192 
Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  { 
Am.  J»ur.  Pharm. 
April  I,  1873. 
A  work  of  this  kind  has  long  been  needed,  and  for  this  reason  alone  the  vol- 
ume would  be  heartily  welcomed,  even  if  it  had  been  less  complete  than  it  is. 
The  book  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  first  of  which  treats  of  operations, 
reagents  and  systematic  analyses,  including  the  volumetric  estimation  of  those 
compounds  to  which  this  mode  of  examination  is  especially  applicable.  The 
first  two  chapters  consist  mainly  of  practical  instructions,  without  entering  un- 
necessarily into  detail,  concerning  the  principal  operations  and  the  nature  and 
preparation  of  the  reagents.  The  following  chapter,  comprising  15  pages, 
treats  in  a  clear  and  concise  manner  of  the  systematic  course  of  chemical  analy- 
sis, and  has  a  table  appended,  showing  the  deportment  of  the  compounds  of 
the  common  metals  with  some  of  the  general  reagents,  such  as  acids,  alkalies, 
ammonium,  sulph  hydrate,  water,  etc.  The  chapter  on  volumetric  analysis  is 
devoted  first  to  a  description  of  the  requisite  apparatus  and  their  use,  which  is 
followed  by  accounts  of  the  different  kinds  of  volumetric  analysis,  performed  by 
saturation  (neutralization),  precipitation,  oxidation  and  deoxidation. 
Part  II  is  the  most  important  part  of  the  work  before  us,  giving  an  account 
of  the  medicinal  chemicals  and  their  preparations,  their  physical  and  chemical 
characteristics,  and  directions  for  the  examination  of  their  quality  and  purity. 
About  two  hundred  compounds  and  preparations  are  here  enumerated  in  alpha- 
betical order,  and  fully  considered  in  accordance  with  the  object  of  the  work. 
The  nomenclature  adopted  in  the  alphabetical  arrangement  is  that  of  the  new 
United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  the  Latin  officinal  names  being  first  given,  fol- 
lowed by  the  Latin  synonyms  in  use  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  and  finally 
by  the  common  English  names.  There  are  but  few  deviations  from  this  ar- 
rangement, potassa  and  soda  being  considered  under  "  Potassii  hydras  "and 
"  Sodi  hydras,''  chlor?l  under  "  Chlorali  hydras,"  and  the  officinal  pyrophos- 
phate of  iron  under  "  Ferri  pyrophosphas  et  ammonii  citras,"  while  under  the 
officinal  name  "  Ferri  pyrophosphas"  the  pure  salt  is  described. 
Each  compound  is  carefully  described  according  to  its  physical  properties, 
its  solubility  in  different  menstrua,  simple  and  chemical,  and  its  behavior  to 
reagents  (tests  of  identity).  This  is  followed  by  the  Examination,  under  which 
heading  the  various  accidental  impurities,  resulting  from  the  processes  followed 
in  making  the  chemicals,  or  from  insufficient  purification,  and  also  the  inten- 
tional adulterations  and  substitutions  are  considered,  and  their  detection  clearly 
and  concisely  described.  References  to  the  description  of  volumetric  assay, 
noticed  before,  are  made,  wherever  the  compounds  allow  of  such  an  analysis, 
within  the  scope  of  the  work. 
An  appendix  contains  several  valuable  tables,  and  the  work  concludes  with 
a  complete  index,  embracing  the  Latin  and  English  terms. 
This  brief  outline  of  the  contents  of  this  valuable  work  is  scarcely  sufficient 
to  convey  a  correct  idea  of  all  the  information  presented  in  it.  That  directions 
for  estimating  the  morphia  strength  of  opium  and  its  tincture,  the  amount  of 
quinia  contained  in  cinchona  bark,  etc.,  have  found  appropriate  places,  might 
have  been  expected. 
The  descriptions  and  directions  given  in  the  work  are  clear  and  precise,  so 
that  they  are  readily  understood  by  those  having  a  knowledge  of  the  fundamen- 
tal principles  of  chemistry  and  of  the  ordinary  chemical  manipulations,  mauy 
of  which,  also  the  more  important  apparatus,  are  well  illustrated  by  very  good 
wood-cuts.  The  author  has  consulted  the  latest  literature,  and  describes  all 
the  latest  processes  which  appear  to  possess  the  merit  of  ready  execution  and 
sufficient  accuracy  for  the  purposes  in  view. 
The  publishers  have  presented  the  work  in  an  attractive  style,  and  we  feel 
sure  that  those  whose  vocation  requires  the  frequent  or  occasional  examination 
of  medicinal  chemicals,  will  find  it  what  the  author  designed  it  to  be — a  guide 
for  the  determination  of  their  identity  and  quality. 
