A™ecembe^902m"}    Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  609 
system  in  a  rational  and  satisfactory  way.  The  one  proposed  by 
Ramsay  is  given  below : 
H 
He 
Li 
Be 
1 
4 
7 
9 
F 
Ne 
Na 
Mg 
19 
20 
23 
24 
CI 
A 
K 
Ca 
35*5 
40 
39 
40 
Br 
Kr 
Rb 
Sr 
80 
82 
85 
87 
I 
X 
Cs 
Ba 
127 
128 
133 
137 
It  will  be  noted  that  hydrogen,  according  to  this  arrangement, 
becomes  the  first  element  in  the  halogen  group — a  position  for  it 
which  had  been  suggested  by  several  eminent  scientists. 
The  inert  argon  group,  according  to  this  classification,  would  hold 
the  position  between  the  very  active  halogen  and  the  sodium  groups. 
M.  I.  Wilbert. 
INTERNATIONAL  STANDARD  OF  POTENT  REMEDIES. 
Among  the  basic  principles  discussed  and  subsequently  adopted 
by  the  International  Convention  for  the  Unification  of  the  Formulas 
for  Heroic  Medicines,  which  met  at  Brussels,  September  15th,  none 
perhaps  is  of  more  direct  interest  to  the  American  medical  practi- 
tioner than  that  establishing  at  10  per  cent,  the  strength  of  tinctures 
of  active  or  potent  remedies.  This  is  especially  opportune  with  the 
present  revision  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia.  The  importance  of 
the  subject  is  emphasized  in  an  article  on  tincture  of  aconite  read  at 
the  meeting  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  held 
recently  in  this  city  by  M.  I.  Wilbert,  apothecary  to  the  German 
Hospital.  He  points  out  that  the  U.S.P.  tincture  of  aconite  is  seven 
times  as  strong  as  the  British  preparation,  three  and  a  half  times  as 
strong  as  the  German  preparation,  and  nearly  double  the  strength 
