Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
March,  1909.  J 
U.  S.  P.  Assay  Methods. 
117 
PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  IMPROVEMENT 
OF  U.  S.  P.  ASSAY  METHODS  * 
By  John  G.  Roberts. 
The  subject  which  has  been  selected  for  this  article  has  perhaps 
been  pretty  thoroughly  discussed,  but  in  practical  every-day  work  we 
find  that  there  are  some  points  in  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  which  could 
be  improved  upon.  Of  the  excellence  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  there  is 
no  doubt,  as  it  stands  at  the  front  of  all  works  of  its  kind.  In  its 
growth,  from  decade  to  decade,  it  has  steadily  increased  in  value, 
particularly  to  the  pharmacist,  as  a  reference  book,  as  a  guide  to  the 
manufacture  of  the  most  important  pharmaceutical  preparations,  for 
the  identification  of  crude  drugs  and  for  the  detection  of  adultera- 
tions in  chemicals,  and  fixed  and  volatile  oils.  It  has  set  standards 
for  vegetable  drugs  and  their  preparations,  chemicals  and  oils, 
presents  methods  for  the  determination  of  their  strength,  and  tests 
for  their  purity. 
In  fact,  it  is  of  great  importance  to  the  pharmacist,  as  it  is  a 
source  of  protection ;  for  when  he  orders  a  preparation  specified  in 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  he  is  assured  of  obtaining  a  preparation  of  known 
strength  and  purity.  This  is  especially  true  since  the  passage  of  the 
Food  and  Drugs  Act,  by  which  act  the  Government  recognized  it 
as  an  authority.  The  Pharmacopoeia  may  be  somewhat  stringent  on 
some  points,  but  in  the  large  majority  of  cases  it  is  perfectly  fair 
and  exerts  an  uplifting  influence  upon  the  pharmaceutical  profession. 
As  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  final  on  all  questions  concerning  the 
preparations  which  it  specifies,  it  should  be  perfectly  clear  and 
intelligible  on  all  points  to  those  who  must  use  it.  While  it  is  gen- 
erally satisfactory,  there  are  some  points  which  need  revision,  some 
which  should  be  made  more  comprehensive,  and  still  some  others 
which  should  be  inserted.  A  few  points  which  have  been  omitted  are 
of  sufficient  importance  to  command  attention. 
Probably  the  most  important  subject  treated  by  the  Pharma- 
copoeia is  the  determination  of  the  alkaloidal  strength  of  drugs, 
fluidextracts,  extracts  and  tinctures.  It  is  entirely  proper  that  thev 
should  receive  considerable  attention,  as  the  alkaloidal  content  is 
extremely  important. 
*  Read  at  the  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  Branch  of  the  American  Phar- 
maceutical Association,  January  5,  1909. 
