334 
Pepsin. 
Am.  Jour.  Tharm. 
July,  1909. 
subtitle  Pulvis  Digestivus  be  deleted  as  suggesting  therapeutic  action, 
leaving  the  title  only  the  Latin,  Pulvis  Pepsini  Compositus,  and  the 
English  translation  Compound  Powder  of  Pepsin. 
The  quantity  of  pepsin  in  the  present  formula  is  but  15  per  cent, 
of  saccharated  pepsin  equivalent  to  but  1.5  per  cent,  of  pepsin 
U.S. P.,  a  quantity  too  small  to  obtain  satisfactory  digestive  activity 
or  possibly  to  comply  with  the  regulations  of  the  Food  and  Drugs 
Act.  It  is  proposed  to  increase  this  to  15  per  cent,  of  pepsin  so  as 
to  maintain  its  proportion  equivalent  to  the  pancreatin  directed. 
As  the  compound  powder  of  pepsin  is  largely  dispensed  in 
powders  and  so  becomes  subjected  to  atmospheric  exposure  it  is 
recommended  that  in  this  preparation  the  least  hygroscopic  form  of 
pepsin  be  used,  and  it  is  proposed  that  the  so-called  "  insoluble  " 
powdered  pepsin,  of  the  official  digestive  value,  be  directed  in  its 
preparation,  thus  increasing  its  permanency  and  stability. 
The  text  of  this  modified  formula  would  read : 
Pulvis  Pepsini  Compositus. 
Compound  Powder  of  Pepsin. 
Powdered  Pepsin  (so-called  "Insoluble"  variety)   15  Gm. 
Pancreatin   15  Gm. 
Diastase   1  Gm. 
Lactic  Acid    1  c.c. 
Hydrochloric  acid    2  c.c. 
Sugar  of  milk,  a  sufficient  quantity  to  obtain  100  grammes  of 
finished  product. 
Add  the  acids  gradually  to  60  grammes  of  sugar  of  milk  and 
triturate  until  they  are  thoroughly  mixed.  Mix  the  pepsin,  pan- 
creatin, and  diastase,  and  incorporate  this  with  the  acidified  sugar  of 
milk.  Weigh,  and  add  sufficient  sugar  of  milk  to  make  the  weight 
100  grammes.  Triturate  the  mixture  thoroughly  and  finally  rub 
through  a  hair  sieve  and  preserve  the  powder  in  well  stoppered 
bottles. 
Compound"  Elixir  of  Pepsin.— In  this  preparation  it  is  pro- 
posed that  the  titles  be  changed  by  eliminating  both  the  present 
Latin  and  English  titles,  Elixir  Digestivum  Compositum  and  Com- 
pound Digestive  Elixir,  as  they  may  be  possibly  construed  as  thera- 
peutic titles,  and  adopting  as  titles  Elixir  Pepsini  Compositum,  Com- 
pound Elixir  of  Pepsin.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the  following 
resolution  already  adopted  unanimously  by  the  Committee  on  N.F. : 
