ON  THE  REVISION  OF  THE  U.  S.  PHARMACOPOEIA. 
49 
true  alcoholic  extracts,  which  are  more  active,  more  definite, 
more  uniform,  and  more  permanent,  than  any  that  can  be  other- 
wise prepared.  Or  again,  if  they  do  not  contain  fixed  oils  or 
oleo-resins,  the  evaporation  may  be  carried  to  dryness,  and  the 
powdered  extracts  form  convenient,  definite,  and  powerful  agents; 
such  indeed,  as  are  some  of  the  so-called  "  concentrated  medi- 
cines "  now  oifered  to  the  medical  profession,  and  approved  as 
valuable  preparations. 
Indeed,  preparations  formed  in  accordance  with  these  views, 
will,  in  many  cases,  be  found  superior  to  the  fine  crystallized 
chemicals  which  have  been  considered  the  climax  of  pharmaceu- 
tic skill,  inasmuch  as  in  these  latter  the  normal  constitution  of 
the  medicine  is  always  broken  up,  and  new  and  artificial  combi- 
nations formed,  which  do  not  act  on  the  system  precisely  as  the 
original  organic  salts  as  they  exist  in  the  plant;  while  in  these 
alcoholic  extracts,  whether  fluid,  pillular,  or  powdered,  the  medi- 
cinal principles  exist  in  combination  with  their  own  native  acids 
or  bases,  arid  thus  truly  represent  the  plant  in  substance ;  and  if 
our  theory  be  true,  will  contain  only  those  elements  which  are 
more  or  less  medicinal,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  inert  matter. 
But  I  have  extended  my  paper  already,  I  fear,  beyond  its  ac- 
ceptable limits,  and  will  therefore  leave  the  above  suggestions 
to  the  consideration  and  criticism  of  whom  they  may  concern. 
Proceedings  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  18  58. 
EXTRACTS  FROM  PR.  SQUIBB' S  PAPER  ON  THE  REVISION  OF 
THE  U.  S.  PHARMACOPOEIA. 
(From  the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  1858.) 
Argenti  Nitras  Fusus. 
With  regard  to  this  preparation  the  writer  has  only  to  sug- 
gest that  the  number  and  simplicity  of  the  tests  be  amended. 
Lunar  caustic  when  quite  pure  is  not  white,  as  usually  de- 
scribed, but  rather  colorless  and  translucent  at  a  point  of  re- 
cent fracture,  and  greyish  externally  from  the  action  of  light 
and  organic  matter.  It  is  often  but  little  more  opaque  than  the 
crystals  of  similar  thickness.  It  is  crystalline  and  radiating 
from  the  center,  upon  fracture,  and  sometimes  a  little  grey  in- 
ternally from  a  small  proportion  of  reduced  silver.    When  of 
4 
