USEFUL NOTES

To Kill Worms in Furniture.-According to the Chemist and Druggist, quoted by the Druggist Circular, this subject has been given attention for a century past. Fumigation with benzin and treatment with a solution of 60 grains of mercuric chloride to the pint of alcohol kills the worms and prevents reinfection. Some soak the furniture, when it is of such a nature that this can be done,, in a solution made as follows:

Boil together for six hours

2 pounds of litharge

2 pounds of red lead

16 gallons of linseed oil

While still warm incorporate one pound of camphor, six pounds of beeswax and one gallon of turThe furniture should soak in this liquid pentine. for twenty-four hours.

Handling of Corks.-A Vienna publication recommends the following suggestions for the handling of corks: The store room must be dry, as in a damp room the corks attract moisture, in consequence of which molds attach themselves to them, and they acquire not only an unpleasant musty odor, but a bad taste, easily communicated to the contents of bottles stoppered with them.

Lay the corks for at least two hours before use in a clean basket of peeled willow, lined with a clean packing cloth, and sprinkle with a little sprinkling can, repeating the sprinkling every half hour, using clean, pure cold water only. Before each sprinkling shake the basket energetically. Corks treated in this way, or, as it is called in the trade, "a la Preissnitz," however you may regard them, are perfect and complete bottle stoppers.

Preservation of Ether. The loss caused by the evaporation of ether from unsealed containers during warm weather and in shops that are kept very warm during the winter can be prevented by the following contrivance: Fill the container nearly full of ether and then pour in sufficient glycerin to bring the surface of the ether nearly to the bottom of the stopper. Insert the latter carefully, and with a piece of twine of sufficient length suspend the bottle neck downward from a nail or other support, letting the cord pass over the stopper and take a turn around the body of the bottle from each side, so that it will hang perpendicularly and safely. The glycerin, being the heavier of the two liquids, falls down and fills the neck of the bottle, sealing the latter hermetically. When required for use the bottle need only be inverted again, and the glycerin dropping to the bottom allows the ether to be poured out, if care be used, almost to the last drop. The neck of the container should be carefully wiped before pouring. Of course, this device can be used for other liquids that are immiscible with glycerin, such as benzol, etc.-[National Druggist.

HARRISON ANTI-NARCOTIC LAW

Learn This by Heart.-The Harrison Anti-Narcotic Law applies to all preparations, including prescriptions containing more than two grains of opium or more than one-quarter of a grain of morphine, or more than one-eighth of a grain of heroin, or more than one grain of codeine or any salt or derivative of any of them in one fluid ounce or, if a solid or semi-solid preparation, in one avoirdupois ounce, and other preparations which contain cocaine or any of its salts or alpha or beta eucaine or any of their salts or any synthetic substitute for them.

Extemporaneous Prescriptions Containing Minute Quantities of Narcotics Not Governed by the Harrison Anti-Narcotic Law.-T. D. 2213, which provided that an extemporaneous prescription containing minute quantities of narcotics came under the law even though the individual constituent, such as paregoric, for example, was exempt, is no longer in force. This treasury decision was supplemented by T. D. 2309, which we published at the time. Owing to a number of inquiries on this point, we republish the most recent ruling. The words printed in bold-face type are not so printed in the official copy, but were emphasized by E. A. Sennewald when publishing this decision in the St. Louis R. D. A. Bulletin. We follow the same course in order to emphasize the points in which the pharmacist is particularly interested.

T. D. Interpretation of Section 6 of the Act of December 17, 1914, Supplementary to T. D. 2213.

To Collectors of Internal Revenue and Others Concerned: Section 6 of the Act of Congress approved December 17, 1914, does not apply to extemporaneous prescriptions unless written for a preparation or remedy as hereinafter defined. The exemptions in that section apply exclusively to ready-made prescriptions and remedies prepared in accordance with the United States Pharmacopoeia, National Formulary, or other recognized or established formula, usually carried in stock by a dealer and sold without a prescription, provided such preparations and remedies are sold, distributed, given away, dispensed or possessed strictly in good faith for medicinal purposes only, and not for the purpose of evading the intentions or provisions of the Act. The selling, dispensing or possession of any such preparation or remedy containing opium, or any alkaloid, salt or derivative thereof for the purpose of satisfying or of ministering to a drug habit is not selling or dispensing for medicinal purposes within the intentions of the law.

