272  U.  S.  Pharmacopceial  Convention.  j 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1910. 
it  would  be  unwise  to  require  the  acceptance  of  the  details  of  pharmaceutical 
or  other  processes  recommended  by  the  International  Conference. 
If  the  finished  product  conforms  to  the  International  standards  we 
believe  that  each  Country  should  be  left  free  to  adopt  such  detail  and 
manipulation  as  may  seem  to  them  best.  Nothing  should  prevent,  how- 
ever, the  adoption  of  the  recommendation  of  the  conference,  as  to  details, 
if  in  the  opinion  of  the  next  Committee  of  Revision,  by  so  doing,  the 
Pharmacopoeia  can  be  improved. 
General  Formulae. — It  is  recommended  that  general  formulae  be  in- 
troduced as  far  as  the  particular  nature  of  the  several  drugs  will  permit, 
for  fluid  extracts,  tinctures  and  such  other  preparations  as  are  made  by 
identical  processes,  and  that  the  general  formula  to  be  followed  in  each 
case  be  merely  indicated  by  reference. 
Appending  a  List  of  Preparations  in  which  an  Official  Article  is 
Used. — It  is  recommended  that,  especially  for  the  convenience  of  practising 
physicians,  there  should  be  appended  after  each  article  in  the  text  a  list 
of  the  official  preparations  in  which  it  is  used. 
A  few  exceptions  may  be  made  to  this  in  such  cases  as  water,  alcohol, 
glycerin,  sugar,  etc. 
Alcoholic  Percentage  in  Official  Preparations. — It  is  recommended 
that  a  range  of  volume  content,  of  absolute  alcohol,  be  stated  in  the  Phar- 
macopoeia, for  each  preparation  containing  alcohol. 
Assay  Processes. — We  recommend  that  the  Committee  be  instructed  to 
introduce  assay  processes  for  as  many  of  the  potent  drugs  and  preparations 
made  therefrom  as  may  be  found  practicable,  provided  that  the  processes 
of  assay  are  reasonably  simple  (both  as  to  methods  and  apparatus  required) 
and  lead  to  fairly  uniform  results  in  different  hands.  As  regards  the 
products  of  such  assays,  tests  of  identity  and  purity  should  be  added  wherever 
feasible. 
It  is  recommended  that  biological  tests  or  assays,  when  accurate  and 
reliable,  may  be  admitted. 
Composite  Preparations. — It  is  recommended  that  new  composite  (com- 
pound) preparations  be  discouraged  as  far  as  possible. 
Pharmacognostical  Descriptions. — It  is  recommended  that,  with  the 
description  of  a  crude  drug,  there  be  included  brief,  pharmacognostical 
descriptions,  both  macroscopic  and  microscopic  where  practicable,  and  there 
should  be  added  a  statement  of  the  appearance  of  the  structural  elements 
in  the  powder,  when  examined  microscopically,  as  a  means  of  detecting 
adulteration. 
Powdered  Drugs. — It  is  recommended  that,  in  the  next  Pharmacopoeia, 
powdered  drugs  be  required  to  represent  the  entire  drug  unless  specifically 
stated  otherwise.  Where  the  drug  can  be  powdered  without  residue  this 
should  be  required ;  in  other  cases  the  amount  of  allowable  tailings,  gruffs, 
or  residue  should  be  determined  and  inserted  in  the  text. 
Diagnostical  Reagents. — It  is  recommended  that  there  be  included 
in  the  next  Pharmacopoeia,  such  reagents,  with  standards  for  strength  and 
purity,  as  are  needed  for  the  proper  execution  of  tests  that  are  valuable 
and  important  in  the  making  of  a  correct  diagnosis. 
