1*2 
THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
Tlie quantity of linseed meal is increased in cataplasma conii, and hemlock 
juice is to be used instead of the leayes. 
Olive oil is left out of the cataplasma lini. The preparation of cataplasma 
sinapis is now as it should be ; formerly it was wrong and unscientific. Under 
cera fiava you will find a method for taking the melting point, 146 deg. F. ; it 
was 140 deg. ; its specific gravity is now given as '950 to *970. The improved 
tests of the Pharmacopoeia will also require the attention of our students ; 
probably many defects will be found, but I am not looking so much for them as 
for improvements, and they are most marked. Whatever defects there may be, 
no one can but see that great labour and scientific care have been taken in this 
revision ; it is apparent in every page. Charta sinapis is now to be made from a 
mixture of black and white mustard. Chloroform has now a sp. gr. of 1*497, it 
was 1*49. One per cent of ethylic alcohol may now be added by the manufacturer; 
it has long been found that this prevents decomposition and is harmless. Although 
this amount of alcohol seems large a less quantity would do. 
Chrysophanic acid is not one of the additions, but chrysarobin, which contains 
“ much” of it. As Professor Attfield made careful original research upon this 
substance, we may be assured that this is satisfactory. Hut if chrysarobin is 
looked upon as the same as commercial goax powder difficulties will arise. 
Hydrochlorate of cocaine is said to be readily soluble in ether. This is 
apparently an error ; the pure alkaloid is soluble. En passant I may observe 
that the word drachm is not used in this B.P., or only in the doses, ounces, 
and parts of an ounce only. The old drachm has gone at last! — without scruple! 
One-eighth of a fluid ounce is used instead in some cases. On further examina- 
tion, I find that the editors have fallen into numerous inconsistencies in this 
matter. Confectio sulphuris has 2 grains of tragacanth added to each ounce — an 
improvement. I would direct attention to the tests for copaiba, as they are now 
definite ; and also the tests for creasote. 
The quantity of saffron and myrrh has been reduced in decoction of aloes. 
It is a pity that so expensive and yet useless a drug as saffron cannot be 
discarded except ,for the syrupus croci. In the preparation of dec. liasmatoxyli I 
notice that 55 grains is given instead of 60 for cort cinnamomi, and under dec. 
sarsa 2 co. the quantity of mezereon root is to be J of an ounce. JNow J of an 
ounce is 54*7 nearly. How much better it would have been to have made it 
the same as in dec. hasmatoxyli, 55 grains. This is evidently a slip. Dispensers 
must be very careful to note that elaterin is not the same as elaterium. Emp. 
belladonna is now improved by the substitution of the alcoholic extract for the 
dirty, crude, green extract. 
Under emp. ammoniaci c. hyd. I notice that for the old drachm measure of 
olive oil we have 56 grains; that is its equivalent according to sp. gravity. This 
is very exact ! 
The extract of nux vomica is now to be standardized, a great pharmaceutical 
improvement, especially as the tincture is now to be prepared from the extract. 
Extractum opii is also to be standardized. 
Ivhamnus frangula is now introduced instead of the drastic rhamnus catharticus, 
as first recommended, I think, by the late Mr. Bailldon. The preparation of liquor 
sass® is quite altered, and ought to yield a better compound; it now contains sugar. 
Taraxacum is so unimportant a medicine that we .need only to note the new 
fluid extract ; the sueeus, I suppose, has not been found of much use. Ferri 
arsenias is now more scientifically and economically prepared. The standard of 
Fe C0 3 x H 2 0 has been properly reduced; it was never a definite compound, 
as the unknown quantity symbol x now used indicates ! 
