5oo 
Book  Reviews. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     October,  19U9. 
or  made  by  the  pharmacist,  should  be  "  placed  in  a  beaker  filled 
two  inches  deep  with  water,  the  water  brought  to  a  quick  boil, 
removed  from  the  heat,  and  cold  water  poured  in.  This  process 
creates  a  vacuum  in  the  ampul  which  is  filled  by  water  drawn  up 
into  the  bulb."  The  water  is  then  boiled,  which  process  expels  it 
from  the  ampul ;  the  ampul  is  taken  out  and  dried  over  a  flame  and 
kept  under  aseptic  conditions  until  filled.  In  the  meantime  the 
hypodermic  solution  that  is  to  be  used  should  be  prepared  and 
sterilized.  The  character  of  the  alkaloid  used  will  determine  the 
degree  of  temperature  it  will  stand  in  sterilization. 
There  are  a  half  dozen  ways  of  filling  ampuls :  ( I )  by  means  of 
a  graduated  pipette;  (2)  a  burette;  (3)  a  hypodermic  syringe;  (4) 
a  vacuum  made  by  heating  the  bulb ;  ( 5 )  a  vacuum  obtained  by  the 
use  of  ether. 
In  the  case  of  the  methods  just  mentioned  it  is  absolutely  essen- 
tial that  the  filled  ampuls  be  subjected  to  a  final  sterilization.  "  In 
the  next  process,  by  aspiration  with  the  aid  of  an  Auer  apparatus, 
which,  from  a  bacteriological  point,  is  much  to  be  preferred,  there  is 
fair  assurance  that  when  properly  carried  out  the  bulbs  will  be 
entirely  sterile  when  filled,  but  even  in  this  case  it  might  be  desirable 
to  sterilize  the  sealed  bulbs  after  the  lapse  of  twenty-four  hours." 
Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  placed  on  the  care  and  attention  the 
operator  should  give  in  obtaining  complete  sterility  in  the  finished 
ampul.  Filled  ampuls  should  be  boiled  or  sterilized  in  a  steam 
sterilizer  for  half  an  hour  for  two  days. 
While  it  is  doubtful  whether  ampuls  will  become  popular  in 
this  country,  on  account  of  cost  in  labor  involved,  yet  it  is  right  and 
proper  that  the  retail  pharmacist  know  how  to  prepare  them  if 
requested  by  his  neighboring  physicians. 
John  K.  Thum. 
BOOK  REVIEWS. 
A  Text-Book  of  Physiological  Chemistry  for  students  of 
medicine.  By  John  H.  Long,  of  the  Northwestern  University  Med- 
ical School.  Second  Edition,  revised,  with  42  illustrations.  Phila- 
delphia:  P.  Blakiston's  Son  &  Co.   $2.50  net. 
In  this  work  Professor  Long,  who  is  well  known  for  his  re- 
searches and  wide  experience  in  matters  of  public  health,  has  pre- 
