Am.  jour,  pjarm.1  The  Canadian  Formulary.  n 
January,  1909.     J  •> 
very  well  at  room  or  even  outside  temperature,  the  writer  was  not 
satisfied  with  its  appearance.  Even  after  careful  filtration  it  did 
not  have  that  clear,  sparkling  appearance  that  the  official  formula 
gives.  While  efficiency  in  the  manufacture  of  a  pharmaceutical 
preparation  should  be  the  first  consideration,  elegance  should  also 
be  earnestly  striven  for. 
In  the  next  experiment  the  amount  of  citric  acid  was  the  same 
as  before,  15  per  cent.,  but  the  amount  of  sodium  nitrate  was  re- 
duced one-fourth.  This  readjustment  of  the  formula  answered  very 
well  indeed.  The  solution,  on  filtration,  was  clear,  colorless  and 
sparkling;  and  after  a  fifteen-hour  exposure  to  a  temperature  of 
38  0  F.,  recrystallization  had  not  occurred.  This  was  encouraging, 
and  in  the  next  experiment  the  quantity  of  citric  acid  was  reduced  to 
13  per  cent,  and  the  same  quantity  of  sodium  nitrate  used,  as 
in  the  previous  experiment,  namely,  1  per  cent.  This  solution  was 
satisfactory  in  many  ways.  It  was  efficient,  elegant,  and  stable. 
After  an  exposure  of  fifteen  hours  to  a  temperature  of  380  F.,  there 
was  not  the  slightest  trace  of  recrystallization.  There  appeared 
to  be  no  reaction  to  red  or  blue  test-paper.  On  treating  with  sodium 
carbonate  T.  S.  a  very  slight  effervescence  was  observed. 
It  was  concluded  by  the  writer  that  the  quantity  of  sodium  nitrate 
in  the  U.  S.  P.  formula  facilitates  recrystallization  while  the  reduc- 
tion of  it  to  1  per  cent,  inhibits  recrystallization. 
In  lieu  of  the  Pharmacopceial  directions  for  making  this  solution 
the  writer  would  advise  the  following  method  of  procedure  as 
being  more  satisfactory.  Place  the  two  salts  and  the  acid,  with  a 
small  quantity  of  water,  in  a  graduated  flask  and  heat  on  a  water- 
bath  until  completely  liquefied ;  then  add  sufficient  distilled  water 
to  make  to  the  required  volume. 
THE  CANADIAN  FORMULARY. 
By  Charles  H.  La  Wall. 
The  second  edition  of  the  Canadian  Formulary  of  Unofficial 
Preparations,  published  by  the  authority  of  the  Ontario  College 
of  Pharmacy,  was  issued  in  the  spring  of  1908,  and  as  many  of 
the  articles  contained  therein  have  been  taken  from  the  U.  S.  P.  or 
N.  F.,  it  is  of  interest  to  note  the  liberties  which  have  been  taken 
in  transposing  and  altering  these  formulas,  especially  as  this  same 
