ipii] Editoriais 367 



ciple, epinephrin; the establishment of the constitutional formula of 



epinephrin and its final synthesis — these consti- 



Epinephrin . , . , . , 



tute one of the most attractive chapters in mod- 

 ern scientific exploration. The whole chapter, to vvhich so many 

 investigators have meritoriously contributed, is now fairly complete. 

 The therapeutic availability of this important substance is now also 

 fairly well defined, as also its limitation by the poor absorption and 

 prompt destruction of the alkaloid when it is administered through 

 the ordinary Channels. 



The reading matter furnished by advertising houses did not fol- 

 low these discoveries. Early in the current year the circulars 

 wrapped about some of the most important commercial brands still 

 stated that epinephrin could be successfully administered by mouth. 

 Another circular claimed that the recurrence of Cancer could be 

 prevented by the external, or even by the internal, use of epinephrin 

 preparations. It is unsafe to rely on the advertising matter of even 

 the better manufacturers, even when it relates to substances of 

 established intrinsic merit. 



The suprarenal industry is also unsatisfactory from another 

 Standpoint, namely : the variability of product. This may not be of 

 very great practical importance in the external use ; but when given 

 intravenously, it is most important, since epinephrin may cause 

 alarming effects when introduced in this way. This variability is 

 largely unintentional. It is due partly to the fact that the various 

 manufacturers employ different methods of standardization ; and 

 partly to the deterioration of the products with age. Both of these 

 difficulties can be overcome, and there are indications that most of 

 the prominent manufacturers will coöperate for this purpose. 



We refer the reader to an editorial in the Biochemical Bul- 

 letin (1911, i, p. 154) on the need of non-proprietary, descriptive 

 names for medicinal substances. It would be well, it seems to us, 

 to emphasize to students that all the various commercial suprarenal 

 preparations owe their activity to a definite chemical substance — 

 epinephriti. 



The Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry 

 (Washington and New York, September, 1912) was invited to 



