2j6 
U.S. P.  National  Convention. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
t.       June,  1900. 
REVIEWS  AND  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 
Commercial  Organic  Analysis.  By  Alfred  H.  Allen.  Third 
Edition.  Vol.  II,  Part  II.  Hydrocarbons,  Petroleum  and  Coal-tar 
Products,  Asphalts,  etc.  Revised  by  Henry  LerTmann,  M.D. 
Philadelphia:  P.  Blakiston's  Son  &  Co.  1900. 
Part  I  of  the  new  edition  of  Vol.  II  of  Allen's  Commercial 
Organic  Analysis,  which  was  noticed  in  this  Journal,  1899,  p.  438, 
covered  the  fixed  oils  and  fats.  This  part  covers  the  hydrocarbons 
and  other  products  from  petroleum  and  coal-tar,  and  a  third  part 
remains  to  be  issued  on  the  essential  oils  and  resins. 
The  present  volume  contains  much  of  the  greatest  interest  and 
value  to  the  chemist  and  pharmacist.  Thus  we  find  both  acetylene 
and  calcium  carbide  treated  from  the  standpoint  of  our  most  recent 
knowledge,  with  directions  for  their  analysis.  Very  notable  space 
has  been  given  to  asphalts,  both  European  and  American,  and  the 
best  methods  for  their  analysis  discussed ;  the  composition  of  tar  from 
gas  retort,  shale  distillation,  coke  oven  and  blast  furnace  fully  dis- 
cussed and  means  given  for  the  differentiation  of  these. 
Under  phenols  we  have  the  newer  disinfecting  liquids  noted,  such 
as  creolin,  lysol,  saprol,  solutol  and  salveol,  and  their  composition 
stated. 
Under  the  head  of  creosote  we  have  the  creosotes  from  different 
sources  compared  and  means  of  recognizing  adulteration  in  the 
more  valuable  given. 
Numerous  tabular  views  of  the  composition  of  petroleum,  coal- 
tar  and  other  mixtures  are  given,  and  schemes  for  the  analysis  of 
such  mixtures. 
The  book  is  thoroughly  up-to-date  in  its  presentation  of  the  chem- 
istry of  this  important  class  of  compounds,  and  can  be  recommended 
in  the  strongest  terms  as  to  its  value  to  all  working  in  this  field. 
S.  P.  S. 
NATIONAL  CONVENTION  OF  1900  FOR  REVISING 
THE  U.  S.  PHARMACOPCEIA. 
The  Eighth  Decennial  Convention  for  Revising  the  United  States  Pharmaco- 
poeia was  held  in  the  banquet  hall  of  the  Raleigh  Hotel,  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
from  May  2-4,  1900. 
The  delegation  was  a  representative  one  from  every  part  of  the  Union. 
Twenty-eight  States  were  represented  by  delegates  from  their  various  pharma- 
