ꭺ curious process is introduced for Ext. Pareirae Liquid. The quantity of extractive in the watery percolate is to be determined and the percolate is to be evaporatcd to three times the weight of the extractive in it and each three volumes of the resulting liquid to be made up to four with 90 per cent alcohol. It might surely have been possible to have determined an average yield of extractive from the now very old-fashioned drug. What seems likely to be an almost impossible process for Liquor Calumbae is included in the new series of "Liquores Concentrati," referred to in our last article. Ten ounces of calumba root (in No. 5 powder) are to be macerated in 10 ounces of water for 24 hours, pressing strongly and repeating, then heating the liquors for five minutes to [at?] 180° F. When cold 4 ozs. of 90 per cent alcohol are added, the mixture decanted or filtered and made up to 1 pint with distilled water; 10 ozs. of calumba root in 10 ozs. of water will yield rather a gummy and somewhat intractable extractive. There is no corresponding gentian preparation, which is unfortunate, as hardly any other was more desirable. But we are told in the preface that "many experiments have been made with the object of preparing the three decoctions and the twenty-two infusions of the Pharmacopoeia in highly concen trated states" and the nine concentrated liquors now made official are the result. Gentian presumably is one that had gone "up the back" of the committee. The extract of socotrine aloes is discarded and the crude drug retained. The following table, taken from Umney's book, hereinbefore mentioned, will give our present standards of Peter MacEwan, Ph.C., F.C.S., of the F. W. Fletcher, Ph.C., F.C.S., has con- Minimum Extractive Requirements of Drugs. tion with qualitative tests for aldehyde Chrysarobinum 3 Coccus 6 Succus limonis Spiritus Aetheris Nitrosi. This is the Chemist and Druggist's criticism on this even now somewhat indefinite chemical product, and it is written from thoroughly practical experience: “The quantities are not changed, but 20 fl. oz. of 90 per cent alcohol is placed in the receiver, and after distillation is complete as much alcohol is added as will make the spirit contain 2 per cent ethyl nitrite. The quantity of alcohol indicated is 20 fl. oz., but the tests show that nearer 30 oz, will be required, as 2 per cent of Ex. NO is aimed at. Sp. gr. 0.838 to 0.842. The directions look as if the formula had been reconstructed without experiment. Our experience is that when the alcohol is placed in the receiver there is SO much saving of ethyl nitrite that the yield of spirit of the old pharmacopoeial strength is greater. Although Dr. John Attfield has been of singular assistance to the drug trade in proving that 'sweet spirit of nitre' is not 'spirit of nitrous ether,' the editor of the British Pharmacopoeia does not hesitate to state that 'spirit of nitrous ether' is 'sweet spirit of nitre,' the latter term being now added as a synonym. A monograph on this subject was given in Chemist and Druggist, January 29, page 184. [We understand by and nitrous ether?" He condemns the use of glycerin as a preservative, now officialized, of Liquor Ethyl. Nitritis on the ground that he has in his own experience found it evolve dangerously explosive proclivities on keeping and adds, with a touch of sarcasm, referring to the numerous and tiresome prosecutions that have arisen over the somewhat doubtful constitution of this article, that "pharmacists would do well to keep this latest phase of their protean enemy under strict observation. It wou'd be a refinement of cruelty if it should land them in the hospital as well as in the police court." Several articles that are practically proprietaries have received recognition. "Boroglyceride" is represented in Glycerinum Acidi Borici, the formula given being substantially the same as that of the U.S.P. There is now an official effervescent citrate of caffeine in imitation of a popular specialty, and there is a substitute for Liquor Carbonis Deterjens in Liquor Picis. A good few of our B.P. pills are made in America. There are a good few changes and a quinine pill is added (anno domini 1898). Pil. Ferri (not now called "Blaud's") is to be made after the manner of the French Codex, with dried ferrous sulphate (150 gr.) and dried sodium carbonate 95 gr., syrup 150 gr., glycerin 10 gr., and water 20 gr. are mixed with the iron salt, the carbonate is then added and when the reaction is complete a mass is made with 50 gr. gum acacia and 15 gr. gum tragacanth, which is to be divided into 5 gr. pills. There are probably not many other changes in our pharmacopoeial processes that need concern American manufacturers of galenicals until the work is actually in their own hands. We await criticism of the work from your side. This is what F. W. Fletcher, originator in this country on a commercial scale of the concentrated liquors, which are now partly officialized, thinks of it: ""A thing of shreds and patches,' a compilation which, at the best, represents a modus vivendi between the opposing forces of stupidity and common sense, ignorant prejudice and scientific progress, fossilized custom and radical reform." W. M. (To be continued.) REMINGTON REVIEWS THE NEW B.P. Weak and Strong Points Touched upon Profesor Joseph P. Remington was "You ask me to express an opinion about the new British Pharmacopoeia, Such can, of course, be only tentative, inasmuch as the book will not be before general readers for a month, and time alone can determine whether the changes can all be accepted as distinct improvements. It can never be hoped that every change in any pharmacopoeia will be hailed with satisfaction from all quarters. The Pharmacopoeia is always regarded as a fair mark by that most critical class of professional men-the pharmacists—and the pharmaceutical journals for the next year will, undoubtedly, be crowded with 'copy.' "The book itself is a great advance over any of its predecessors, and the triumph of the metric system is now complete, the last stronghold having succumbed. To be sure, there is a lingering. Our English cousins have adopted alternative