Preparations and remedies within the intent of Section 6 are hereby defined to be ready-made compound mixtures prepared in accordance with a recognized or established formula as indicated above, which contain not more than one of the enumerated drugs in a quantity not greater than that specified, together with other active medicinal drugs in sufficient proportion to confer upon such preparations or remedies valuable medicinal qualities other than possessed by the narcotic drugs if dispensed alone. Simple dilutions of a narcotic drug made by admixture with inert or nearly inert substances, as sugar or milk, or simple solutions of narcotic drugs in water, syrup, diluted alcohol, flavoring matter, etc., are not bona fide medicinal preparations within the meaning of the exemption.

The several alkaloids, salts or derivatives of opium, if aggregated in the same mixture, are not exempt. A preparation which contains the permitted maximum quantity of any one of the alkaloids, salts, or derivatives, if fortified by the addition of any one of the other named alkaloids, or of its salts or derivatives, is not a preparation or remedy of the character contemplated by the exemption of Section 6.

Preparations or remedies which come within the exemptions of Section 6, as herein defined, may be sold with or without a prescription, which prescription may be refilled, if sold wholly in good faith for medicinal purposes only.

The refilling of a narcotic prescription for an exempted preparation or remedy, as herein defined, combined with other non-narcotic medicinal agents, with a consequent further dilution of the mixture, will be permitted.

THE U. S. Public Health Service guards American ports to exclude foreign disease.

Dissolve salts in water before adding alcoh use add an equal part of water.-[Journal A.

Longevity and Race.-There is reason to that certain races live longer than others, doubtedly inhabitants of temperate clima longer than tropical races. Humphrey poi that old age is a product of civilization beca savage when his strength decays cannot live over, civilization provides pensions for those too old to work, and by the cultivation of the feelings has made the maintenance of the duty which is generally cheerfully perform the savage is free from most of the disease attack civilized man, and consequently that society in which there is enough civilization per the lot of the aged and not enough to co young is the most favorable for the attainm long life.-[Saundby.

Do You Make Use of Prescription Room There is just as much difference in the con of various drug stores as there is in the appearance. Discussing the prescription r American Druggist says: "One drug firm its prescription desk so that its appeara exceedingly neat. The care of the stock was to a minimum and there was no confusion cating a required drug instantly. Heavy pa boxes, with reinforced corners, were made of the correct depth and width to fit certain These boxes were stoutly made and had cove lifted readily. They were covered with a sembling dark oak to match the fixtures. accommodated four or six small stock bottle were set inside. The names of the drugs box all began with the same letter, and a ty list of the contents of each box appeared front, so that only the right one needed to be The advantage of this system is that the d kept in the dark and the containers clean from dust. It is vastly less work to clean surfaced box than half a dozen bottles, a cleaning is only needed occasionally. The always clean and tidy and the expense of h boxes made was slight."

IT IS estimated that the average manure breed 900,000 flies per ton.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

Chemical Abstracts Published by the American Chemical Society.

lodated Petroleum.-Anon. Boll. chim. farm. 54, 584(1915). The use of a prepn. consisting of 120 pts. white, rectified petroleum and 2 pts. pure I is proposed.-[H. S. Paine.

lodated Liniment.-Anon. Boll. chim. farm. 54, 583 (1915). The following formula is proposed: 125 pts. twice sublimed I, 50 pts. KI, 35 pts. glycerol, 65 pts. distd. H.O, sufficient 95% alc. to make 1,000 pts.; dissolve the I and KI in the H2O, then add the glycerol and finally the alc. to the soln. thus obtained.— [H. S. P.

Self-Luminous Paint.-W. S. Andrews. Gen. Elec. Rev. 19, 809-12 (1916). A. reviews in a very simple and non-technical manner the properties of selfluminous paint, its components (minute quantity of Ra salt with finely powdered ZnS), its period of luminous life and some of its applications. Among the last may be mentioned painting elec. switch buttons so that these can readily be located in the dark.[C. G. F.

