A,januaryrih906.m'}      Eighth  Decennial  Revision  of  the  U.S. P.  35 
to  be  of  a  certain  definite  strength  as  determined  by  assay.  This 
was  a  wise  measure  and  one  that  will  be  approved  by  all. 
Four  new  Fats  have  been  added  and  one  dismissed.  Pure  wool 
fat  without  the  addition  of  water  is  preferable  in  certain  combina- 
tions. Paraffin  will  be  used  to  "  stiffen "  ointments  and  cerates. 
White  petrolatum  is  of  especial  value,  in  ointments  where  a  pure  base 
is  required.  Compound  resin  cerate,  or  Deshler's  salve,  certainly 
deserves  admission  from  the  standpoint  of  popularity  if  nothing 
more. 
Under  the  Ferments,  malt  and  an  extract  of  malt  have  been 
added,  whilst  saccharated  pepsin  has  been  dropped. 
Resin  of  copaiba  has  been  dismissed,  as  the  oleoresin  is  more 
desirable. 
Strophanthin  and  picrotoxin  represent  the  change  in  neutral  princi- 
ples, the  former  being  quite  toxic  if  pure.  Dose  is  grain.  The 
latter  has  been  dismissed. 
A  number  of  important  Volatile  Liquids  have  been  added,  whilst 
deodorized  alcohol  has  been  dismissed,  as  its  important  use  was  in 
perfumery. 
The  important  group  of  Alkaloids  has  been  increased  by  nine, 
three  being  dismissed,  and  all  these  being  alkaloids  from  cinchona. 
These  alkaloids  are  all  of  decided  value,  and  should  have  an  exten- 
sive use.  Scopolamine  hydrobromide  is  becoming  greatly  used  in 
producing  anesthesia,  and  is  usually  combined  with  morphine. 
Four  new  Acids  have  been  added  and  one  dismissed  (crude  car- 
bolic acid),  and  those  added  are  all  desirable  preparations. 
Four  new  Animal  Products  have  been  added  and  two  of  but  little 
value  dismissed.  The  desiccated  suprarenal  and  thyroid  glands, 
being  often  used,  will  have  a  demand. 
Under  t*he  Crude  Drug  schedule,  ten  have  been  added  and  thirty- 
seven  have  been  dismissed.  Berberis,  gambir,  sabal  and  scopola 
are  the  new  crude  drugs  with  which  we  should  all  be  familiar. 
A  new  class  has  been  added,  represented  at  present  by  one  mem- 
ber,  viz.,  the  Serums.  Serum  antidiphthericum,  or  diphtheria  anti- 
toxin, has  been  made  official,  and  this  will  meet  with  the  hearty 
approval  of  the  medical  profession,  as  it  has  proven  itself  of  the 
greatest  value  in  the  treatment  of  diphtheria. 
Another  new  group  is  the  Cataplasmce,  or  poultices,  which  have 
one  representative  official.    Cataplasm  of  kaolin  is  a  substitute  for 
