"AmMa^'imrxn'}        United  States  Pharmacopoeia.  21 1 
acid  (absence  of  carbonate)."  "  Another  portion  of  the  filtrate  should 
remain  clear  on  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  silver  nitrate  T.S. 
(absence  of  chlorides)."  "  The  aqueous  solution  (2  per  cent.)  acidu- 
lated with  nitric  acid  should  not  afford  more  than  a  slight  opales- 
cence with  barium  chloride  T.S.  (limit  of  sulphate)."  And  similar 
ones  are  found  for  testing  for  the  presence  or  absence  of  other  sub- 
stances of  the  same  character. 
Now,  there  is  only  one  test  for  carbonates  or  chlorides  or  sul- 
phates under  normal  conditions.  Why,  then,  make  these  useless 
repetitions  again  and  again  on  the  pages  of  the  Pharmacopoeia? 
Why  not  collect  such  instructions  in  the  latter  part  of  thebook,  as 
has  been  done  in  the  last  edition  of  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  and 
give  them  once  for  all  ?  Whenever  a  case  is  met  with  where  special 
directions  are  necessary  to  arrive  at  the  proper  conclusions,  then  and 
there,  and  there  only,  give  them. 
Some  one  says  the  object  of  the  committee  was  to  make  each  set 
of  tests  complete  in  itself,  therefore  these  many  repetitions. 
If  there  were  a  large  number  of  volumes,  such  a  reason  would  be 
very  good,  but  hardly  for  one  volume.  It  is  easy  to  turn  to  the 
tests  in  their  proper  places  if  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  known  to  the 
worker  at  all. 
Remarks,  comments  and  suggestions  similar  to  those  contained 
in  the  foregoing  pages  could  be  greatly  multiplied,  but  it  would 
appear  that  sufficient  has  been  said  to  properly  present  the  actual 
condition  of  affairs.  It  is  a  very  easy  thing  to  have  or  frame  high 
ideals,  and  it  is  eminently  desirable  to  strive  for  them,  but,  inasmuch 
as  it  is  impracticable  to  attain  them  at  present,  in  many  cases,  it  would 
be  far  better  to  establish  such  standards  as  the  progress  of  chemistry, 
pharmacy  and  botany  warrants  and  therapeutics  needs. 
The  Committee  of  Revision  should  keep  in  mind  the  object 
of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  not  simply  because  this  or  that  commis- 
sion has  extended  or  refined  certain  tests  strive  to  outdo  some  one 
else  in  the  matter  of  raising  certain  standards.  It  should  also  re- 
member that  whether  the  standards  set  are  high  or  low  there  are 
always  those  who  are  ever  ready  to  pronounce  the  latest  revision 
decidedly  superior  to  and  better  than  all  previous  editions. 
Maubar  Kino  contains,  according  to  David  Hooper  (Phartn.  Jour .,  1900,  p. 
226),  from  80*2  to  96-5  per  cent,  of  tannin  on  dry  substance. 
