640  United  States  Pharmacopoeial  Revision.  }  ^s^pte*IiJber!'*'i92o' 
large  producing  corporation  said  recently  that  supplies  of  alcohol  all 
over  the  United  States  were  far  below  normal  and  that  he  could  not 
see  at  the  time  from  what  source  legitimate  consumers  would 
be  able  to  obtain  sufficient  supplies  for  their  needs  after  the  present 
short  holdings  are  used  up.  Distilleries  using  molasses  as  a  raw 
material  have  been  unable  to  obtain  anything  like  enough  to  keep 
them  running  at  capacity.  For  those  using  corn,  which  is  now  just 
under  the  two  dollar  mark,  the  price  has  become  almost  prohibi- 
tive. Added  to  this,  practically  two  months  of  crippled  shipping 
facilities  have  furnished  the  crowning  feature  of  the  situation  by 
isolating  consumers  from  their  sources  of  supply  and  holding  up 
shipments  of  raw  materials  destined  for  the  distilleries. 
The  molasses  production  of  Cuba,  from  whence  comes  most  of 
that  used  in  this  country  for  the  production  of  molasses  alcohol, 
has  been  materially  curtailed  during  the  past  year  by  strikes.  The 
high  price  of  sugar  has  also  been  a  factor  in  the  more  careful  refining 
which  has  given  a  higher  sugar  return  and  consequently  reduced  the 
molasses  output.  The  market  and  prices  in  the  United  States 
have  been  on  what  is  termed  a  "grain  basis"  as  a  result,  that  is,  the 
cost  of  alcohol  corn  has  been  the  determining  factor  in  the  price 
and  is  expected  to  be  for  the  balance  of  this  year  if  not  longer.  The 
present  price  of  corn  for  alcohol  (about  $1 .60  per  bushel)  means  a 
cost  to  the  producers  of  70  cents  to  75  cents  a  wine  gallon. 
SUGGESTIONS    FOR  UNITED  STATES  PHARMACOPOEIAL 
REVISION  SUBMITTED  BY  THE    COMMITTEE  ON 
THE  UNITED  STATES  PHARMACOPOEIA  OF  THE 
PHILADElvPHIA  COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY. 
May,  1920. 
(Continued  from  p.  563,  August,  IQ20.) 
BIOLOGICAL  PRODUCTS  AND  STERILIZATION. 
Aqua  Destillata  Sterilisata. — Mention  should  be  made  here,  as 
under  physiological  solution  of  sodium  chloride,  that  an  autoclave 
is  to  be  preferred  for  its  sterilization.  When  boiling  is  to  be  used, 
the  term  "actively  boil"  should  be  employed,  and  not  merely  boil. 
The  statement  is  made  that  this  preparation  should  be  used  within 
forty-eight  hours  after  it  is  made.  This  should  be  followed^by  the 
statement,  "if  it  is  to  be  used  for  intravenous  injections."    It  is 