Preparations Which are Impenetrable by X-Rays.E. P. Cumberbatch. Boll. chim. farm 55, 264 (1916). A prepn. which is opaque to X-rays may be readily obtained by use of the following ingredients: 125 g. beeswax, 125 g. vaseline, 31 g. very finely powdered resin, 62 g. anhydrous lanolin and 745 g. finely powdered litharge. The first 4 substances are melted on a H.O bath in the order named, each ingredient being added only after the preceding one is completely fused. Litharge is introduced last in small portions at a time; the mass should then be stirred until cold. The recently prepd. mixt. adheres to the hands, but this inconvenience disappears after a few days. The above prepn. in a layer 1 mm. thick is absolutely opaque to X-rays.-[H. S. Paine.

Biochemical Considerations as Regards Heredity; the Limits of Body Size and Length of Life.-Otto Rahn. Biochem. Z. 74, 243-7(1916); J. Chem. Soc. 110, I, 523. The author has already put forward the conception that the enzymes of the cell are thermolabile, and undergo destruction under the normal vital conditions. They are, however, replaced by synthesis, and the optimal state for vital functions is that in which the synthesis and destruction balance one another. It is now assumed that the enzyme synthesis takes place owing to the presence of another factor, which is also thermolabile, and which is probably a catalyst (designated as an agent of the second order), and that this agent is itself synthesized under tse influence of a thermolabile factor "of the third order." The series of agents is a finite one, and the capacity for normal exertion of vital functions will depend chiefly on the production of the last factor in the chain. The application of this conception to various biological problems is discussed. -[C. J. West.

THERAPEUTICS FOR PHARMACISTS

Antidote for Mercury Bichloride.-Dr. J. H. Wilins of Cincinnati, O., claims to have demonstrated that calcium sulphide is an antidote for bichloride poisoning. Medical Health Officer Landis of that city, in a bulletin of the health department, states that in experiments on animals, Dr. Wilins found that he could save their lives even though 48 hours had elapsed from the time the poison was administered.

Dr. Landis also says that the treatment has been successful in recent bichloride cases. The remedy is given grain for grain of the poison taken.

Application for Wounds. One of the most effectual remedies for wounds is found in a powder made by Dr. Felix Mendel of Essen, Germany. It consists of a mixture of ten parts sodium bicarbonate, nine parts acetic acid (vinegar) and nineteen parts sugar. Superficial wounds are covered with a thick layer of the powder, but deeper wounds are completely filled with it. As soon as the miture is placed on a raw sore carbon dioxide is liberated and this causes a constant flow of fluid from the wound. Inflammation is quickly checked by using this powder.-Indianapolis Medical Journal.

Cooling Lotions for Itching Diseases of the Skin.The Lancet publishes a number of contributed formulas for cooling lotions, from which we select the following:

Dosage of Bacterins.-The size of a dose of a given bacterin, like that of a drug, depends upon a number of factors, such as age, sex, body-weight, idiosyncracy, and so on, says W. C. Wolverton, M. D., in Clinical Medicine. But, in general, the adult dosage of the bacterins in. common use by me is about as follows:

Staphylococcus plogenes albus, 100 millions to 1000 millions. Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, 100 millions to 1000 millions. Streptococcus pyogenes, 30 millions to 100 millions. Streptococcus erysipelatis, 50 millions (daily).

Streptococcus viridans and s. rheumaticus, 50 millions to 500

millions.

Pneumococcus, 20 millions to 100 millions.

Gonococcus, 100 millions to 1000 millions.

Micrococcus catarrhalis, 25 millions to 100 millions.

Bacillus coli communis (colon-bacillus), 20 millions to 200 millions.

Bacillus typhosus (typhoid-bacillus) (immunizing), 500 millions to 1000 millions.

Bacillus typhosus (typhoid-bacillus) (therapeutic), 100 millions to 500 millions.

Bacillus influenzae, 50 millions to 200 millions.

Bacillus pertusis (Bordet's bacillus), 50 millions to 500 millions.
Bacillus of acne, 10 millions to 100 millions.

Bacillus of Friedlander, 75 millions to 300 millions.
Meningococcus (immunizing), 500 millions to 1000 millions.

Bacillus tuberculosis (nonvirulent), 100 millions to 1000 millions.

