Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
April,  1903. 
C  orrespondence. 
187 
oratories,  Glenolden,  Pa.;  Dr.  Wm.  H.  Park,  Department  of  Health, 
Borough  of  Manhattan,  New  York;  Dr.  Herbert  D.  Pease,  New 
York  State  Department  of  Health,  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  Dr.  M.  J.  Rose- 
nau,  Director  of  the  Hygienic  Laboratory,  Marine  Hospital  Ser- 
vice, Washington,  D.  C;  Dr.  H.  A.  Hare,  1801  Spruce  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. ;  Surgeon  Thomas  C.  Craig,  U.  S.  N.,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. 
"The  session  lasted  eight  hours,  with  one  hour's  intermission  for 
dinner.  The  subject  of  the  propriety  of  introducing  diphtheria  anti- 
toxin into  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia  was  discussed  in  all  its 
bearings.  Every  member  of  the  committee  was  desirous  of  seeing 
diphtheria  antitoxin  introduced  into  the  next  revision,  but  the  dif- 
ficulties of  agreeing  upon  a  suitable  test  proved  to  be  a  question  that 
consumed  much  time.  It  was  universally  conceded  that  if  it  were 
possible  to  organize  a  central  testing  station,  either  by  the  Govern- 
ment or  under  some  authority  which  would  be  regarded  as  capable, 
one  of  the  great  difficulties  would  be  removed.  But  it  was 
pointed  out  that  if  such  a  station  was  located  at  Washington,  the 
question  of  transportation  to  and  fro  would  be  a  serious  one.  Then 
again,  the  risks  incurred  in  shipping,  through  breakage  and 
exposure  to  high  temperature,  would  also  have  to  be  taken  into 
account.  The  question  of  having  expert  official  testers  visit  the 
laboratories,  and  place  the  authoritative  seal  on  the  product,  was 
also  discussed. 
"  The  bacteriological  experts  at  the  meeting  expressed  their  satis- 
faction at  having  the  opportunity  to  meet  and  confer  together,  and 
although  the  question  cannot  be  considered  as  settled,  your  Chair- 
man desires  to  express  his  satisfaction  with  the  outcome  of  the  meet- 
ing at  this  stage.  Each  member  of  the  Special  Committee  was 
imbued  with  a  desire  to  give  the  utmost  assistance  to  our  General 
Committee.  It  was  recognized  that  some  method  of  standardizing 
serum  products  must  be  devised,  so  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of 
weak,  inefficient,  fraudulent  or  contaminated  preparations  coming 
upon  the  market.  The  method  adopted  by  the  German  Pharma- 
copoeia of  recognizing  the  standard  of  the  Konigiich  preuszische 
Institut  flir  experimentelle  Therapic  zu  Frankfort  a  M.,  and  com- 
pelling diphtheria  antitoxin  to  be  tested  by  this  authority,  was  con- 
ceded to  be  the  best  method  yet  proposed.  Erlich's  test,  or  one 
equivalent  to  this,  is  now  generally  adopted  by  manufacturers  of 
