THE ALUMNI JOURNAL U'6 



mass was too hard and I used glycerin and water to soften it; it 

 contained hard kimps which I could not get out without making the 

 mass too sticky. I, however, after much difficulty succeeded in 

 getting it into No. 2 capsules. But no degree of accuracy could 

 be obtained in dividing Decause of its being full of hard lumps 

 about the size of tapioca. I would like to know how best to pro- 

 ceed in making a mass for capsules where you have a large amount 

 of salt like strontium bromide. Should the salt be exsiccated or 

 was my method of procedure all right had I used the required 

 amount of heat?" 



The author of the prescription had probably never been called 

 upon to make a pill mass. 



In preparing the above we have an instance in which it is neces- 

 sary for the druggist to use his judgment and his discretion. 



In general a mass can be made of saline ingredients which will 

 be sufficiently tenacious to be put into capsules by mixing the salt 

 (not exsiccated), with about half its weight of powered licorice 

 root, triturating the mixture to a fine powder and adding a small 

 amount of resin cerate, as excipient The above may be prepared, 

 however, without the use of any excipient whatever by proceeding 

 as follows : 



Mix the strychnine and the arsenic thoroughly with half a drachm 

 of powdered licorice root; add half a drachm of powdered extract 

 of gentian; mix well and add the strontium bromide. Un- 

 der trituration the moisture of the salt will form a mass 

 which may be readily divided and filled into capsules. By 

 this modification of the prescription the patient gets the tonic effect 

 of the gentian, the druggist has little trouble and the physician 

 will, in all probability, be entirely satisfied. 



The New Japanese Pharmacopoeia became the legal authority 

 on July I, but so many changes had occurred in standards that im- 

 porters were perplexed and confused. The condition reminds us 

 of the one following the passage of the National Pure Food and 

 Drugs Law in the LTnited States, which caused importers in this 

 country to consult the Pharmacopoeia to an extent beyond all 

 previous records. We understand that the Japanese government 

 will not be unreasonable in the early enforcement of the new Phar- 