COLLECTIONS

Good Judgment Should be Used in Handling Book Accounts.-There is no department in a drug store that requires good judgment more than in handling the book accounts. To collect money from the customers and not make them mad is a problem. During a business experience of nearly fifty years I never sued but one man. I have always contended that in a business where goods are sold on credit, one-third you get, one-third you may get and one-third you never get.

The man that I sued owed me $7.50 and told me to my face that he would never pay it.

"I'll sue you next Saturday and I'll garnishee your wages," I said to him and he was mad and so was I. I was young in the business then but learned much from experience.

I gave the account to a lawyer and he assured me that there was no chance for me to lose. Saturday afternoon while we were at the justice court filing the suit the man went up to the store and paid the bill in full to my clerk and got a receipted bill which he brought with him when he appeared in court, and I was beaten, was charged up with $8.00 for costs and the lawyer who said there was no chance to lose charged me $5. I lost a good customer, besides all the customers that he could keep away from me. Even though you win a lawsuit it does not pay to sue. [John H. Brown, Atchison, Kans.

Collecting Money.-Collection of money, even when made by authority, sometimes results in legal complications. The first thing a retailer should ask himself, when any employe or agent who has collected your money and refuses or fails to turn it over, is, Why does he refuse? If it is because he claims the right to hold it, no matter how flimsy the claim isif sincere then it is putting your head into the lion's mouth to issue a warrant for his arrest. Of course, thieves and embezzlers often justify holding out of other people's money by a claim of right. The claim of right must have both a legal and moral foundation. For instance, suppose an employe is suddenly discharged. He claims the house owes him money. The house denies it. The employe goes to the safe or the cash register and abstracts enough to cover his claim. That is larceny, even though his claim was a good one. No man can pay himself in any such fashion. But the position of an employe who had collected money for his employer, with the latter's consent, and still held it, would be different. He would not be guilty of larceny if he refused to hand it over on the plea that his employer was indebted to him. Even if his plea was groundless, it would not be safe to arrest him, unless the employer had full proofs in his possession that the plea was merely a subterfuge to excuse the larceny. In that case it would be reasonably safe to issue a warrant.-[Practical Druggist.

EXCHANGES

The Slogan of the City of St. Louis is "St. Louis Has the Goods." A pretty good slogan for the druggist for 1917.-[Drug Topics.

Pharmaco-Legal.-What Blackstone is to the legal talent the Practical Druggist is to the pharmaceutical profession, "indispensable."-[Practical Druggist.

Let Fads Alone.-The druggist should be a live citizen and a useful member of the community, but until he gets ready to retire it is well for him not to lay too much stress on fads of the sort that are likely to antagonize his fellow men. There is more money and just as much credit in being a good druggist as in being a "reformer."-[Pacific Drug Review.

Vision. Oliver Goldsmith, in a letter long since forgotten, refers to men "whose narrow souls never moved in a wider circle than the circumference of a guinea." How true those words, how ably phrased! In them is contained an admonition to his highness, the business man. Goldsmith urges broader vision and subtly tells us that life and labor are far more interesting, more worth-while, than the mere possession of money. And this is largely true. It therefore behooves us to cultivate broader vision, to lose sight of cash returns in the joy of good work, for to men of broad vision come not only wealth and fame but an optimistic perspective that makes life worth the living. [Northwestern Druggist.

Our Future Foreign Trade.-The fact that our foreign trade in 1916 reached the stupendous aggregate of $7,873,077,924, of which exports were $5,481,423,589, is gratifying, but when the trade by countries is studied there is considerable concern about our future ability to hold even a considerable portion of this immense commerce. The entente allies and their dependencies bought $4,412,351,329 from us in 1916, or 80.5 per cent of the total exports. It is idle to deny that the exigencies of the war are responsible for the greater part of this increase. And nothing but conditions brought by the war can account for abnormal growth of our exports to neutral Europe. It is also common knowledge that much of the increase of our sales to South America has been due to the fact that the war has shut it off from its usual supply. Last year our sales to South America reached $220,288,188, or $74,000,000 more than in any year prior to the war. Our imports from South America were valued at $427,609,562, or nearly twice as much as in the past. Imports from Asia reached $516,704,047, an increase of $230,000,000 above the previous record. The increase in exports was confined to Japan and Russia in Asia. Imports from China were double those of any previous year, but the exports were lower than in 1905 or 1906.-[St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

PROFESSOR H. V. ARNY, of the New York College of Pharmacy, is president of the A. C. P. F.

