32       Eighth  Decennial  Revision  of  the  U.S. P.  {^JSS^SS^ 
whilst  a  number  of  the  so-called  distilled  extracts  of  witch  hazel  on 
the  market  contain  only  3  to  5  per  cent,  of  alcohol. 
Under  the  Infusions,  one  has  been  dismissed,  viz.,  infusion  of 
cinchona,  which  was  rarely  prescribed,  hence  a  wise  dismissal. 
The  remaining  Decoctions  have  been  dismissed,  and  may  they  ever 
rest  in  peace,  as  they  merely  occupied  space  in  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Four  important  Solid  Extracts  have  been  added,  two  being  used 
quite  extensively  (cascara  and  sumbul),  whilst  ten  have  been  dropped, 
none  of  which  were  prescribed  to  any  extent.  The  important  class 
of  Fluidextracts  has  been  decreased  by  three,  thirteen  added  and  six 
teen  dismissed,  and  the  list  as  a  whole  will  be  commended.  The 
term  ik  fluidextractum  "  as  one  word  is  an  important  change  in  nom- 
enclature, which  is  only  of  advantage  in  separating  the  solid  and 
fluidextracts  in  the  pharmacopoeia,  and  it  is  of  no  particular  advan. 
tage  to  the  prescriber,  unless  he  is  careless  about  using  the  term 
"  fluidum  "  after  the  name  of  the  drug.  The  group  Syrups  has  been 
wisely  altered.  The  compound  syrup  of  the  hypophosphites  will  be 
hailed  with  delight,  and  it  will  supplant  a  number  of  proprietary 
preparations  of  similar  composition.  Syrups  of  garlic,  althaea  and 
raspberry  have  been  dropped,  as  they  all  ferment  readily,  and  the 
syrup  of  the  hypophosphites  with  iron  is  an  unnecessary  preparation. 
Three  Tinctures  have  been  added,  one  of  which,  compound  tinc- 
ture of  gambir,  has  been  added  to  supplant  the  compound  tincture 
of  catechu,  as  this  drug  has  been  of  variable  composition,  and  often 
substituted.  The  eleven  dismissed  were  all  but  comparatively  little 
used. 
Under  the  Medicated  Wines,  wine  of  coca  will  be  extensively  used, 
whilst  wine  of  colchicum  root,  though  largely  prescribed,  can  be 
easily  dispensed  with,  as  the  wine  of  the  seed  has  an  identical  action. 
Two  important  Elixirs  have  been  added  and  one  dismissed. 
Elixir  adjuvans,  as  the  name  implies,  is  an  adjuvant  or  vehicle, 
whilst  the  elixir  of  iron,  quinine  and  strychnine  phosphates  is  a  most 
valuable  tonic  combination,  and  one  of  the  most  commonly  used 
preparations  in  the  pharmacopoeia,  and  it  should  have  been  official 
ten  years  ago.  The  elixir  of  phosphorus  has  been  properly  dis- 
carded, as  it  was  an  undesirable  preparation. 
The  list  of  Emulsions  has  been  wisely  enhanced  by  the  addition  of 
two  new  emulsions  containing  cod-liver  oil — the  one  plain  and  the 
other  containing  the  hypophosphites,  as  there  have  been  innumer- 
