33 
Digitol is a preparation of tincture strength made from digitalis leaves 
from which the fixed and volatile oils have been removed. It is 
“ assayed, tested physiologically,” and is standardized to contain 
0.025 gram digitoxin in 100 c. c. - Digitalis (Specific Medicine) is made 
from fresh digitalis leaves, and is of such a strength that 480 grains 
of the drug are contained in each fluid ounce of a 80 per cent absolute 
alcohol. ” Concentrated Tincture of Digit alis (1 to 4) is said to be 
physiologically standardized and is of such a strength that 1 c. c. 
added to 4 c. c. dilute alcohol makes a preparation corresponding in 
strength to the U. S. Pharmacopoeia tincture. Purified Normal 
Tincture is said to be a standardized neutral tincture of prime digi- 
talis freed from irritating fats and oils. 
It was desired for the sake of comparison that all experiments with 
these various preparations be carried out upon the basis of the official 
tincture strength. No difficulty was experienced in doing this except 
with MerrelFs Normal Tincture, the name of which might suggest 
that it was a 10 per cent preparation, but for reasons to be considered 
later, the dose prescribed, etc., it was considered to correspond to a 
fluid-extract strength. Accordingly a measured quantity of each 
preparation (excepting Digitol and Digitalone) was taken and after 
evaporating off the alcohol over a water bath it was diluted to ten 
times the original volume with physiological salt solution. Digitol 
was evaporated to free it from the contained alcohol and then diluted 
to the original volume only. Digitalone, being nonalcoholic, was not 
evaporated excepting in some experiments when it was concentrated 
in order to avoid such a large bulk of fluid as the doses given required. 
In all cases resinous bodies, precipitated by the evaporation of the 
alcohol and the addition of the salt solution, were injected in suspen- 
sion to insure the introduction of any active bodies which might be 
carried down by their precipitation. 
For the sake of uniformity the following abbreviations have been 
adopted to designate the above preparations in all of the tables which 
follow : 
Digitol, bottle No. 1 =Mulford No. 1. 
Digitol, bottle No. 2 =Mulford No. 2. 
Normal Tincture Digitalis =Merrell. 
Concentrated Tincture Digitalis =B., AY. and Co. 
Specific Medicines, Digitalis = Lloyd Bros. 
Nelson Baker and Co., Fluid Extract Digitalis =N., B. and Co. 
Sharpe and Dohme, Fluid Extract Digitalis =S. and D. 
Hance Bros, and ATbite, Fluid Extract Digitalis =H. B. and AY. 
Parke, Davis and Co., Fluid Extract Digitalis =P., D. and Co. 
Parke, Davis and Co., Digitalone bottle No. 1 = Digitalone No. 1. 
Parke, Davis and Co., Digitalone bottle No. 2=Digitalone No. 2. 
Parke, Davis and Co., Digitalone bottle No. 3 = Digitalone No. 3. 
65051— Bull. 48—09 3 
