362        National  Formulary  as  a  Legal  Standard.  {AlAu|usta9™" 
elixir  in  1000  c.c.  As  official  saccharin  is  considered  as  at  least  500 
times  the  sweetening  power  of  sugar,  we  have  in  this  latter  formula 
the  equivalent  of  3,250  grammes  of  sugar  plus  the  sugar  present  in 
the  aromatic  elixir.  Can  it  be  argued  that  saccharin  is  needed  in 
any  of  the  formulas  cited  ?  It  not,  then  its  use  is  an  abuse  that 
should  be  discontinued. 
The  compound  cathartic  elixir  of  this  edition  is  so  radically 
different  from  that  of  the  former  edition  that  it  can  never  be  sub- 
stituted therefor.  The  two  formulas  placed  in  parallel  columns  will 
strikingly  illustrate  this,  and  suggest  that  if  the  formula  of  the 
second  edition  was  so  unsatisfactory  as  to  necessitate  an  entirely 
new  formula,  its  use  could  not  have  been  extensive  and  the  prepara- 
tion should  have  been  dismissed. 
ELIXIR  CATHARTIC  COMPOSITUM,  N.  F. 
Second  Edition. 
Fluid  extract  of  senna  125  c.c. 
Fluid  extract  of  podophyllum   62  c.c. 
Fluid  extract  of  leptandra                                           ....  50  c.c. 
Fluid  extract  of  jalap     ...    50  c.c. 
Potassium  and  sodium  tartrate    125  gm. 
Sodium  bicarbonate                                                 .  .  .   .  :  16  gm. 
Compound  elixir  of  taraxacum   250  c.c. 
Elixir  of  glycyrrhiza,  a  sufficient  quantity  to  make   1000  c.c. 
Third  Edition. 
Fluid  extract  of  frangula                                                      .  125  c.c. 
Fluid  extract  of  senna     .  .                                          ....  100  c.c. 
Fluid  extract  of  rhubarb    62  c.c. 
Spirit  of  peppermint    14  c.c. 
Solution  of  potassium  hydroxide   4*5  c.c. 
Saccharin   4'5  gm. 
Aromatic  elixir  (U.  S.  P.),  a  sufficient  quantity  to  make  .   .   .  iooo  c.c. 
It  certainly  was  not  the  intent  to  have  the  Formulary  conflict 
with  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  so  the  formula  for  balsamum  traumati- 
cum  could  have  been  omitted,  as  in  the  note  we  are  advised  that 
"  The  official  tinctura  benzoini  composita  is  a  simplified  preparation 
intended  to  replace  the  above  compound."  Again,  in  the  note  under 
soluble  tincture  of  tolu,  we  are  told:  "  A  mixture  of  32  c.c.  of  this 
preparation  with  468  c.c.  of  syrup  yields  a  product  which  may  be 
used  as  syrup  of  tolu  in  all  cases  where  the  official  preparation  is 
not  required."  Syrup  of  tolu  is  a  pharmacopceial  title  and  prepara- 
tion, and  such  substitution  would  undoubtedly  be  technically  con- 
strued an  adulteration.     The  note  to  solution  of  ferrous  iodide 
