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Technic of medication. By Austin Smith. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1948. xi + 255 pp. 11.5 × 19.5 cm. Price $4.00
EDITION SCIENTIFIC b
be assumed to be accurate. Certainly it is useful information for those exporting drugs to our southern neighbors.
Technic of Medication. By AUSTINSMITH.J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1948. xi 4255 pp. 11.5 x 19.5 cm. Price $4.00. Most pharmacists remember the late Bernard Fantus’ book, General Technic of Medication, the third edition of which was published in 1938, and have wished for a modern treatise t o take its place. Dr. Austin Smith has provided that book in an admirable manner. Technic of Medication is an exceedingly practical book for physicians and others handling drugs and certain therapeutic appliances. Frequently Dr. Smith followed the same pattern as Dr. Fantus, but always the modern viewpoint is projected. An exemplary balance between therapeutic nihilism and the conservative, scientific use of drugs is maintained throughout. As expected, the physician is constantly reminded to use U. S. P., N. F., and N. N. R. drugs in the interest of sound and economic therapy. Dr. Smith sympathetically discusses the role of hospital pharmacy. At other points will be found a frank discussion of two very old professional problems-the prescribing pharmacist and the dispensing physician. Dr. Smith rightfully concludes that both of these groups have only a limited place in medical care today. The ownership of prescriptions, the telephoned prescription, prescriptions by mail and other problems of inter-professional relations are discussed in an open and fair manner. Following chapters on general principles, Dr. Smith takes up oral administration of drugs, parenteral administration, rectal and genito-urinary administration, applications t o the skin, and mucous membrane applications. Each of these phases is covered briefly but accurately and practically. A final chapter deals with such practical aids as storage of drugs, physical aids, care of equipment, and removal of stains. It is unfortunate that Dr. Smith curtailed the section on writing the prescription. If this section were more complete, it would make the book an ideal text in prescription writing for medical students. Helpful as the book is, supplementation is necessary in the classroom in order to teach fundamentals of prescription writing to the completely uninitiated. Ownership of a copy of Technic of Medication should enable one to discuss fluently dosage programs, drug absorption, applications to the skin, the rational choice of a drug, and hundreds of other practical matters. A knowledge of the book’s contents should also be helpful in advising patrons about the storage of medicinals, the care of insulin syringes, the administration of drugs t o children, and other problems. The British Pharmacopmia, 1948. Published under the General Council of Medical Education and Registration of the United Kingdom, London. Constable and Co., 1948. xl 914 pp. 14.5 x 23 cm. The publication of a pharmacopoeia is always an important event t o pharmacists and the publication
+
235
of such an important pharmacopoeia as the British is doubly eventful. Since the last British Pharmacopceia was published in 1932, the character of pharmaceutical progress over the past fourteen years is reflected in the types of admissions. Most of the fresh infusions, 17 tinctures and 4 plasters were relegated t o antiquity, while 57 injections, 18 tablets, 10 vaccines, and 9 sex hormones entered the stage. I n six instances the strength of official substances was changed. Of especial significance is the change of hydrogen peroxide solution t o 5 to 7 per cent which is about double that of the U. S. P. The general style and format has been changed t o coincide more nearly with that of the U. S. P. Latin titles still take precedence, however. No very significant changes were made in the inorganic drugs. As would be expected, the changes in the organic field are too numerous t o mention. The newly admitted alkaloids were colchicine, ergometrine maleate, ergotoxine ethanesulfonate, and papaverine hydrochloride. In the field of local anesthetics, butacaine sulfate, butyl aminobenzoate, cinchocaine hydrochloride, benzyl alcohol, and bromethol (tribromethyl alcohol in amylene hydrate) have been added. In the arsenicals, the dose of neoarsphenamine has been reduced and carbarsone has been newly admitted. No new barbiturates were added; one acridine antiseptic, am’inacrine hydrochloride; one new sulfonamide, succinylsulfathiazole; and the 10 sulfonamides previously recognized by supplement were added. In the galenical field many changes were made. Tannic acid ointment, chrysarobin ointment, and hydrous ointment of ammoniated mercury were deleted. New ointment bases, a n emulsifying ointment, unguentum emulsificans (emulsifying wax 30, white petrolatum 50, and liquid paraffin 20)’ and a hydrous emulsifying ointment, unguentum emulsificans aquosum (add 1 Gm. of chlorocresol in 698 Gm. of water to 300 Gm. of the former ointment), were admitted. Cetostearyl alcohol and sodium lauryl sulfate were also admitted. No new solutions were added and 9 were deleted. Four new suppositories have been added-bismuth subgallate, cocaine hydrochloride, extract of hamamelis, and the latter plus zinc oxide. hTonew syrups were added, but Eaton’s Syrup and syrup of ferrous iodide were deleted. The changes in the vegetable drug field are all relatively minor. Surely no one will miss the few deletions such as tamarind. It is interesting to note that penicillin is defined as “either the sodium salt or the calcium salt of the antimicrobial acid, which is produced when penicillium notaturn or related organisms are grown under appropriate conditions or in a suitable culture medium.” The bioassay does not seem t o be as completely described as that of the Food and Drug Administration of this country. Official penicillin preparations are the injection, oily injection (peanut oil-beeswax), cream, sterilized cream, ointment, ophthalmic ointment, and lozenges. Under injections, the method of handling “dryfilled ampuls” is unique and may be illustrated by Injectio Hexobarbitoni Sodii. This injection is
be assumed to be accurate. Certainly it is useful information for those exporting drugs to our southern neighbors.
