A,jaiSS&fimU1'}      Eighth  Decennial  Revision  of  the  U.S.P.  33 
able  preparations  on  the  market  containing  cod-liver  oil,  and  so 
many  of  these  were  of  little  therapeutic  value.  The  great  advantage 
of  all  pharmacopoeial  preparations  over  similar  proprietaries  is  that 
the  physician  is  assured  of  a  preparation  of  uniform  and  definite 
strength,  and  one  of  which  the  exact  composition  (including  vehicle 
and  flavoring)  is  known ;  this  latter  is  of  particular  importance,  as 
so  many  proprietaries  give  the  active  ingredients,  but  not  the 
vehicle,  which  is  often  designated  as  "  aromatics,"  and  it  is  often 
important  to  know  the  latter,  especially  in  certain  gastric  disturb, 
ances.  The  emulsion  of  oil  of  turpentine  is  likewise  a  good  ad- 
dition, and  will  be  generally  accepted.  Emulsion  of  ammoniac  has 
been  placed  on  the  "  dump  heap,"  and  deservedly  so. 
The  Liniments  have  only  been  affected  by  dismissing  compound 
mustard  liniment,  which  was  rarely  prescribed. 
The  number  of  official  Giycerites  remains  constant,  as  the  glycer- 
ite  of  iron,  quinine  and  strychnine  phosphates  has  been  added,  this 
being  similar  to  the  elixir,  but  more  concentrated,  and  now  used  to 
prepare  the  official  syrup.  The  glycerite  of  the  yolk  of  egg  has  been 
dismissed.  It  is  unfortunate  that  the  Revision  Committee  did  not 
add  an  official  pill  containing  iron,  quinine  and  strychnine  phos- 
phates, as  they  are  popularly  prescribed  in  this  form,  owing  to  the 
marked  bitter  taste  of  the  liquid  preparations. 
The  Spirits  have  been  reduced  by  five,  four  of  which  were  used  for 
flavoring  and  one  (spirit  of  phosphorus)  was  rarely  used  medicinally. 
The  number  of  official  Liquors  remains  the  same  by  the  addition 
and  dismissal  of  four.  The  four  dismissed  had  but  little  application 
(the  acetate,  citrate  and  nitrate  of  iron  and  the  sodium  silicate) ;  all 
of  these  were  rarely  used,  and  supplanted  by  better  preparations. 
Of  those  added  all  are  important.  Liquor  antisepticus  resembles 
the  Listerine  class  and  kindred  antiseptic  solutions,  and  should  have 
a  large  demand,  as  it  is  less  expensive.  The  compound  solution  of 
Cresol  should  likewise  come  into  popular  favor  as  an  antiseptic  for 
douches  and  irrigations,  having  the  same  application  as  creolin  and 
lysol,  and  it  would  not  be  amiss  to  call  your  attention  to  a  feature 
of  this  preparation  which  should  have  been  noted  by  the  Revision 
Committee,  viz.,  that  when  the  ingredients  are  mixed  this  prepara- 
tion should  stand  at  least  two  weeks  before  being  used,  or  heat 
used  after  mixing,  as  it  requires  either  of  these  procedures  to  com- 
plete the  saponification  between  the  potassium  hydroxide,  linseed  oil 
