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Amphetamine in clinical medicine: Actions and uses
648
JOURNAL OF THE
AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION Vol. XLIV, No. 10
The Phurmucopeia of the United Stutes of America. 15th rev. By authority of The United States Pharmacopoeial Convention, Inc. meeting a t Washington, D. C., May 9 and 10, 1950. Prepared by the Committee of Revision and published by the Board of Trustees. Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pa., 1955. Lii 1178 pp. 15.5 x 23.5 cm. Price $10, domestic and 110.50, foreign.
+
I n this era of rapidly changing materia medica. an extensive revision of a complex book of standards such as the U. S. P. is a task, the enormity of which is difficult t o comprehend unless one has participated in this or similar work. Dr. Lloyd C. Miller, Director of Pharmacopeial Revision, and those who aided him have performed their tasks well. The Constitution and By-laws of the U. S. Pharmacopoeial Convention were revised a t the 1950 meeting and the entire adopted text and an abstract of the proceedings of the 1950 meeting of the U. S. P. Convention are included in the “front” material of U. S. P. XV. Very few persons will miss the omitted list of English-Spanish titles of U. S. P. articles that has heretofore appeared in this section of the U. S. P. The monograph section of U. S. P. XY includcs. 838 items. Newly admitted are 242 monographs, while 160 monographs that appeared in U. S. P. XI\’ have been dropped. Inclusion of more information in the monographs, particularly the detailed procedures for testing antibiotics and the biologics, has increased the average length of the monographs. Practically all the information available on the tests and standards for biological products and all of the tests of the federal regulations on the antibiotics are included. The following changes are noted in light principal categories of drugs in U. S. P. XIV and U. S. P. XV, respectively : antihistaminics, 2 to 13; antibiotics, 5 to 12; diagnostic aids, 9 to 16; analgetics and sedatives, 18 to 21; biologics, 29 to 34; chemotherapeutic agents, 27 to 31; endocrine preparation (including corticosteroids), 18 to 25; and vitamins, 13 to 15. Included among the seven new diagnostic aids is sodium radioiodide solution which is used for diagnosis of thyroid disorders and is the first radioactive drug to be given Pharmacopeial status. Of the 18 monographs on antibiotics in U. S. P. XIV, only five were retained so that 37 of the 42 U. S . P. XV monographs 011 antibiotics are new. Of particular interest is the addition in each monograph of a “category” classification indicating pharmacologic or therapeutic action or other use of the item. A dosage range as well as the usual dose is included wherever feasible. The section on General Tests has been revised and greatly expanded in content while holding down the relative number of pages occupied by using a brief style of presentation. New chapters cover chromatography, pharmaceutical preparations, radioactivity, titrimetry, biological reagents for clinical tests, microbial assays of antibiotics, and a comprehensive and detailed chapter on the design and analysis of biological assays. Kew tests include one on pressor substances, one for biological adequacy of protein, tests for transfusion and infusion assemblies, a solubility test for hypodermic tablets, a disintegration test for coated tablets, and a limit on
the weight variation of capsule contents. A chapter on sterilization has been included after having been omitted from U. S. P. XIV. The valuable tabulated information that has appeared in the “back” part of earlier revisions has bcen brought up to date for U. S. P. XV. The printing style and format have not been changed but, in order to keep the bulk of U. S. P. S V (which has 120 pages more than U. S. P. XIV) within reasonable limits, paper of lighter stock has been used. All who obtain copies of U. S. P. XV will find it a valuable reference volume in addition to its necessity as a legal compendium.
Jreethods frr Eoaluution of Nutritional Adequacy and Status. A Symposium sponsored by the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute, Washington, 1951. The objectives of the symposium recorded in this 313-page compilation were: to review critically the merits of existing methods of evaluating nutritional adequacy, to emphasize the needs for special methods not now available, and to consider suggestions for developing special methods. Papers and discussions are grouped under the headings: introduction, evaluation of protein, of vitamin, and of mineral adequacy; evaluation of military rations by animal experimentation; evaluation of nutritional status of populations; discussion on body composition. Indexes to the interesting material covered in such symposia are very helpful and interested readers would prefer to pay enough for such reports to cover the cost of indexing. : Iniphrtaminr in Clinical Medicine: .4claons and Uses. By \V. R. BETT,LEONARD H. HOWELLS, and A. D. MACDONALD.The Williams & Wilkins Co.,
Baltimore, 1955. ( E . & S. Livingstone, Ltd., Edinburgh and London). 78 pp. 13 x 19 cm. Price $2.75. This pocket-size book is not presented as a comprehensive review but is intended as a guide to when and when not to employ the useful but often misused amphetamines. The discussions under pharmacology, overweight, fatigue and depression, narcolepsy, alcoholism and other drug addictions, barbiturate intoxication, psychopathic states, enuresis and other behavior disorders in children are directed to the physician bnt should interest pharmacists as well. A Dictionary of Terms in Pharmacognosy and Other Divisions of Economic Botany. By GEORGEK. HOCKING.Charles C Thomas, Springfield, Ill. 1955. xxv 284 pp. 16.5 x 24.5 cm.
+
This dictionary is designed to meet the special needs of students and practitioners in the various health professions, of people in trade and industry, and of others interested in learning more about the useful plants and animals. If it is possible to meet these needs, Dr. Hocking has done it. Valuable additional reference material is included in appendixes. Appendix D is a list of terms describing properties and therapeutic uses of drugs. This book should be available to anyone who might seek information in the medical care field and particularly to Rharmacists, pharmacy students, and their instructors.
