24 
Standards  and  Changes. 
j  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\    January,  1910. 
Liquor  Potassii  Hydroxidi. — Absence  of  more  than  traces  of  po- 
tassium carbonate  should  be  insisted  upon  in  the  preparation,  which 
undergoes  a  deterioration  of  this  kind  quite  readily.  A  proper 
method  for  filtration  should  also  be  given,  in  consequence  of  the  fre- 
quent necessity  for  removing  flakes  of  siliceous  matter  which  are 
often  found  floating  in  the  liquid. 
Liquor  Sodii  Hydroxidi. — The  same  suggestions  made  with  ref- 
erence to  liquor  potassii  hydroxidi  are  applicable  to  this  preparation 
also. 
Massa  Ferri  Carbonatis. — A  requirement  for  the  minimum  per 
cent,  of  ferrous  carbonate  is  just  as  important  for  this  preparation 
as  for  ferri  carbonas  saccharatus,  and  a  similar  method  for  its  deter- 
mination should  be  included. 
A  minimum  limit  of  40.00  per  cent.  Fe2COs  would  be  satisfactory, 
as  41.70  per  cent,  is  the  amount  theoretically  present  according  to 
the  formula  given,  and  in  the  examination  of  a  large  number  of 
commercial  samples  of  this  article  none  has  ever  been  found  to  be 
below  40  per  cent,  except  where  it  had  deteriorated  through  age 
and  improper  keeping. 
Massa  Hydrargyri. — A  purity  rubric,  together  with  a  method 
for  estimating  the  amount  of  metallic  mercury,  should  be  included 
for  this  preparation. 
Mel. — The  test  for  absence  of  cane  suga*r  in  honey  is  too  rigid. 
Honey  normally  contains  cane  sugar  to  the  extent  of  7  per  cent,  at 
times. 
A  test  for  added  invert  sugar  should  be  given,  as  commercial 
honev  is  frequently  adulterated  with  this  substance.  There  is  one 
establishment,  within  the  knowledge  of  the  writer,  making  invert 
sugar  in  4000  lb.  lots  for  the  sole  purpose  of  adding  it  to  honev. 
The  added  invert  sugar  always  contains  furfurol  and  can  readily 
be  detected  by  applying  the  aniline  acetate  test  for  furfurol,  as 
follows : 
When  a  mixture  of  aniline  1  c.c,  glacial  acetic  acid  1  c.c,  and 
water  2  c.c.  is  allowed  to  flow  down  the  side  of  a  test-tube  in  which 
several  c.c.  of  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  honey  and  water  have 
been  placed,  so  as  to  form  a  supernatant  layer,  no  red  or  pink  zone 
should  develop  at  the  point  of  contact  of  the  liquids  within  fifteen 
minutes. 
Oleatum  Atropine?,  Oleatum  Cocaince,  Oleatum  Quinines  and 
Oleatum  Veratrincr. — There  should  be  processes  of  assay  given 
