go 
Book  Reviews. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
[  February,  1914. 
aqueous  preparation,  represents  the  activity  of  the  drug."  While 
this  is  somewhat  different  from  what  we  have  heretofore  believed,  it 
does  not  justify  the  making  of  the  infusion  from  a  fluidextract,  as 
digitonin  is  not  soluble  in  an  alcoholic  menstruum,  and  such  an  infu- 
sion would  not  contain  any  digitonin,  and  the  glucosides  insoluble 
in  water  would  not  therefore  be  held  in  solution. 
The  book  is  up-to-date  in  the  introduction  of  new  remedies,  a 
few  only  being  cited,  such  as  Hormonal  from  the  spleen  of  the 
rabbit,  which  is  stated  to  be  "  of  value  in  post-operative  tympanites 
and  obstinate  chronic  constipation."  Oxyntin  and  Acidol  are  albu- 
minous forms  of  hydrochloric  acid.  The  chapter  on  Hypnotics  is  of 
interest,  especially  the  contrast  between  natural  sleep  and  that  in- 
duced by  the  aid  of  drugs. 
"  The  article  on  tobacco  will  be  read  with  interest,  as  the  author 
seems  to  think  "  that  the  demand  for  tobacco  is  not  so  much  the 
physiological  demand  of  the  body  for  its  dose  of  nicotine,  as  it  is  the 
psychic  demand  for  the  satisfaction  of  a  habit." 
He  thinks  that  pepsin  "  in  almost  all  cases  of  digestive  disturb- 
ance is  a  superfluous  remedy,"  but  that  pancreatin  is  of  greater 
value.  In  fact,  he  gives  some  remarkable  instances  of  its  effects  in 
the  case  of  arrested  development,  one  of  which  was  a  boy  who  grew 
five  inches  in  two  years  and  gained  twenty-two  pounds.  He  is  op- 
posed to  the  prescribing  of  mixtures  of  the  digestive  ferments  to- 
gether, as  frequently  they  destroy  each  other.  Of  aconite  which 
has  been  the  sheet  anchor  of  Homeopathy  for  so  many  years,  is 
asserted,  "  that  in  the  light  of  recent  research  has  doubtful  thera- 
peutic value."  Camphor  cerate  is  not  "  camphor  ice  "  as  stated,  the 
latter  being  the  Compound  cerate  of  the  N.  F.  Jalap  is  said  to 
contain  8  per  cent,  of  resin,  the  amount  should  be  given  as  7  per 
cent.  The  doses  as  given  in  the  work  vary  considerably  from  those 
of  the  pharmacopoeia.  Under  the  head  of  reflex  emetics,  the  dose  of 
copper  sulphate  is  stated  as  thirty  grains,  the  pharmacopoeia  gives 
it  as  four  grains,  that  of  tartar  emetic  as  two  grains,  the  official  dose 
is  y^t  g. ;  we  have  same  unpleasant  remembrances  of  the  effects  of  a 
one-grain  dose  of  tartar  emetic.  The  dose  of  sparteine  sulphate  is 
given  as  one  grain,  which  is  probably  nearer  correct  than  the  dose 
given  in  the  Pharmacopoeia.  The  dose  of  all  the  mydriatic  alkaloids 
(as  atropine)  and  their  salts  is  stated  as  the  1/150  grain,  no  varia- 
tion between  them  being  given. 
Apomorphine  hydrochloride  is  cited  as  being  the  only  central 
