Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1903. 
External  Preparations. 
283 
the  employment  of  the  tablets  must  therefore  in  many  instances  be 
a  source  of  infection.  Weak  1  per  cent,  water  solutions  of  the  alka- 
loidal  Salts :  atropin,  morphin,  cocain,  pilocarpin,  also  ergotin,  per- 
mit germ  growth,  while  concentrated  solutions,  i.  e.,  10  per  cent, 
solutions  of  cocain  and  quinin  are  easily  kept  germ-  ree.  Solutions 
in  germicidal  solvents  :  alcohol,  ether,  iodin,  mercuric  chlorid  and 
strong  phenol  solutions,  are  not  admissible,  but  almond  oil  may  be 
used  for  camphor  and  glycerin  for  iodoform.  Carbolic  acid — 1  drop 
for  160  minims  (10  c.c.) — is  the  safest  and  altogether  the  best  pre- 
servative for  the  water  solutions. 
Whether  or  not  it  may  be  regarded  desirable  to  admit  formulas 
for  hypodermic  injections  into  the  U.S.P.,  there  is  no  doubt  that 
some  general  directions  or  formula  should  be  introduced  for  sterili- 
zation. Not  only  for  hypodermic  injections  are  sterile  solutions 
necessary,  but  also  for  ordinary  injections,  lotions  or  washes,  nebulae 
or  sprays,  and  especially  for  collyria. 
Dr.  Futterer,  a  most  careful  observer,  reports  several  instances  of 
the  most  serious  results  due  to  careless  preparation  of  solutions  for 
hypodermic  use,  and  regards  the  official  recognition  of  a  process  for 
sterilization  as  of  the  greatest  importance,  since  it  would  enable  the 
physician  to  specify  its  employment  for  the  preparation  of  solutions, 
etc.  It  would,  moreover,  direct  the  attention  of  pharmacists  to  the 
necessity  for  care  in  these  preparations  and  would  afford  him  at 
once  an  authoritative  method  insuring  the  best  results. 
These  solutions  are  prepared  by  dissolving  the  medicinal  agent  in 
distilled  water  which  has  just  been  boiled  and  allowed  to  cool.  The 
antiseptic  agents  in  the  cocain  and  ergotin  solutions  are  added  be- 
fore the  medicinal  agents  are  dissolved. 
INJECTIONES  HYPODERMICS,  BR.  PH.  '98. 
INJECTIO  HYPODERMICA. 
& .  Apomorphin  hydrochlorate 
Ac.  hydrochloric  dil.  .  .  . 
Distilled  water  
gr.  iss 
min.  iss 
min.  clx 
1 
1 
R .    Cocain  hydrochlorate 
Ac.  salicyl  
Distilled  water    .  .  . 
R .    Extract  ergot  .  .  .  . 
Phenol  
Distilled  water    .  .  . 
gr.  xvi 
gr.  1/4 
min.  clx 
clx 
v 
IOi 
20 
10 
I 
3 
