Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
March,  1908.  J 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
149 
In  answer  to  a  question  by  Mr.  Vanderkleed,  as  to  whether  it 
would  be  practicable  to  standardize  digitalis  preparations  on  the 
basis  of  the  digitoxin  content,  Dr.  Wood  gave  a  negative  reply, 
and  said  that  some  years  ago  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
digitalin  probably  represents  the  drug  better. 
Dr.  E.  D.  Reed  said  that  Dr.  Wood's  experiments  and  his  own 
did  not  wholly  agree.  He  said  that  the  cumulative  action  of  digi- 
toxin is  very  pronounced,  and  stated  that  when  a  toxic  or  one-third 
toxic  dose  of  digitoxin  is  given  to  a  dog,  and  followed  in  twelve 
hours  by  a  similar  dose,  it  will  cause  the  death  of  the  dog,  the  result 
being  attributed  to  the  cumulative  action.  Dr.  Reed  said  that  prob- 
ably the  association  of  the  digitoxin  with  other  principles  in  prepara- 
tions was  an  advantage,  but  claimed  that  the  therapeutic  effects  on 
blood-pressure  and  diuresis  were  due  to  digitoxin.  While  making 
the  further  claim  that  where  so  much  confusion  exists  we  are  war- 
ranted in  considering  digitoxin  as  the  most  important  constituent 
of  digitalis,  Dr.  Reed  said  that  we  are  not  warranted  in  saying  that 
digitoxin  is  as  valuable  as  the  preparations,  namely,  the  fluidextract 
and  tincture,  due  to  its  physical  condition  in  these  preparations,  and 
perhaps  to  a  slight  action  of  the  other  constituents. 
J.  T.  Harbold,  apothecary  at  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital,  said  that 
the  physicians  at  the  hospital  manifest  more  satisfaction  with  the 
tincture  of  digitalis  than  with  digitoxin. 
Mr.  Poley  stated  that  according  to  his  observation  the  infusion  is 
being  prescribed  more  than  the  tincture. 
Prof.  E.  Fullerton  Cook  gave  some  "  Notes  on  Compound  Resor- 
cinol  Ointment,  N.F.,"  and  demonstrated  an  improved  method  for 
its  preparation  (see  page  120). 
In  discussing  the  paper,  Mr.  F.  M.  Apple  said  that  owing  to  the 
small  quantity  of  the  salts,  his  practice  was  to  mix  the  bases  and 
to  add  the  correct  proportion  of  the  salts  at  the  time  of  dispensing 
the  ointment. 
Mr.  Aquila  Hoch  stated  that  he  had  found  that  when  white 
petrolatum  was  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  ointment,  the  color 
changed  in  a  less  degree,  due  probably  to  the  lesser  proportion  of 
sulphur  compounds  which  would  react  with  the  zinc  salts. 
Edgar  R.  Buzzell,  a  student  of  the  college,  read  a  paper  on 
■<  Glycerite  of  Bismuth,  N.F.,"  and  F.  S.  Bonnell,  also  a  student, 
read  a  paper  on  4<  Antiseptic  Solution,  U.S.P.,  and  Alkaline  Anti- 
