The _Journal of the American Medical Association_, October 13, 1906,
exposes the fraud and deception practised by certain proprietary firms
in putting on the market preparations purporting to contain cod-liver
oil, when, in fact, they contain no oil at all. It is conceded by
pharmacologists that the value of these remedies depends on the
nutritive power of the fat, and any preparation which contains fat must
respond to simple tests which the physician can personally apply. The
preparations claiming to represent cod-liver oil are in liquid form, and
if they contain oil it must be in one of the following forms:
(1) An emulsion of the oil which may be miscible with water, but from
which the fat tends to separate and rise to the top. In this form the
fat can be seen as globules under the microscope.
(2) A solution, resulting from the saponification of the oil, containing
a soap which usually will be alkaline in reaction, especially when mixed
with water, and from which fatty acids are separated as a precipitate
when the solution is acidified.
(3) A solution of fatty acids. This will be acid in reaction and will be
precipitated by the addition of water, in which the fatty acids are not
soluble.
An examination of one of these preparations, _e. g._, Waterbury’s
Metabolized Cod-Liver Oil, which, it is claimed, “contains the
metabolized product obtained by the action of ferments on cod-liver
oil,” shows that it is neither an emulsion, a solution of soap, nor a
solution of fatty acids, and more careful analysis shows that it
contains no fat or fat acids (except the merest traces). No intelligent
physician should be misled by the extravagant and unfounded claims made
for this preparation.
Hagee’s Cordial of Cod-Liver Oil is a representative of a class of
preparations which claim to “represent the oil, but contain no fat,” and
are therefore practically worthless. The claims of therapeutic value for
such preparations can not be substantiated. Some such remedies are
advertised as extracts of cod-liver oil, when, in fact, they are made
from cod livers, but not from cod-liver oil. These preparations, if
honestly made, might be worthy of a trial, but they are not preparations
of cod-liver oil, and should not be so termed. So far as we know,
however, no satisfactory evidence is forthcoming that such extractives
have any therapeutic value.
The attempt to modify cod-liver oil for therapeutic purposes may be
pronounced a failure and the large variety and extensive sale of these
preparations appear to be owing to the fact that physicians do not
recall the ordinary facts of chemistry, but accept too readily the
statements of the manufacturers.
PROGRESS IN PHARMACY.
A QUARTERLY REVIEW OF SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ADVANCES IN PHARMACY
AND MATERIA MEDICA.
BY M. I. WILBERT,
Apothecary at the German Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
_The Food and Drugs Act, June 30, 1906_, continues to be the leading
topic for discussion in pharmaceutical journals and in pharmaceutical
circles generally. In many of the larger cities special meetings have
been held at which the probable effect of the law, directly as well as
indirectly, on the several branches of pharmacy have been discussed at
length.
Wholesale druggists and manufacturing pharmacists appear to be heartily
in favor of the underlying principles and of the general provisions of
the Federal pure food and drug law, despite the fact that it has imposed
an enormous amount of additional work and expense for which they can
scarcely expect to be adequately recompensed.
The proposition to endorse the Federal law, by corresponding laws in the
several States, has aroused considerable opposition on the part of
retail pharmacists, who appear to be either indifferent or else fearful
lest the additional obligations that would be imposed on them might be
too exacting or else involve an undue amount of work or expense to
comply with.
In this connection we should remember that pharmacists, as such, have
taken little or no part in securing the enactment of the Federal pure
food and drug law, and that, as a consequence, they have thus sacrificed
no little of their professional independence and prestige.
This apathy on the part of pharmacists is even now being taken advantage
of by members of boards of health, Food and Dairy Commissioners and
well-meaning but frequently misinformed reformers who are actively at
work to secure food and drug legislation along the lines of the National
law.
In by far the greater number of State legislatures, now in session,
bills for laws of this kind have been introduced, and whether enacted
into laws or not, will tend to show the wants or desires of retail
pharmacists, and, if opposed or ignored, will seriously reflect on the
ability and professional disinterestedness of pharmacists themselves.
Retail pharmacists should, and if they desire to maintain their standing
in the community they must, favor pure food and drug legislation that is
designed to protect the public. By themselves taking an active interest
in the securing of legislation along these lines they could readily
prevent the enactment of ill-advised measures that would tend to hamper
or restrict them in the pursuance of their business.
