Am.  Jour.  Pliarm. ) 
February,  1909.  t 
Book  Remems. 
93 
formulas  for  such  preparations  as  anti-incrustating  boiler  fluids, 
taxidermists'  soap,  cements,  mucilages,  freezing  mixtures,  matches, 
etc. 
Bacteriological  and  microscopic  materials  are  considered  in  a 
short  chapter,  which  brings  together  in  a  convenient  way  a  number 
of  formulas  from  scattered  sources  that  the  druggist  is  frequently 
called  upon  to  prepare. 
To  the  pharmacist,  of  course,  the  most  interesting  portion  of  the 
book  is  the  part  devoted  to  galenical  and  medicinal  preparations. 
In  this  chapter  the  formulas  are  arranged  in  the  alphabetical  se- 
quence of  pharmaceutical  classes.  Formulas  from  national  phar- 
macopoeias, British  Pharmaceutical  Codex,  or  any  of  the  recog- 
nized formularies,  like  the  N.  F.,  may  thus  appear  along  with  others 
that  are  quite  ancient.  The  formulas  proposed  as  substitutes  for 
such  proprietaries  as  chlorodyne  and  bromidia  when  thus  placed 
alongside  of  each  other,  show  very  wide  and  unexplained  variation. 
This  assembling  of  formulas  is  very  helpful  to  the  busy  pharmacist 
who  frequently  has-  to  spend  valuable  time  in  hunting  up  unofficial 
preparations  that  are  rarely  prescribed.  The  editor  appears  at  his 
best  in  the  comments  which  bring  out  the  history  of  such  formulas 
as  Haarlem  Oil,  Theriaca  Edinensis  or  the  ancient  confections  and 
even  the  quotation  from  the  "  Carols  of  Cockayne  "  serve  the  pur- 
pose of  illustrating  the  evolution  of  the  modern  emulsions  of  cod- 
liver  oil  in  place  of  the  older  nauseating  method  of  administration. 
"  In  the  course  of  my  lifetime  I 've  swallowed  enough 
To  have  floated  a  ship  of  the  line, 
And  it 's  purely  the  fault  of  the  horrible  stuff 
That  I 've  ceased  to  enjoy  ginger-wine. 
For  how  can  you  wonder  to  see  me  recoil 
From  a  liquor  I  mixed  with  my  cod-liver  oil." 
A  valuable  portion  of  the  book  is  the  "  Synoptical  Reference  List  " 
to  the  British  Pharmaceutical  Codex  and  another  commendable 
feature  appears  in  this  supplementary  chapter,  namely,  the  intro- 
duction of  the  formulas  of  the  second  edition  of  the  "  Canadian 
Formulary  "  recently  issued. 
An  abstract  of  the  laws  of  Great  Britain  relating  to  the  stamp 
duty  on  proprietary  medicines  and  the  use  of  methylated  spirit 
appears  in  the  appendix  and  here  also  are  given  abstracts  of  the 
Food  and  Drug  Laws  of  Australia  and  of  the  United  States. 
The  volume  is  an  excellent  compilation  that  should  be  a  companion 
to  the  busy  pharmacist  and  frequently  consulted.  G.  M.  B. 
