59 
Devalmont (Oesterr. Zeitschr. f. Pharm., 1905) points out that the 
following solid substances have a tendency to liquefy, or at least to 
soften, when brought together : Acetanilide with chloral ; antipyrine 
with betanaphthol, sodium salicylate, phenol, salol, urethane; acet- 
anilide with menthol, thymol, resorcin; betanaphthol with anti- 
pyrine, camphor, phenol, menthol; camphor with betanaphthol, 
sodium salicylate, phenol, salol, urethane ; phenacetin with betanaph- 
thol, hydrated chloral, phenol; salicylic acid with exalgin, phenol, 
menthol. — Abstr. Deut.-Amer. Apoth. Ztg., N. Y., 1905, v. 26, pp. 142. 
Lyons, A. B. (Pharm. Review, v. 22, p. 365), recounts a number 
of experiments relating to the incompatibilities of some quinine 
salts. — Am. Druggist, 1905, v. 47, p. 270. 
3. GALENICALS. 
Hill, Charles Alexander, points out that useful as the solid content 
factor undoubtedly is to the manufacturer, as an official standard it 
is easily overvalued. He adds: 
No amount of regulation alone will suffice to make a good galenical prepara- 
tion, for the production of winch there are two requisites — first, a conscience, 
and second, the ability to make the preparation. — Pharm. J. Lond., 1905, v. 21, 
p. 92. 
“ Gnomon ” comments on the risks of standardization. — Ibid., p. 114. 
Naylor, W. A. H., in discussing the standardization of galenicals, 
says : 
The aim should be to produce preparations that will represent the sum total 
of therapeutic activity of the drugs operated upon except in cases where it is 
desired to obtain the medicinal effect of definite principles, the physiological 
action of which is indisputable. 
He also cautions against the dependence on standardized drugs, 
pointing out that until a series of experiments with various stand- 
ardized drugs definitely demonstrates that the official processes ex- 
tract a definite proportion of the alkaloid it is certainly unwise to 
rely on drugs of standard strength for the preparation of galenicals 
unless the final product is also assayed. — Ibid., pp. 123-127. 
Editorial comments on the papers by Hill and Naylor discuss 
some of the additional points and suggest .that : 
There is need to hasten slowdy. A great danger lies in the tendency to recom- 
mend official standards prematurely. * * * The cause of pharmacy will 
not be furthered by the hasty adoption of standards for all manner of drugs 
with regard to which pharmacologists are still in the darkness of ignorance 
or doubt, even if it is admitted that in addition to therapeutic uniformity, a uni- 
formity of physical characteristics is also in some degree desirable. * * * — 
IMd., p. 111. 
v. Kazay, Endre, describes a device and a method of photometric 
estimation by means of which he believes it to be possible to determine 