That the medical profession in all sections of the country is clearly in
favor of pure food and drug legislation was plainly evidenced at the
Conference of the Committee on Medical Legislation, of the American
Medical Association, with the National Legislative Council, held at
Washington, D.C., December 13th to 15th inclusive.
State legislation was discussed at some length and the representatives
of the several State Medical Associations who were present expressed
themselves in no uncertain way as being in favor of the individual
States endorsing the Federal Food and Drugs Act.
The proceedings of this conference have been published in pamphlet form,
comprising sixty-eight pages of closely printed material. This pamphlet
contains much that is of interest to pharmacists, and may be obtained
from the Secretary of the Bureau of Medical Legislation of the American
Medical Association, 103 Dearborn Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
The available literature on pure food and drug legislation is rapidly
assuming huge proportions. In addition to the liberal space that is
devoted to the question in the current numbers of pharmaceutical
journals, a number of reprints of material of this kind have appeared.
Not the least interesting of these reprints is a pamphlet of sixty-four
pages entitled:—
_The Food and Drug Act as it relates to drugs_, examined and explained
in connection with the rules and regulations for its enforcement. This
pamphlet is published by the _National Druggist_, St. Louis, Mo., and
contains in addition to the law itself and the regulations pertaining to
it, a number of interesting decisions and much additional material
bearing more or less directly on the proper interpretation of the Food
and Drugs Act.
_Digest of National Food and Drugs Act and Regulations_, by Mahlon N.
Kline, is the title of a pamphlet containing upwards of seventy-two
pages that has recently been sent out with the compliments of the Smith,
Kline, French Company, Philadelphia. In addition to a transcript of the
Food and Drugs Act, and of the rules and regulations for the enforcement
of the same, this pamphlet also contains a number of additional
opinions, replies and explanations that have been published from time to
time; also a legal exposition of the Food and Drugs Act by George L.
Douglas, attorney for the Proprietary Association of America; extracts
from the recently published “Standard of Purity for Food Products,” and
much additional information of interest to retail pharmacists.
_The Ladies’ Home Journal Bill_, or a corresponding measure to regulate
the manufacture and sale of so-called patent medicines, has been
introduced in upwards of ten of the State legislatures now in session.
This bill, originally published in the _Ladies’ Home Journal_ about a
year ago, is essentially a formula on the label bill and provides, in
addition, that preparations containing one or more of certain specified
drugs be labeled poison.
_Anti-narcotic legislation_ is also receiving a fair proportion of
attention. The most drastic of these measures is probably the one that
has been introduced into the legislature of the State of New York, at
the instance of the _Evening Journal_. This bill prohibits the sale of
opium, chloral, cocaine, eucaine or acetanilid, or any preparation
containing them, except on the original written prescription of a
physician, dentist or veterinarian.
In several States, notably Texas and Missouri, bills are pending that
are designed to improve or to revise the laws governing the practice of
pharmacy.
_Patent Reform Bill._—Representative Currier, Chairman of the House
Committee on Patents, has introduced a bill to substitute the much
discussed Mann bill. This bill, popularly known as the Currier bill, is
practically a revival of the reciprocity feature of the original Mann
bill, but is not restricted to medicine, or medicinal products and
includes patents of all kinds.
The Currier bill provides: “That any patent issued to a citizen or
subject of a foreign country, shall be upon the same conditions and for
the same term as are patents issued by such country to citizens of the
United States.”
This single provision, it is said, would effectually correct the evils
arising from our present system of process and product patents, but
would be contrary to the terms of the International Convention for the
protection of industrial property and will no doubt be vigorously
opposed on this ground.
_Incorporation of the Public Health Defense League._ A bill has been
introduced into the Legislature of the State of New York providing for
the incorporation of the Public Health Defense League, under a special
charter patterned after that of the Red Cross Society.
The object of this new society is announced as being an organized
movement against medical and surgical quacks, frauds in patent medicines
or nostrums, and an effort to obtain and to disseminate accurate
information concerning practices and conditions of every kind that are
dangerous to the public health and morals. (_Journal A. M. A._, 1907,
page 236.)
_Sunday Rest in France._—Pharmacists in France are not alone adapting
themselves to the recently enacted Sunday Rest Law, but are even going
farther and are adopting earlier hours for closing during the week.
