5«2 
Book  Reviews. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I  December,  1910. 
and  enlarged  and  an  additional  table  is  given  which  will  be  found 
of  great  value  to  the  analyst.  By  using  1.5  Gm.  of  the  volatile  oil 
and  adding  the  required  amount  of  half-normal  potassium  hydroxide 
solution  for  saponification,  not  only  can  the  ester  value  of  the  oil  be 
determined,  but  the  per  cent,  of  the  esters  and  alcohols  may  be 
ascertained  without  any  further  calculation.  This  promises  to  be 
of  the  greatest  possible  assistance  to  all  those  who  desire  an  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  character  of  the  oils  that  they  purchase. 
The  subject  matter  has  been  well  prepared;  the  necessary  facts 
with  citation  to  literature  have  been  given,  and  the  information  in- 
cludes not  only  the  recent  scientific  researches  regarding  the  principle 
constituents  of  the  volatile  oils  and  their  constitution,  but  the  ap- 
proved laboratory  methods  for  obtaining  a  true  knowledge  of  the 
quality  of  the  respective  oils  under  consideration.  Every  dealer 
in  volatile  oils  and  especially  all  retail  pharmacists  will  find  this 
book  of  great  interest  and  practical  value. 
E.  Merck's  Annual  Report  of  Recent  Advances  in  Phar- 
maceutical Chemistry  and  Therapeutics.  1909.  Volume 
xxiii.    E.  Merck,  Chemical  Works,  Darmstadt.  1910. 
In  addition  to  the  comprehensive  review  of  recent  literature 
relating  to  pharmaceutical  products  and  therapeutics  there  is  an 
excellent  chapter  of  84  pages  on  "  Serum  Therapy  and  Bacterio- 
therapeutic  Preparations."  We  do  not  recall  having  seen  anything 
so  complete  and  instructive  and  yet  concise.  Among  the  most 
interesting  reports,  from  a  therapeutic  viewpoint,  is  that  on  the  use 
of  perhydrol  for  combating  nasopharyngeal  and  oral  infections. 
Dr.  Simon  Flexner,  of  the  Rockefeller  Institute  for  Medical  Re- 
search, recently  pointed  out  that  the  virus  of  poliomyelitis  can  enter 
the  nervous  system  through  the  abraded  mucous  membrane  of  the 
nose,  and  that  the  virus  is  quickly  destroyed  by  a  dilution  of  perhy- 
drol.   It  is  similarly  used  in  summer  catarrh  and  scarlet  fever. 
A  Treatise  on  Pharmacy  for  Students  and  Pharmacists. 
By  Professor  Charles  Caspari,  Jr.,  University  of  Maryland.  Fourth 
edition,  enlarged  and  revised.  Illustrated  with  330  engravings. 
Philadelphia  and  New  York:  Lea  and  Febiger,  1910. 
The  object  of  this  text-book  is  to  furnish  the  student  with  the 
raison  d'etre  for  the  processes  and  tests  employed  in  the  preparation 
and  testing  of  pharmaceutical  products  ;  and  to  give  the  retail  phar- 
macist a  trustworthy  guide  for  use  in  conjunction  with  the  U.  S. 
Pharmacopoeia  and  National  Formulary.    It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
