478  Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  {AM6ctTi^EM* 
of  crude  articles  or  preparations  which  appear  to  possess  the  same  importance 
as  others,  retained  or  introduced.  Acetal,  acetone,  bistorta,  calabar  bean, 
datiscin,  toxicodendron,  American  wormseed,  are  examples.  The  revisor's  ob- 
ject was  to  retain  all  subjects  of  practical  interest,  and  expunge  those  mostly 
possessing  a  purely  scientific  interest. 
Id  examining  the  articles  admitted  in  the  present  edition,  we  have  discovered 
but  few  errors  or  oversights.  The  process  given  for  what  the  eclectics  persist 
in  calling  hydrastin,  yields  muriate  of  berberina,  and  the  product  is  free  from 
hydrastia  (page  608).  On  page  1018,  the  description  given  of  Russian  or  Tur- 
key rhubarb  is  apt  to  mislead  to  the  belief  as  if  this  kind  was  still  a  commer- 
cial commodity,  while  it  has  been  out  of  commerce  for  the  last  ten  years.  For 
colchicia  (p.  352)  the  better  process  with  tannin  should  have  been  given. 
In  some  instances  we  observe  omissions  of  important  facts,  like  the  chemical 
and  physiological  similarity  of  daturia  and  atropia  (p.  385),  the  identity  of  san- 
guinarina  and  chelerythrina  (p.  1029). 
Considering,  however,  that  this  work  is  intended  to  be  a  "  cyclopedia  of  prac- 
tical receipts  and  collateral  information,"  we  cheerfully  recommend  it,  as  con- 
taining such  a  large  amount  of  carefully  selected  formulas,  processes,  and  other 
valuable  information  on  innumerable  new  and  old  subjects,  that  every  practical 
man  is  likely  to  find  in  it  something,  probably  much,  in  which  he  feels  specially 
interested.  We  should  mention  yet  that  the  new  notation  has  been  adopted  in 
all  chemical  formulas. 
The  garb  in  which  this  work  appears  is  creditable  to  the  publishers ;  the  pa- 
per is  good,  and  the  type,  though  small,  sharp  and  clear. 
Pharmacopcea  Helvetica.    Editio  altera.    Scaphusiae  :  ex  officina  Brodtmann- 
iana,  1872. 
The  first  edition  of  this  Pharmacopoeia  was  noticed  in  the  "American  Jour- 
nal of  Pharmacy"  1867,  p.  207,  &c  In  the  present  edition,  which  has  appeared 
within  seven  years  after  the  former,  the  Pharmacopoeia  has  been  completely 
remodeled  and  cut  down,  by  omitting  a  large  number  of  complex  Galenical 
preparations,  so  that  the  whole  work  is  now  printed  upon  196  pages. 
The  language  employed  is  the  Latin,  to  the  exclusion  even  of  the  synonyms 
in  the  vernacular.  The  simple  drugs  have  been  introduced,  their  derivation  is 
given,  but  no  description  is  attempted,  instead  of  which  merely  the  most  impor- 
tant characters  are  mentioned  by  which  the  drug  may  be  distinguished  from 
other  similar  ones,  or  adulterations  detected.  A  few  examples  will  render  this 
clear : 
Balsamum  Peruvianum.  Liquor  spissiusculus,  rufus  vel  e  nigro  fuscus, 
quem  Myroxylon  Pereirae  Klotzsch  (M.  sonsonatense  autor.)  leviter  adusto  cor- 
tice  exsudat. — In  acido  acetico  crystallisato,  alcohole  amylico,  acetono  anhy- 
dro  et  spiritu  alcoholisato  solubile  sit,  minima  ex  parte  in  benzolo. 
Folia  Digitalis.  Folia  Digitalis  purpurea?  L.  Tempore  florescendi  e  planta 
sponte  crescente  colligenda. — Subtus  prsecipue  pilis  simplicibus  et  mollibus  non 
vero  stellatis  vel  ramosis  tomentosa  aut  pubescentia  sint. — Ne  ultra  annum 
serventur. 
