AmNo°v.^§3arm'}  Revision  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia.  519 
Diluted  Hypophosphorous  Acid  is  a  new  addition  and  is  directed 
to  be  about  10  per  cent,  of  the  absolute  acid.  An  acid  of  fifty  per 
cent,  strength  has  been  supplied  by  the  manufacturers  for  some 
years  and,  according  to  F.  X.  Moerk,  is  more  stable  than  the  weaker 
acid  and  should  have  been  recognized  in  place  of  the  dilute. 
Nitric  Acid  is  now  68  per  cent,  of  HN03  instead  of  69-4  per  cent, 
as  formerly,  and  Sulphuric  Acid  is  92-5  per  cent.,  with  sp.  gr.  1-835 
instead  of  96  per  cent.  On  the  other  hand,  Phosphoric  Acid  is  now 
85  per  cent,  instead  of  50  percent.  The  so-called  syrupy  phosphoric 
acid  (85  per  cent.)  was  in  extensive  use  in  1880,  and  it  is  to  be 
regretted,  that  it  was  not  then  made  official,  as  prior  to  that  date 
only  the  diluted  acid  had  been  recognized.  There  is,  in  the  future, 
the  likelihood  of  considerable  confusion  arising  from  this  change  of 
standard.  The  process  of  manufacture  of  phosphoric  acid  is  rightly 
omitted,  as  it  is  such  as  to  be  hardly  practical  for  the  pharmacist  to 
attempt. 
Sulphurous  Acid  should  hereafter  contain  6-4  per  cent,  of  sulphur 
dioxide  instead  of  3-5  per  cent,  as  heretofore.  Benzoinated  Lard  is 
again  directed  to  be  prepared  by  tying  the  benzoin  in  muslin  and 
suspending  in  the  melted  lard  for  2  hours.  A  superior  product 
would  be  obtained  by  mixing  the  benzoin  in  a  coarse  powder  with 
the  lard  and  allowing  to  stand  for  six  hours,  then  melt  and  strain. 
By  the  official  process  but  a  small  portion  of  the  benzoin  becomes 
thoroughly  exposed  to  the. action  of  the  lard. 
Wool-fat,  an  ancient  medicament,  forgotten  until  recently  intro- 
duced in  the  purified  state  by  Liebrich,  is  recognized  under  the  same 
name  as  that  adopted  in  the  "Additions  to  the  British  Pharma- 
copoeia "  in  1890,  and  the  degree  of  allowable  hydration  (30  per 
cent.),  is  likewise  the  same  in  both  standards.  The  statement  that 
it  is  "  miscible  with  twice  its  weight  of  water  without  losing  its 
ointment-like  character,"  requires  some  little  modification.  At  the 
normal  temperature  only  about  an  equal  weight  can  be  incorporated. 
"  Unna  says  105  per  cent,  at  150  C."  (see  Amer.  Journal  of  Phar- 
macy, 1886,  p.  1 01);  but,  by  warming  the  mortar,  two  hundred  parts 
can  be  incorporated  with  100  parts  of  the  lanolin. 
The  ether  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  1880,  containing  but  74  per 
cent,  of  ethyl  oxide,  has  been  discarded  and  only  the  stronger 
ether  containing  96  per  cent,  of  ethyl  oxide  is  now  official  under  the 
title  vEther.    The  potassium  iodide  test,  given  on  p.  28,  we  are 
