548  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeial  Revision.      { I^ueust!'i9Td. 
Synonyms. — ^Where  several  names  are  in  extensive  use  in  the  drug 
trade,  these  should  be  given  as  official  synonyms. 
Limitations  of  Purity. — ^We  recommend  that  the  statement  in  the 
present  revision,  under  the  head  "Purity  and  Strength  of  Pharma- 
copoeial Articles,"  be  amended  by  eliminating  the  last  clause  re- 
lating to  the  standards  of  drugs  in  other  countries. 
International  Standards. — -While  approving  of  the  principle  of 
International  Standards  for  potent  drugs  and  medicinal  prepara- 
tions, it  is  believed  that  the  standards  of  the  Brussels  Conference 
of  1902  should  receive  careful  revision,  and  that  another  International 
Conference  should  be  convened  for  determining  proper  International 
Standards  at  this  time. 
List  of  Official  Preparations. — ^We  recommend  that  a  statement  of 
the  preparations,  in  which  the  article  is  used,  should  be  continued 
in  the  monographs,  as  in  the  last  revision  (U.  S.  P.  IX). 
Alcoholic  Percentages. — ^We  renew  the  recommendation  that  there 
should  be  added  to  each  official  liquid  preparation  containing  alcohol 
a  statement  of  the  range  of  alcohol,  by  volume,  contained  in  the 
product. 
Assay  Processes.— We  urge  the  re-adoption,  and  putting  into 
effect,  of  the  recommendations  that  tests  of  identity  and  purity  be 
given  for  determining  the  character  of  the  products  of  Assays. 
Biologic  Assays. — ^These  should  be  called  Pharmacodynamic 
Tests,  and  should  be  admitted  only  where  the  standardizing  of  the 
drugs  or  preparations  cannot  be  satisfactorily  determined  by  chem- 
ical assays,  and  where  the  proposed  methods  for  pharmacodynamic 
testing  are  sufficiently  developed  to  yield  concordant  results. 
Serums  and  Bacterins. — ^We  recommend  that  the  list  of  ad- 
missions of  this  class  of  Biologic  Products  be  extended  only  where 
standards  have  been  established  by  the  proper  governmental  de- 
partment. 
Weights  and  Measures. — ^We  recommend  that  the  Metric  System  of 
Weights  and  Measures  only  should  be  used  throughout  the  entire  book. 
Supplements. — ^The  Executive  Committee  should  again  be  em- 
powered to  issue  supplements  to  the  Pharmacopoeia,  if,  in  their 
judgment,  such  be  necessary. 
Publicity. — ^We  recommend  that  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee 
of  Revision,  with  the  approval  of  the  Executive  Committee,  issue 
preliminary  statements  of  the  progress  of  the  revision,  and  of  the 
important  changes  contemplated. 