JOURNAL OF THE
AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION Vol. XLIV, No. 10
The Phurmucopeia of the United Stutes of America. 15th rev. By authority of The United States Pharmacopoeial Convention, Inc. meeting a t Washington, D. C., May 9 and 10, 1950. Prepared by the Committee of Revision and published by the Board of Trustees. Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pa., 1955. Lii 1178 pp. 15.5 x 23.5 cm. Price $10, domestic and 110.50, foreign.
+
I n this era of rapidly changing materia medica. an extensive revision of a complex book of standards such as the U. S. P. is a task, the enormity of which is difficult t o comprehend unless one has participated in this or similar work. Dr. Lloyd C. Miller, Director of Pharmacopeial Revision, and those who aided him have performed their tasks well. The Constitution and By-laws of the U. S. Pharmacopoeial Convention were revised a t the 1950 meeting and the entire adopted text and an abstract of the proceedings of the 1950 meeting of the U. S. P. Convention are included in the “front” material of U. S. P. XV. Very few persons will miss the omitted list of English-Spanish titles of U. S. P. articles that has heretofore appeared in this section of the U. S. P. The monograph section of U. S. P. XY includcs. 838 items. Newly admitted are 242 monographs, while 160 monographs that appeared in U. S. P. XI\’ have been dropped. Inclusion of more information in the monographs, particularly the detailed procedures for testing antibiotics and the biologics, has increased the average length of the monographs. Practically all the information available on the tests and standards for biological products and all of the tests of the federal regulations on the antibiotics are included. The following changes are noted in light principal categories of drugs in U. S. P. XIV and U. S. P. XV, respectively : antihistaminics, 2 to 13; antibiotics, 5 to 12; diagnostic aids, 9 to 16; analgetics and sedatives, 18 to 21; biologics, 29 to 34; chemotherapeutic agents, 27 to 31; endocrine preparation (including corticosteroids), 18 to 25; and vitamins, 13 to 15. Included among the seven new diagnostic aids is sodium radioiodide solution which is used for diagnosis of thyroid disorders and is the first radioactive drug to be given Pharmacopeial status. Of the 18 monographs on antibiotics in U. S. P. XIV, only five were retained so that 37 of the 42 U. S . P. XV monographs 011 antibiotics are new. Of particular interest is the addition in each monograph of a “category” classification indicating pharmacologic or therapeutic action or other use of the item. A dosage range as well as the usual dose is included wherever feasible. The section on General Tests has been revised and greatly expanded in content while holding down the relative number of pages occupied by using a brief style of presentation. New chapters cover chromatography, pharmaceutical preparations, radioactivity, titrimetry, biological reagents for clinical tests, microbial assays of antibiotics, and a comprehensive and detailed chapter on the design and analysis of biological assays. Kew tests include one on pressor substances, one for biological adequacy of protein, tests for transfusion and infusion assemblies, a solubility test for hypodermic tablets, a disintegration test for coated tablets, and a limit on
the weight variation of capsule contents. A chapter on sterilization has been included after having been omitted from U. S. P. XIV. The valuable tabulated information that has appeared in the “back” part of earlier revisions has bcen brought up to date for U. S. P. XV. The printing style and format have not been changed but, in order to keep the bulk of U. S. P. S V (which has 120 pages more than U. S. P. XIV) within reasonable limits, paper of lighter stock has been used. All who obtain copies of U. S. P. XV will find it a valuable reference volume in addition to its necessity as a legal compendium.
Jreethods frr Eoaluution of Nutritional Adequacy and Status. A Symposium sponsored by the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute, Washington, 1951. The objectives of the symposium recorded in this 313-page compilation were: to review critically the merits of existing methods of evaluating nutritional adequacy, to emphasize the needs for special methods not now available, and to consider suggestions for developing special methods. Papers and discussions are grouped under the headings: introduction, evaluation of protein, of vitamin, and of mineral adequacy; evaluation of military rations by animal experimentation; evaluation of nutritional status of populations; discussion on body composition. Indexes to the interesting material covered in such symposia are very helpful and interested readers would prefer to pay enough for such reports to cover the cost of indexing. : Iniphrtaminr in Clinical Medicine: .4claons and Uses. By \V. R. BETT,LEONARD H. HOWELLS, and A. D. MACDONALD.The Williams & Wilkins Co.,
Baltimore, 1955. ( E . & S. Livingstone, Ltd., Edinburgh and London). 78 pp. 13 x 19 cm. Price $2.75. This pocket-size book is not presented as a comprehensive review but is intended as a guide to when and when not to employ the useful but often misused amphetamines. The discussions under pharmacology, overweight, fatigue and depression, narcolepsy, alcoholism and other drug addictions, barbiturate intoxication, psychopathic states, enuresis and other behavior disorders in children are directed to the physician bnt should interest pharmacists as well. A Dictionary of Terms in Pharmacognosy and Other Divisions of Economic Botany. By GEORGEK. HOCKING.Charles C Thomas, Springfield, Ill. 1955. xxv 284 pp. 16.5 x 24.5 cm.
+
This dictionary is designed to meet the special needs of students and practitioners in the various health professions, of people in trade and industry, and of others interested in learning more about the useful plants and animals. If it is possible to meet these needs, Dr. Hocking has done it. Valuable additional reference material is included in appendixes. Appendix D is a list of terms describing properties and therapeutic uses of drugs. This book should be available to anyone who might seek information in the medical care field and particularly to Rharmacists, pharmacy students, and their instructors.