488  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  ( Am~  f°ur-  Sna0riri- 
1  (      October,  190S. 
soluble  compounds.  To  accomplish  this,  various  chemical  substances 
— sodium  hydroxide,  sodium  citrate,  ammonium  citrate  and  mas:- 
nesium  citrate — were  employed  to  promote  solution. 
Oil  of  Sandalwood. 
By  A.  R.  L.  Dohme  and  IT.  Engelhardt. 
This  was  a  reply  to  papers  by  E.  J.  Parry  and  Schimmel  &  Co. 
on  the  value  of  optical  rotation  as  a  test  of  purity.  The  authors 
have  controverted  the  arguments  of  these  two  authors  and  offered, 
besides  their  own  experience,  the  experience  and  results  of  two 
other  large  distillers  of  this  oil,  in  favor  of  reducing  the  optical 
rotation  of  the  U.  S.  P.  on  sandal  oil.  The  authors  maintained  that 
assay  of  santalol,  the  active  principle,  solubility  in  70  per  cent, 
alcohol,  and  specific  gravity  are  ample  to  define  a  pure  oil,  but  saw 
no  objection  to  including  the  acid  and  saponification  numbers  to 
recognize  adulterations.  If  optical  rotation  must  be  included,  they 
insist  that  it  should  be  lowered  to  -120  as  a  minimum  requirement, 
so  as  to  avoid  ruling  out  much  of  the  oil  now  distilled,  perfectly  pure, 
and  meeting  all  requirements. 
Purity  of  Some  Official  and  Non-Official  Drugs 
and  Chemicals. 
By  A.  R.  L.  Dohme  and  H.  Engelhardt. 
An  examination  of  about  10,000  drugs  and  chemicals  was 
made  and  a  report  was  given  of  those  that  did  not  measure  up  to 
requirements.  The  results  showed  a  marked  improvement  in  quality 
of  goods  examined  since  the  passage  of  the  Pure  Food  and  Drugs 
Act.  Among  the  drugs  not  usually  attaining  standard  require- 
ments were  mentioned  asafcetida,  ergot,  hyoscyamus,  jalap,  croton 
oil,  oils  of  eucalyptus,  bitter  orange,  and  savin.  A  strong  recom- 
mendation was  again  made  for  incorporating  in  the  U.  S.  P., 
19 10,  a  "  Chloroform  pro  narcosi  "  as  very  few  if  any  on  the 
market  meet  the  requirements  of  such  a  product.  A  digestive 
strength  test  for  papain  was  suggested  to  be  made  official.  Resin 
scammony  made  from  the  roots  of  scammony  or  orizaba  root  was 
suggested  to  be  made  official,  as  the  virgin  scammony  was  found 
to  be  practically  off  the  market.  Saffron  should  be  returned  to  the 
U.  S.  P.,  as  it  is  used  considerably  and  is  frequently  adulterated. 
