423 
Taylor, S., says Greenish has shown how the liquid extract of 
pareira may be improved by using a menstruum of dilute alcohol and 
glycerin. The product keeps well. — Pharm. J., Lond., 1906, v. 23, 
p. 669. 
PEPO. 
Nelson, Burt E., describes and illustrates the characteristic struc- 
tures of pumpkin seed and also discusses the constitutents. — Merck’s 
Rep., N. Y., 1906, v. 15, p. 68. 
PEPSINUM. 
The Ph. Brit. Committee of Reference in Pharmacy report on 
pepsin says the monograph requires complete revision. See U. S. P. 
and paper by Lucas. Pepsin is nearly insoluble in alcohol (90 per 
cent). — Chem. & Drug., Lond., 1906, v. 69, p. 864. 
Weidermann, H. P., outlines the method of preparing pepsin in a 
commercial way and calls attention to the precautions that are neces- 
sary to prevent decomposition. — Chem. Eng., Phila., 1906, 1907, v. 5, 
p. 72. 
Tocher, J. F., discusses the nature of pepsin and records a number 
of experiments. He concludes : 
(1) Solutions of sodium bicarbonate, sodium, potassium, and ammonium 
hydrates when added to solutions of pepsin in the cold have an immediate in- 
hibitory or destructive effect on pepsin, according to the concentration. 
(2) Dilute solutions of caustic alkali immediately destroy the activity of 
dilute solutions of pepsin. 
(3) Carbonate of bismuth precipitates pepsin from aqueous solutions; sub- 
nitrate does not. 
(4) Compound mixtures containing solution of bismuth, morphine, carmine, 
etc., should contain no pepsin, since the activity of the enzyme is much retarded 
by the morphine and is destroyed proportionally to the amount of alkali present 
in solution. — Year Book of Pharmacy, 1906, pp. 307-313. 
Schmidt-Nielsen, Sigval, (Zeit. physiol. Chem., 1906, v. 48, pp. 92- 
109) concludes that the enzyme which curdles neutral milk can not 
be identical with pepsin. — Abstr. in J. Chem. Soc., Lond., 1906, v. 90, 
pt. 1, p. 720. 
Jacoby, M., outlines a method for the demonstration of the pres- 
ence of pepsin which depends on the clarifying action of pepsin and 
hydrochloric acid on a solution of ricin in 1.5 per cent solution of 
sodium chloride. (Festschrift, a d. Path. Inst, zu., Berlin, 1906.) — 
Abstr. in Biochem. Centralbl., Leipz., 1906-7, v. 5, p. 491. 
Francis, John M., commends the 3,000 to 1 standard as practical 
and efficient. For the assay process he recommends that wherever 
possible a mechanical agitator be employed to eliminate the personal 
factor. — Bull. Pharm., Detroit, 1906, v. 20, p. 143. 
