Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
January,  1921.  J 
Correspondence. 
61 
even  in  such  cases  in  which  nitrites  failed  to  produce  a  vasodilation. 
(From  New  York  Medical  Journal,  Aug.  28,  1920,  through  Jour. 
Amer.  Med.  Assoc.,  Sept.  11,  1920.) 
Treatment  of  Itch  by  Alcoholic  Solution  of  Betanaph- 
thol. — If  alcohol  is  used  as  the  vehicle  for  applying  betanaphthol 
as  a  parasiticidal  agent,  it  enables  the  latter  to  come  into  close  con- 
tact with  its  intended  object.  The  solution  penetrates  into  the 
folds  of  the  skin,  into  the  tracks  of  the  sarcoptes,  into  the  spaces 
and  into  the  intercellular  interstices  of  the  epidermis.  It  dissolves 
the  fats  in  the  capillary  spaces  and  is  absorbed  into  these.  The 
solution  kills  the  parasite,  and  prevents  further  infection  of  all 
kinds.  The  alcohol  should  be  94%  or  more.  For  an  adult  the 
proportion  of  betanaphthol  for  use  should  be  7  to  10%,  according 
to  the  state  of  the  skin;  and  this  can  always  be  diluted  to  5%  for 
patients  with  deep  lesions,  produced  by  scratching,  in  whom  the 
stronger  solution  would  cause  pain.  The  itching  usually  disappears 
after  the  first  application,  because  betanaphthol  has  an  anaesthetic 
effect,  and  this  may  be  increased  by  the  addition  of.  1%  of  menthol. 
The  skin  should  be  dry,  and  the  lotion  applied  by  means  of  a  swab, 
moistened  in  it;  this  is  passed  carefully  over  the  whole  surface  of 
the  skin  without  rubbing.  The  application  is  made  twice  daily 
for  two  or  three  days.  (From  The  Pharm.  Jour,  and  Pharmacist, 
Sept.  4,  1920.) 
CORRESPONDENCE 
PROGRESS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPGEIAL  REVISION. 
Philadelphia,  January  1,  1921. 
To  The  Editor: 
A  summary  of  the  activities  of  the  Committee  of  Revision  of 
the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  tenth  revision,  covering  the  first 
six  months,  accompanies  this  note. 
It  is  a  definite  policy  of  the  Committee  of  Revision  to  make 
public  its  decisions  and  invite  comment.  As  the  revision  progresses, 
all  important  decisions  will  be  announced  and  the  members  of  the 
