— IOO — 



present edition. Unfortunately it is true that one important alteration, 

 that with regard to the determination of the boiling points, has not 

 been carried out. At the time we pointed out specially that, in order 

 to obtain accurate results, the whole of the mercury column 

 concerned must be surrounded by the steam of the 

 liquid. The barometric pressure must also be considered. But in 

 the "allmanna f6reskrifter ,, (general rules) nothing is said as to this; 

 on the contrary, the prescriptions relating to the determination of the 

 boiling point have been reprinted without alteration from the eighth 

 edition; which lays it down that the thermometer should be so 

 arranged that the mercury bulb is placed immediately below the 

 lateral delivery tube. Under such conditions there can be no doubt 

 that in many boiling point determinations only a portion of the mercury 

 column will be exposed to the steam from the liquid and that the 

 thermometer, in such cases, will be quite unable to register the actual 

 boiling point, so that the results will require correction. In order to 

 obtain accurate values the thermometer must be fixed in such a manner 

 that the degree of the boiling point is slightly above the delivery tube, 

 but care should be taken that the mercury bulb does not protrude into 

 the bulb of the flask, or even into the liquid itself. Shortened thermo- 

 meters are the best adapted for tests of this kind. It is almost im- 

 possible to lay too much stress upon the importance of this condition, 

 for in most cases where objections are raised it is found that claims 

 based on an alleged improper boiling point have their ground in a 

 defective testing method. 



No oil has been newly introduced into the Pharmacopoeia, while 

 oils of fennel and mace are no longer official. 



The enumeration of the separate essential oils is prefaced by a 

 short general chapter on properties and method of keeping, as well 

 as on tests for alcohol and fatty oil. 



Among the alcohols, a change has been made in Spiritus dilutus, 

 its alcoholic strength having been raised, the following being the 

 strengths now prescribed: 



Spiritus concentratus (Sprit) : 90,3 to 9 1 °/ , 



„ dilutus (Utspadd sprit): 69,6 to 70,5 °/ , 

 „ tenuis (Svag sprit): 48,4 to 50,6 °/ . 



By "parts" the Pharmacopoeia understands "parts by weight". 



Anethol (Anetnolum). The solid constituent of oil of anise 1 ). A 

 white, leaf-like, crystalline mass, which melts into a colourless or faintly 

 yellow 2 ), somewhat thickish liquid; d 2 50 0,984 to 0,986, «r> + o°, con- 

 geals at about 20 03 ) and melts at 21 to 22,7°, b. p. 233 to 234 , 

 gives a clear, neutral solution with less than 2 parts of spiritus cone. 

 at 20 04 ). 



Anethol is to be dispensed in lieu of anise oil and of fennel oil. 