Technic of Medication. By AUSTINSMITH.J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1948. xi 4255 pp. 11.5 x 19.5 cm. Price $4.00. Most pharmacists remember the late Bernard Fantus’ book, General Technic of Medication, the third edition of which was published in 1938, and have wished for a modern treatise t o take its place. Dr. Austin Smith has provided that book in an admirable manner. Technic of Medication is an exceedingly practical book for physicians and others handling drugs and certain therapeutic appliances. Frequently Dr. Smith followed the same pattern as Dr. Fantus, but always the modern viewpoint is projected. An exemplary balance between therapeutic nihilism and the conservative, scientific use of drugs is maintained throughout. As expected, the physician is constantly reminded to use U. S. P., N. F., and N. N. R. drugs in the interest of sound and economic therapy. Dr. Smith sympathetically discusses the role of hospital pharmacy. At other points will be found a frank discussion of two very old professional problems-the prescribing pharmacist and the dispensing physician. Dr. Smith rightfully concludes that both of these groups have only a limited place in medical care today. The ownership of prescriptions, the telephoned prescription, prescriptions by mail and other problems of inter-professional relations are discussed in an open and fair manner. Following chapters on general principles, Dr. Smith takes up oral administration of drugs, parenteral administration, rectal and genito-urinary administration, applications t o the skin, and mucous membrane applications. Each of these phases is covered briefly but accurately and practically. A final chapter deals with such practical aids as storage of drugs, physical aids, care of equipment, and removal of stains. It is unfortunate that Dr. Smith curtailed the section on writing the prescription. If this section were more complete, it would make the book an ideal text in prescription writing for medical students. Helpful as the book is, supplementation is necessary in the classroom in order to teach fundamentals of prescription writing to the completely uninitiated. Ownership of a copy of Technic of Medication should enable one to discuss fluently dosage programs, drug absorption, applications to the skin, the rational choice of a drug, and hundreds of other practical matters. A knowledge of the book’s contents should also be helpful in advising patrons about the storage of medicinals, the care of insulin syringes, the administration of drugs t o children, and other problems. The British Pharmacopmia, 1948. Published under the General Council of Medical Education and Registration of the United Kingdom, London. Constable and Co., 1948. xl 914 pp. 14.5 x 23 cm. The publication of a pharmacopoeia is always an important event t o pharmacists and the publication
+
235
of such an important pharmacopoeia as the British is doubly eventful. Since the last British Pharmacopceia was published in 1932, the character of pharmaceutical progress over the past fourteen years is reflected in the types of admissions. Most of the fresh infusions, 17 tinctures and 4 plasters were relegated t o antiquity, while 57 injections, 18 tablets, 10 vaccines, and 9 sex hormones entered the stage. I n six instances the strength of official substances was changed. Of especial significance is the change of hydrogen peroxide solution t o 5 to 7 per cent which is about double that of the U. S. P. The general style and format has been changed t o coincide more nearly with that of the U. S. P. Latin titles still take precedence, however. No very significant changes were made in the inorganic drugs. As would be expected, the changes in the organic field are too numerous t o mention. The newly admitted alkaloids were colchicine, ergometrine maleate, ergotoxine ethanesulfonate, and papaverine hydrochloride. In the field of local anesthetics, butacaine sulfate, butyl aminobenzoate, cinchocaine hydrochloride, benzyl alcohol, and bromethol (tribromethyl alcohol in amylene hydrate) have been added. In the arsenicals, the dose of neoarsphenamine has been reduced and carbarsone has been newly admitted. No new barbiturates were added; one acridine antiseptic, am’inacrine hydrochloride; one new sulfonamide, succinylsulfathiazole; and the 10 sulfonamides previously recognized by supplement were added. In the galenical field many changes were made. Tannic acid ointment, chrysarobin ointment, and hydrous ointment of ammoniated mercury were deleted. New ointment bases, a n emulsifying ointment, unguentum emulsificans (emulsifying wax 30, white petrolatum 50, and liquid paraffin 20)’ and a hydrous emulsifying ointment, unguentum emulsificans aquosum (add 1 Gm. of chlorocresol in 698 Gm. of water to 300 Gm. of the former ointment), were admitted. Cetostearyl alcohol and sodium lauryl sulfate were also admitted. No new solutions were added and 9 were deleted. Four new suppositories have been added-bismuth subgallate, cocaine hydrochloride, extract of hamamelis, and the latter plus zinc oxide. hTonew syrups were added, but Eaton’s Syrup and syrup of ferrous iodide were deleted. The changes in the vegetable drug field are all relatively minor. Surely no one will miss the few deletions such as tamarind. It is interesting to note that penicillin is defined as “either the sodium salt or the calcium salt of the antimicrobial acid, which is produced when penicillium notaturn or related organisms are grown under appropriate conditions or in a suitable culture medium.” The bioassay does not seem t o be as completely described as that of the Food and Drug Administration of this country. Official penicillin preparations are the injection, oily injection (peanut oil-beeswax), cream, sterilized cream, ointment, ophthalmic ointment, and lozenges. Under injections, the method of handling “dryfilled ampuls” is unique and may be illustrated by Injectio Hexobarbitoni Sodii. This injection is