formulas: Imperial weights and measures are given first, with metric equivalents second, while in the 'characters and tests,' metric terms are used exclusively. The use of the Imperial system at all will grieve the radical metric enthusiast, but as the Pharmacopoeia is to be used largely by those who are either opposed to the system or are unfamiliar with it, it must be regarded, on the whole, as a wise move for the first official éntree of the metric system into British pharmacy. The experience of Britain will not differ from that of other countries which have adopted the metric system. Familiarity with it invariably leads to its adoption. The introduction of a large number of Indian drugs, as was foreshadowed two years ago, has been abandoned, but the council contemplate publishing in the future an addendum especially to supply this need. "A very important change is the introduction of five strengths of alcohol-90 per cent, 70 per cent, 60 per cent, 45 per cent and 20 per cent-with the corresponding specific gravities. This is a move in the direction of greater accuracy and more than compensates for the loss of the time-honored, but much-abused, proof spirit. The name-proof spirit'-as a title no longer appears in the book. "Considerable labor has been bestowed upon the chemical tests and these will be found to be more accurate and much fuller than formerly. A new class of preparations has been included under the old title of 'liquores.' These are nothing more nor less than concentrated infusions preserved with alcohol, or 50 per cent tinctures made with weak alcohol. It is unfortunate that no new name was devised for this new class. In my opinion the name liquor should be reserved for aqueous solutions of substances, and should exclude all liquids made by percolation or maceration. Progressive pharmacy demands differentiation and greater precision in defining 'classes' of preparations. "But the most serious objection to the introduction of concentrated preparations of this class is the encouragement to the practice of diluting the concentrated liquors furnished by manufacturing houses throughout the country, and these must continue to be very variable in strength and quality, the Pharmacopoeia having set no standard for them, each manufacturer being a law unto himself. A pharmacopoeia, in my opinion, should take no step to encourage a division of responsibility that should be placed, when possible, solely on the dispenser; it should compel him, especially in the case of infusions, to make them directly from the drug which fulfills the pharmacopoeial requirements, by a process which clearly produces uniform preparations. Uniformity is the keynote for a pharmacopoeia. A practitioner can scarcely hope to get the best results unless he is sure that the preparations he orders are up to the standard, and that the standard sanctions no deviation. "In the case of the tinctures it is to be regretted that the process of expression is retained in the directions for percolation. Why our English friends use the tincture press with the 'mess' that it entails in percolating operations is a mystery. It can only be explained as a concession to the old school. In nomenclature, it is a source of satisfaction that none of the socalled phonetic reformers have made any headway in the chemical names in Great Britain. We do not find 'fosforus,' 'sulfid,' 'bromin;' or similar excrescences in the book. The ide termination in the salts of the alkaloids has been adopted. While an advance in standardization has been made, it is evident that assay processes which are suited for pharmacopoeial work are still to be discovered. "The book shows evidence of great labor and care, and if, here and there, a few faults are found, these will not be of such a nature as will prevent the British Pharmacopoeia from being recognized as a work of authority, not only in the countries ruled by the Queen, but it will be received with great satisfaction by all who are proud to Saxons." call themselves Anglo FR ED. E. WILLIAMS, Antigo, Wis. ROM my interleaved copy of the United States Pharmacopoeia I cull the following notes on two preparations, much used and generally prepared by druggists, namely: Tinctura Opii-Laudanum. Tinctura Opii Camphorata-Paregoric. The laudanum formula has been published before, but the paregoric formula has not heretofore been published. Both are time and labor savers and produce products equal in every respect and in some points superior to the corresponding United States Pharmacopoeia products. The laudanum formula extracts the drug more thoroughly than the United States Pharmacopoeia's process. and the paregoric formula produces a product absolutely uniform in medicinal strength, and, at the same time, frees the Product of traces of objectionable constituents and the process of the three days' maceration feature. The formula for paregoric has been warmly commended by physicians whose attention I have called to changes made therein. Both are appended herewith. Mix the opium intimately with the pumice and transfer to a chemical flask. To this add the water at 90° C. and agitate the smooth creamy mixture frequently during 12 hours. Then add the alcohol, mix thoroughly and transfer to a cylindrical percolator. Return the first portions of the percolate until it comes through clear, then allow percolation to proceed until the liquid ceases to drop from the percolator. Then pour upon the residue, in the percolator, dilute alcohol in small quantities until the percolate measures one thousand cubic centimeters. The last portions of the percolate will be colorless and tasteless, thus showing how thoroughly the medicinal qualities of the drug have been extracted. TINCT. OPII. CAMPHORATA. of New York. (Continued from page 222.) MISTURA BRONCHI. 10 ...... grs. 1⁄2 fl. dr. 1.1 Gm. 3.0 Cc. 6.0 Cc. 11⁄2 fl. dr. 9.0 Cc. Ammonii carb. ....... q. s. ad 2 fl. ozs. 100.0 Cc. Dose: 1 fluid dram for children. MISTURA CANNABIS Acetanilidi INDICAE COMPOSITA. 80 grs. 3.5 Gm. 5.0 Cc. 40.0 Cc. 80.0 Cc. Tinct. cannabis Indicae 2 fl. drs. Spir. ammoniae arom 2 fl. ozs. Glycerini ..... q. s. ad 4 fl. ozs. Dose: 1 fluid dram. |