AmMa?fi9Po6.arm'}      Notes  on  the  New  Pharmacopoeia.  209 
In  the  case  of  those  which  have  been  simply  trade-marked,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  tell  whether  these  will  ever  expire.  There 
seems  to  be  no  limit  to  the  duration  of  the  trade-mark. 
Another  new  feature  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  the  introduction  of 
doses.  These  are  intended  to  be  the  average  approximate  doses  for 
adults.  The  quantities  are  expressed  in  both  metric  and  ordinary 
American  weights  and  measures,  the  gramme  being  approximately 
the  equivalent  of  15  grains  ;  65  milligrammes  of  one  grain  ;  250  milli- 
grammes, four  grains  ;  one  milligramme  of  a  grain,  etc.,  etc.  I 
have  not  had  time  to  examine  many  of  these  doses,  yet  I  noticed  an 
apparent  inconsistency  in  the  dose  given  for  syrup  of  squill  and 
compound  syrup  of  squill,  the  former  being  the  equivalent  of  1*35 
grains  of  squill,  the  latter  2-4  grains  of  squill,  which  carries  with  it 
2  4  grains  of  senega,  and  ^  grain  antimony  and  potassium  tartrate. 
The  dose  of  the  syrup  of  squill  is  too  small,  and  that  of  the  com- 
pound syrup  considerably  too  large.  The  quantity  there  given 
would  nauseate  anybody  who  should  take  two  or  three  doses.  The 
first  dose  would  have  that  effect  upon  most  persons,  yet  it  is  not 
enough  as  an  emetic. 
Another  noteworthy  feature  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  the  inser- 
tion of  what  is  called  the  "purity  rubric"  by  which  is  meant  a 
definition  of  the  degree  of  purity  required  for  medicinal  purposes. 
The  reason  for  the  introduction  of  this  rubric  is  that  in  some  States 
rigid  laws  have  been  enacted  rendering  pharmacists  liable  to  severe 
penalties  for  selling  drugs  or  pharmaceutical  preparations  below 
the  standard  of  purity  and  strength  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia.  If 
absolute  purity  should  be  demanded,  the  cost  of  many  drugs  and 
preparations  would  be  so  greatly  enhanced  as  to  almost  throw  them 
out  of  the  market.  In  the  case  of  many  chemicals,  a  small  amount 
of  impurity  of  an  innoxious  character  is  unobjectionable,  and  yet 
to  remove  that  small  amount  would  add  greatly  to  the  cost  of  the 
product.  Thus,  sodium  bicarbonate  may  contain  1  per  cent,  of 
impurity.  As  that  impurity  consists  almost  entirely  of  sodium 
chloride  and  sodium  sulphate,  it  is,  of  course,  perfectly  harmless. 
Sodium  bromide  and  sodium  citrate  are  required  to  have  97  per 
cent,  of  the  pure  salt ;  sodium  hypophosphite,  98  per  cent.,  sodium 
borate,  potassium  permanganate,  potassium  nitrate,  and  potassium 
iodide  are  required  to  have  99  per  cent.,  while  lead  oxide  is  required 
to  have  only  96  per  cent.    In  order  that  no  unfair  use  should  be 
