628 
Reviews. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\  December,  1898. 
effected  much  economy  in  space,  but  is  also  of  value  to  students  of  this  phase 
of  the  science.  An  excellent  feature  of  this  part  of  the  book  is  seen  in  the 
analytical  charts  appended  to  each  group  of  bases. 
The  second  part,  or  quantitative  analysis,  covers  128  pages,  and  describes 
both  gravimetric  (68  pp. )  and  volumetric  (60  pp.)  processes. 
While  the  first  edition  by  necessity  (owing  to  the  entire  work  being  in  one 
volume)  contains  only  a  few  illustrative  examples  of  gravimetric  analyses,  the 
present  volume  describes  in  detail  the  quantitative  determination  in  simple 
salts  of  every  basic  and  of  the  more  important  acid  radicals  touched  upon  in 
Part  I.  This  selection  is  made  with  judicious  reference  to  the  needs  of  the 
pharmacist.  Thus  we  find  in  the  list  bismuth,  cerium,  arsenic,  mercury,  hypo- 
phosphites,  sulphites,  cyanogen,  silicates  (seven  pages),  acetates,  tartrates, 
citrates,  etc.  Often  one  substance  is  weighed  in  more  than  one  form,  e.g., 
arsenic  (in  arsenic  compounds)  as  As2  S3,  and  as  ammonium  magnesium  arse- 
nate, or  bismuth  in  the  form  of  Bi2S3,  Bi203  and  metallic  Bi.  The  directions 
given  in  each  case  testify  to  the  painstaking  care  of  the  authors. 
Of  course,  no  attempt  is  made  to  describe  quantitative  analysis  of  mixtures, 
although  the  assay  of  simple  alloys  and  ores  is  considered.  The  authors  (p. 
73)  properly  suggest  that  the  student  should  master  the  qualitative  course  of 
analysis  in  order  to  make  himself  able  to  personally  devise  some  plan  of  quan- 
titative separation,  which  is  certainly  a  suggestion  conducive  to  intelligent 
analytical  operation. 
In  the  part  devoted  to  volumetric  processes  we  find  the  most  important  test 
solutions  enumerated,  and  their  mode  of  preparation  is  also  stated.  The 
making  of  volumetric  solutions  is  described,  mostly  in  the  language  of  the 
U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia,  and  the  several  principles  of  volumetric  assay  are 
expounded  in  direct  connection  with  the  description  of  the  volumetric  solution 
which  is  used  in  the  respective  reactions. 
Explanatory  details  are  given  in  each  case  both  regarding  the  reaction 
involved  and  the  special  experimental  phenomena  to  be  observed  in  the  appli- 
cation of  the  assay  under  consideration.  In  this  connection,  for  example,  the 
treatise  on  Fehling's  Solution  (pp.  191 -196)  is  a  typical  example. 
Part  III  (61  pages)  considers  pharmaceutical  assaying,  and  comprises  the 
estimation  of  moisture  and  ash  in  organic  drugs  (pp.  204-207),  alkaloidal  assay 
by  various  methods  (pp.  208-226),  with  special  examples  such  as  the  assay  of 
opium  and  its  preparations,  certain  iron  scale  compounds,  etc.,  as  well  as  mis- 
cellaneous assays,  such  as  the  assay  method  of  cantharides  by  Baudin,  of  pep- 
sin, diastase,  formaldehyde,  etc. 
In  this  part  are  furthermore  considered  gasometric  estimations  of  the  U.S. 
Pharmacopoeia,  the  determination  of  some  physical  constants  such  as  speciSc 
gravity,  solubility,  melting  and  boiling  points,  optical  rotation  ;  the  quantita- 
tive determination  of  the  alcoholic  strength  of  spirits,  the  acidity,  extractive 
and  ash  of  certain  fluids,  and  the  determination  of  glycerin  in  aqueous  and 
alcoholic  liquids,  including  the  method  of  Benedikt  and  Zsigmondy. 
Part  IV  gives  in  twenty-seven  pages  a  useful  treatise  on  the  analysis  of  urine 
and  urinary  calculi,  including  the  testing  for  albumen  (272-276),  sugar  (278- 
285),  etc.,  etc. 
Part  V  in  twenty-eight  pages,  treats  of  special  processes,  such  as  water  analy- 
sis (289-304),  milk  analysis  (305-308),  and  the  estimation  of  nitrogen. 