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

Examination Questions Not Made Public.-The following states do not give permission for the publication of the examination questions: Kentucky, Michigan, Kansas, Vermont, Utah,

Chemistry

Board of Pharmacy of Missouri-(June 12, 1916). Pharmaceutical (Registered Pharmacist).-1. (a) Name the official Salts of Strontium. (b) Describe them, giving their medical uses and doses. (c) What tests will distinguish Strontium from Calcium? 2. (a) Give the formula and properties of Mercury Bichloride. (b) Give the formulas and properties of the two iodides of mercury. (c) What would be safe and unsafe doses of these compounds? 3. (a) Give the formulæ for Bismuth subnitrate and subcarbonate. (b) Give their respective properties and medical uses and doses. (c) Give a good test for Bismuth. 4. (a) What is the difference between acetate and subacetate of lead? (b) In what U. S. P. preparations is the subacetate contained? (c) 'describe the properties of these two lead compounds, and give a good characteristic chemical test for lead. 5. (a) How do you explain the solubility of ferric phosphate and ferric pyrophosphate of iron in the form of scale salts? (b) Describe these U. S. P. scale salts, and give their uses in pharmacy.

R. A. Doyle, Ph. G.

6. (a) Give the source and preparation of tartaric acid. (b) Give its chemical and physical properties. (c) What kind of salts does it form?

7. (a) What is the source and method of obtaining natural Benzoic acid? (b) What is its synthetic source? (c) What kind of salts does it form?

8. (a) What is Cellulos? (b) Give a form of pure Cellulose, used in making Pyroxylinum U. S. P. (c) Describe the properties and pharmaceutical uses of pyroxylin.

9. (a) What is the difference between a hydrocarbon and a carbohydrate? (b) To which class does ethyl belong, and to what class does sugar belong?

10. (a) What is the chemical nature of Phenol? (b) State its source and method of preparation. (c) Give chemical antidote to phenol poisoning.

Pharmacy (Registered Pharmacist).

1. What is the meaning of the following abbreviated terms employed in the U. S. P. under the chapter on chemical reagents: N

(a) T. S. N

(c) ~ — (a) N - (b) V. S.

Ν Τ

N

(e)

10

(f)

50 - (g)

100

2. What are the following and give their uses: (a) Koppeschaar's Solution; (b) Fehling's Solution?

3. (a) What is Ammoniated Glycyrrhizin? (b) How is it prepared and what are its uses?

4. What is the composition of Lady Webster's Dinner pills? Give off. name, their action, and dose.

5. What is Solution of Formaldehyde ? Give its common synonym and uses in pharmacy and medicine.

6. (a) What are oleates? (b) Name three official ones and tell how to prepare them.

7. How is Nitrate of Mercury ointment prepared? Give its

common name.

8. How is Oleum Gaultheriae prepared? Give its English name; description, composition and uses.

9. What are Salve Mulls N. F.?

10. (a) What kind of substance is Iodoform? (b) How is it obtained? (c) What is meant by a substitution product as applied to organic chemicals?

11. (a) What do you understand by a magistral prescription? (b) Give its chief parts and explain them.

12. What is the meaning of the following prescription expressions: (a) aa; (b) q. s.- (c) ad- (d) adde- (e) q V. (f) part aeq.(g) t. dos-(h) t. i. d.-(i) bis hor- (j) S. A. 13. Define meaning of: (a) Ft. haust;-(b) ft. Chliasma(c) Ft. Enema.-(d) Ft. Nebul:-(e) Ft. Collyr:-(f) Ft. garg:(g) ft. littus-(h) ft. Iinctus-(i) ft. tab. comprim: (j) ft. Caps: Amyli :

14. What substances may not be dispensed on a physician's prescription a second time?

15. (a) What is the Missouri law on the sale of Cocoa and its derivations? (b) The same on poisons? (c) The same on intoxicating liquors?

17. Give Latin names for the following preparations: (1) Huxham's Tincture; (2) Yellow Wash; (3) Griffith's Mixture; (4) Brown Mixture; (5) Elixir Vitriol; (6) Spirits Salt; (7) Black Draught; (8) Black Drop; (9) Sydenham Laudanum; (10) Glyconin.