At Grenoble, where Sunday closing has been in vogue for some time, the
pharmacists have decided to close at 8 P.M. daily and to organize a
night service by rotation.
The syndicate of Paris pharmacists recommends that its members adopt 9
P.M. as the hour for closing during the week and to close from midday
till the following morning on Sundays and bank holidays. (_Chem. and
Drug._, 1906, page 775.)
_Popularity of Pasteur in France._—The _Petit Parisien_ has taken a
rather interesting plebiscite as to who is thought to be the greatest of
nineteenth century Frenchmen. In the voting Pasteur took the lead from
the first, followed by Victor Hugo, Gambetta, Napoleon I, Thiers and
Lazare Carnot, in the order named. (_Chem. and Drug._, 1907, page 6.)
_Doses in the Codex._—The Codex Revision Committee has decided to
include a list of maximum doses in a supplement to the Codex, and has
delegated the work of drawing up such a list to a special committee
including MM. Laudouszy, Marty, Bourquelot, Gilbert and Yvon. (_Chem.
and Drug._, Dec., 1906, page 884.)
_The Druggists’ Circular_ has rounded out a half century of its
existence. The January, 1907, number of this journal constitutes a
fiftieth anniversary number and comprises a total of 320 pages. The 190
or more pages that are devoted to reading matter contain quite an
exhaustive review of American pharmacy during the past fifty years. All
of the more interesting articles are liberally illustrated and the
number itself will no doubt be appreciated as an album of men who have
contributed, or are now contributing, to the development of the science
of pharmacy in America.
_Incompatibility of Pepsin and Pancreatin in liquid preparations._—A
report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical
Association (_Journal American Medical Association_, February 2, 1907,
p. 434) calls renewed attention to the generally well-known fact that
despite the frequently made statement that pepsin and pancreatin must be
incompatible in liquid preparations a number of such mixtures are still
being offered by manufacturers or retail pharmacists and are used by
physicians.
The Council has investigated a number of preparations of this type and
has invariably found them to be practically inert in at least some of
the claims made for them. Having demonstrated that pepsin and pancreatin
cannot exist in one and the same solution for any reasonable length of
time and that preparations that are said to contain these two ferments
are sold under impossible claims, the Council recommends:
(1) That the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry refuse to approve liquid
preparations that are claimed to contain both pepsin and pancreatin.
(2) That the medical profession through the _Journal of the American
Medical Association_ be advised of the fallacy of employing such
combinations.
(3) That the attention of manufacturers be called to the worthlessness
of such incompatible liquid preparations of pepsin and pancreatin and
that they be urged to cease offering such products to the profession.
(4) That since the National Formulary has recognized a preparation of
this kind under the title “Elixir Digestivum Compositum” the American
Pharmaceutical Association be requested to instruct its committee on the
National Formulary to omit this preparation from the next edition.
_Acetanilid Mixtures._—The mixtures of acetanilid and other ingredients
that formerly were exploited as definite chemical compounds are now
being marketed as mixtures, and, in some cases at least, have had their
composition changed so as to be totally unrecognizable.
_Antikamnia_, under the regulations of the Pure Food and Drugs Act, is
being marketed as a mixture containing 350 grains of acetphenetidin in
each ounce. Pharmacists who are in the habit of filling prescriptions
for physicians calling for “antikamnia” in solution will now experience
the additional difficulty of being obliged to explain why the new
antikamnia differs from the old in its physical properties.
_Ammonol._—This preparation is said to be Ammoniumphenylacetamid on one
portion of its label and directly under it is said to contain 240 grains
of paracetyl-phenetidin in each ounce.
_Phenalgin_, marketed as an ammoniated phenylacetamide, is labeled as
containing 50 per cent. of acetanilidum.
_Benzosalin._—Methyl benzoyl salicylate occurs as a white crystalline
powder having a slight aromatic odor and taste. The substance melts at
from 84 to 85° C. It is nearly insoluble in water, but is soluble in 35
parts of alcohol and is readily soluble in chloroform but somewhat less
so in ether. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906, p. 1053.)
_Borovertin._—This is the name that has been applied to hexamethylene
tetramine triborate. The substance occurs as a yellowish white powder
readily soluble in water and having a distinctly bitter taste. It may be
given in doses of from 1 to 4 grammes daily. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906,
p. 928.)
