i8 
Adulterated  Japan  Wax. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I    January,  1897. 
reaction  which  the  originator  of  the  Blaud  pill  designed  ?  Or  shall 
we  admit  that  varying  states  of  oxidation  do  not  seriously  militate 
against  the  therapeutical  efficacy  of  this  iron  salt,  especially  when 
it  has  merged  into  the  ferric  state.  In  the  numerous  essays  which 
have  appeared  upon  the  subject  of  Blaud's  pills  are  many  finely 
wrought  theories  in  regard  to  the  action  of  the  normal  fluids  of  the 
stomach,  most  notably  the  supposed  free  hydrochloric  acid,  which 
is  fancifully  conceived  to  be  in  waiting  in  that  wondrous  receptacle, 
ready  to  claim  first  seizure  upon  any  congenial  substance  which 
may  be  ingested — with  a  predilection  for  a  ferrous  salt  of  iron — and 
that  an  insignificant  amount  of  ferric  oxide,  now  and  then,  will  be 
but  a  small  obstacle  to  the  action  of  this  solvent  acid. 
It  would  appear  to  be  more  reasonable  to  cease  indulging  in  any 
more  theories  as  to  the  precise  behavior  of  the  intestinal  processes 
towards  foreign  substances,  particularly  medicines,  or  to  speculate 
upon  a  probably  uniform  action  regulating  animal  chemistry.  But 
rather  see  to  it  that  the  state  of  combination  is  exactly  such  as  will 
meet  the  indications  suggesting  its  use;  and  that  if  prepared  in 
advance  of  requirement,  how  much  of  chemical  change  or  alteration 
can  occur,  and  yet  demonstrate  it  a  Blaud  pill,  or  what  is  its  precise 
character  as  commonly  found  in  commerce,  and  wherein  does  it 
differ  from  that  of  extemporaneous  preparation  ? 
This  paper  is  presented  here  for  the  purpose  of  eliciting  dis- 
cussion. Whilst  much  has  been  written,  the  assertions  are  chiefly 
on  one  side  only  of  the  question.    Now  let  us  have  the  other  side. 
Philadelphia,  November  30,  1896. 
4    ADULTERATED  JAPAN  WAX. 
By  Charges  H.  LaWaij,. 
The  analytical  chemist,  whose  duty  it  is  to  examine  the  various 
commercial  products  sold  by  a  large  wholesale  house,  encounters 
many  instances  where  samples  are  offered  for  examination  before 
purchasing  which  are  inferior  in  some  respects  to  the  official  stand- 
ard required  for  the  substance,  or  which  contain  some  unmistak- 
able ingredient  foreign  to  their  nature. 
It  frequently  occurs  that  the  description  of  a  substance  is  capable 
of  several  different  interpretations,  or  the  requirements  are  faulty, 