18. (a) What are Ampules? (b) Explain how to prepare them.

19. How can liquids be extemporaneously dispensed in soft elastic capsules?

20. Complete the following prescription, so that each dessert spoonful shall contain 32 milligram Strychnine Sulph., 2 c. C. Syrup Tolu, 2 c. c. Aqua, 11⁄2 grams Potass. Bromide, and Aromat: Elixir enough to make 120 c. c.

Elix. Aromatic. q. s. ad. 120 c. c.

Posology, Toxicology and Problems (Registered Pharmacist). (All work must be shown in full.)

1. To make a 32% solution of iodine with ether of the specific gravity (0.716) how many grains of each will you take to dispense two fluid ounces?

2. Give the metric doses of the following: (a) Aconitine 1-250 grain; (b) Atropine 1-75 grain; (c) Morphine 1-5 grain; (d) Codeine 1 1-3 grains; (e) Sparteine Sulphate 3-16 grain; (f) Powd: Digitalis 2 grains; (g) Powd: Jalap 10 grains; (h) Powd: Rhubarb 20 grains; (i) Comp: Chalk powder 35 grains; (j) Powd: Senna 60 grains.

3. Give the rule for taking specific gravities of gases, liquids, and solids. Show a calculation for each class.

4. Calculate the specific volumes of the following substances: (a) Lactic Acid (Sp: Gr: 1.206); (b) Spts. Nitrous Ether (Sp. Gr. 0.823).

5. What will you charge for this prescription to make 75% net profit, your overhead expenses being 30%

Note.-Cost of items are: No. 1, $5.50 per lb.; No. 2, $2.10 per lb.; No. 3, 15c per pint; No. 4, 45c per pint; bottle, cork and label, 4c.

6. You have in stock 18 grains of Morphinae Sulphas and wish to use it all for making up Tully's powder which contains 12% of it; how many grains of Tully's powder will it make?

7. H3 PO4 is the molecular formula of Orthophosphoric Acid. What percentage of each element does it contain? Atomic weights are: H.1; P.31; 0.16.

8. When you want to calculate an infant dose from an adult dose of a drug, how will you do it?

9.

When you mix Solutions of Calcium Hypochlorite; Calcium Chloride, and Sodium Carbonate, what chemical reaction occurs? Show same by balancing following chemical equation: Ca (OCI)2+CaCl2+2 Nag CO3=

10.

Give the toxic doses of the following: (a) Cocaine; (b) Morphine; (c) Strychnine; (d) Atropine; (e) Aconitine; (f) Mercuric Iodide; (g) Hydrocyanic acid dilut; (h) Potassium Cyanide; (i) Iodide Arsenic; (j) Phosphorous.

Materia Medica and Botany (Registered Pharmacist).

1. (a) What is a drug? (b) How are drugs classified? (c) Name two cellular and two non-cellular drugs.

2. Give the definition for Materia Medica; pharmaco-dynamics; and therapeutics.

3.

(a) What is Colocynth? (b) Name its chief constituents and pharmaceutical preparations and give its action and dose. 4. (a) What is Elaterium? Give its source, method of preparation, active constituents, therepeutic action and dose? (b) What is "Trituratio Elaterini?'

5. (a) Rhatany. Give its source, habitat, description, action and dose. (b) Name its main constituents and preparation.

6. (a) Name three drugs which yield Mydriatic Alkaloids, and explain how these act upon the eye. (b) Name two drugs which yield Myotic Alkaloids, and tell how they affect the eye. 7. (a) Mezereum. Give its origin, habitat, description, constituents, medical uses and dose. (b) Name the official preparations of which this drug is an ingredient.

8. (a) What is Juniperus? Give its constituents, therapeutic action and dose. (b) What is Gin? (c) What is Roobt-Juniperi ? 9. What is Cortex Aurantii Dulcis? (b) Give the chief constituents of the flavedo, and the parenchyma layers of the drug. (c) Into what official preparation does it enter?

10. (a) What is a dry fruit? (b) Name and describe and give constituents, action and dose of such a drug fruit.

11. Name the chemical antidotes for Opium, Belladonna, Nux Vomica, Cantharis and Physostigma.