Aru.  Jour.  Pbarm.\ 
February,  1902.  J 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
87 
one  pharmacologist,  four  physicians  and  the  President  of  the  Federal 
Sanitary  Bureau  at  Bern,  has  published  for  consideration  and 
debate  two  lists  of  drugs  and  preparations  that  are  proposed  as 
additions  or  changes  in  the  forthcoming  work.  The  two  lists  com- 
prise a  total  of  eighty-three  titles ;  among  others,  a  general  title  or 
proposition  for  serums.  This  particular  proposition  is  rather  inter- 
esting. The  committee  proposes  the  adoption  of  serums  under  the 
following  headings: 
(1)  Tuberculin,  Koch. 
(2)  Serums,  general  and  special. 
(3)  Antidiphtheritic  serum. 
(4)  Antitetanic  serum. 
(5)  Antistreptococcic  serum. 
(6)  Vaccine  virus. 
In  this  connection  it  is  proposed  to  have  an  official  system  of 
tests  and  standardizing  under  control  of  the  Swiss  Gesundheitsamt. 
Of  the  remaining  eighty-three  titles,  twenty-nine  are  of  proposed 
new  additions,  among  them  twenty-one  chemicals,  four  plant  drugs, 
and  four  galenical  preparations.  Among  the  chemical  titles  are  bro- 
moform,  ethyl  chloride,  ethyl  morphine  hydrochlorate  and  sodium 
theobromine  salicylate. 
Another  interesting  work  in  this  connection  is  the  "  Universal 
Pharmacopoeia,"  by  Dr.  Bruno  Hirsh.  This  interesting  book  con- 
sists  of  a  conglomerate  of  twenty-eight  different  authoritative  works 
or  pharmacopoeias.  The  first  volume  of  the  second  edition  of  this 
work  has  been  issued,  and  che  second  volume  is  said  to  be  ready  for 
press.  This  is  probably  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  valuable 
books  in  pharmaceutical  literature,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that 
it  is  not  more  readily  available  for  reference  and  comparative  study. 
New  remedies  of  a  patented  or  proprietary  nature  are  increasing 
at  a  rate  that  makes  it  practically  impossible  to  keep  in  touch  with 
the  nomenclature,  to  say  nothing  of  becoming  familiar  with  the 
composition  or  uses  of  the  articles  themselves.  One  apparently 
good  feature  of  this  over-supply  is  the  gradual  awakening  of  mem- 
bers of  the  medical  profession  to  the  fact  that  many  of  these  sup- 
posed wonderful  discoveries  are  nothing  more  than  commercial 
ventures.  No  less  an  authority  than  Professor  Kobert,  of  Rostock 
(Aertz.  Vereins  blatt  f.  DeutschL),  calls  attention  to  the  ever-increasing 
number  and  varied  claims  of  these  compounds,  and  inquires  as  to> 
