Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
September,  1906.  / 
Criticisms  of  the  U.S.  P. 
411 
prescribed  on  the  continent  of  Europe  than  in  the  United  States, 
where  its  use  is  decreasing.    The  dose  is  placed  at  1 5  grains. 
Cresol. — Described  as  a  mixture  of  the  three  isomeric  cresols,  free 
from  phenol,  hydrocarbons  and  water.  Difficult  to  obtain  of  good 
quality  in  this  market. 
Elixirs. — The  new  Elixir  Adjuvans  is  simply  a  mixture  of  fluid 
extract  of  licorice  and  aromatic  elixir,  and  makes  a  fairly  palatable 
liquid,  but  we  should  have  preferred  to  see  the  old  N.  F.  Elixir 
Adjuvans  introduced  without  change,  as  the  latter  served  admirably 
the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed.  The  other  newcomer  is  the 
popular  elixir  of  iron,  quinine  and  strychnine  phosphates,  but  the 
official  instructions  for  manufacturing  the  preparation  are  unneces- 
sarily complicated. 
Fluidextracta. — The  new  name  for  the  old  extracta  fluida,  and 
one  which  will  not  appeal  to  purists  in  nomenclature. 
Guaiacolis  Carbonas. — Another  tribute  to  the  ingenuity  of  Ger- 
man chemists.  Largely  prescribed,  but  in  reality  a  much  overrated 
compound  therapeutically. 
Hydrastina. — The  white  alkaloid  of  hydrastis,  melting  at  1 3 1 0  C. 
Supposed  to  represent  the  activity  of  the  drug,  but  has  not  been 
found  as  useful. 
lodol. — A  surprising  addition.  Was  never  popular,  and  has  long 
since  been  discarded  by  surgeons  in  favor  of  other  iodine  com- 
pounds. 
Liquor  Antisepticus. — The  Pharmacopoeia  equivalent  of  the  popu- 
lar «  Listerine,"  which,  however,  it  does  not  resemble  very  closely. 
It  does  not  seem  to  us  that  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  just  the  place  for 
imitations  of  what  are  really  toilet  and  not  medicinal  articles. 
Pelletierince  Tannas. — Rather  a  surprising  addition,  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  little  is  known  of  its  true  composition,  and  also  that  about 
its  only  use  is  lor  the  expulsion  of  tapeworm. 
Vanillinum  is  rather  a  strange  addition,  as  it  has  no  medicinal 
use  and  does  not  enter  into  any  pharmacopceial  product.  Both  the 
natural  and  artificial  products  are  recognized,  and  a  test  is  given 
to  ensure  absence  of  acetanilide,  a  frequent  adulterant. 
Vinum  Coccz. — This  is  the  only  new  wine,  and  for  this  thanks 
to  the  enterprise  of  Mariani  &  Co.  It  is  prepared  from  fluid 
extract  of  coca,  and  therefore  contains  cocaine,  which  is  claimed 
not   to   exist    in    the   advertised   article.     Alcohol,    sugar  and 