_Castor oil in form of powder._—A recently issued German patent
describes a process for preparing a supposedly active preparation of
castor oil in powder form. This is accomplished by the addition of light
calcined magnesia to an emulsion of castor oil, or by adding a specific
quantity of castor oil to the same weight of calcined magnesia that has
been moistened with distilled water, and drying the resulting mixture
and powdering the residue. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1907, p. 65.)
_Cystopurin._—This is said to be a combination of one molecule of
hexamethylene tetramine with two molecules of sodium acetate. It occurs
as white, nearly tasteless crystals that are readily soluble in either
hot or cold water. Cystopurin may be administered in doses of 1 or 2
grammes three times a day. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 48.)
_Forgenin._—This is said to be tetra methyl ammonium formiate and
responds to all of the known reactions for formic acid compounds. It is
being recommended, in small doses, as a heart tonic. (_Phar. Zeit._,
1907, page 48.)
_Levurinose_ is a name given to a yeast that has been desiccated by
means of a current of cold air so as to preserve the individual yeast
cells intact. This preparation has been recommended to be used in
affections of the skin, such as acne, eczema, furunculosis, urticaria,
etc. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 47.)
_Mistura Strzyzowski_ is the formidable name, applied in Austria, to a
mixture containing ferric pyrophosphate, quinine hydrochloride and
sodium bromide. This mixture is directed to be prepared as follows:—
Sodium bromide 8·00 is dissolved in distilled water, 40·00; syrup of
orange peel, 20·00; alcohol, 10·00. Mix and add a solution of quinine
hydrochloride, 1·00 in distilled water, 40·00; and syrup of orange peel,
20·00. Mix, and then add the following, prepared by slightly warming:
Ferric pyrophosphate with ammonium citrate, 4·00 in distilled water,
40·00. Mix, and add syrup of orange peel, 40·00.
Dose, one to two teaspoonfuls, with water, two or three times a day.
_Novaspirin_ is the name applied to methyl citric acid ester of
salicylic acid. It occurs as a white powder having a slightly acid
taste. It is nearly insoluble in water but is readily soluble in
alcohol. Novaspirin may be given in doses of 1 gramme three times a day.
(_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page 9.)
_Quinine Phytinate._—Anhydro oxymethylene diphosphate of quinine occurs
as a yellow powder, very soluble in water but almost insoluble in
alcohol, ether, benzin or chloroform. The substance contains 57 per
cent. of quinine and has an intensely bitter taste.
_Scarlatin Marpman_ is an antitoxin preparation that, given internally,
is being used as a prophylactic for scarlet fever. It is said to be
produced by inoculating animals with infectious material from scarlet
fever patients and inoculating other animals with the serum taken from
the first. The serum from the blood of the second animal is used to
immunize other animals, and it is from these immunized animals that the
antitoxin serum is prepared.
Scarlatin is a yellowish, opalescent liquid having a slight odor and a
salty taste. The substance has a specific gravity of from 1·012 to
1·013, is neutral in reaction and gives a copious precipitate with
reagents for albumin. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1907, page 69.)
_Solubility of Salicin._—D. B. Dott (_Phar. Jour._, 1907, page 79) finds
that the solubility of salicin, as given in the British Pharmacopœia (1
in 28) is practically correct, while that of the U. S. P. (1 in 21 at
25° C.) is too high.
Using pure salicin, that melted at 201° C., he finds that it has a
solubility of 1 in 24 at 25° C., or very nearly that called for by the
British Pharmacopœia at ordinary temperatures.
_Substitutes for Cocaine._—Dr. Hugo Wintersteiner (_Wiener Mea.
Wochensch._, 1906, page 1339) reports a comprehensive comparative study
of the use of cocaine and its various substitutes in eye work. Of the
numerous substances that have been proposed from time to time he
describes tropococain, holocain, eucain, stovain, alypin and novocain at
some length and concludes that while it is true that these substances
are relatively more stable than cocain, and are therefore more readily
sterilized, the numerous objectionable features, such as unreliability,
irritating properties and the production of a hyperemia, are so much
more objectionable that cocaine must be admitted to be by far the most
satisfactory as well as the safest local anesthetic in all varieties of
eye work.
_Tannisol_ is a reddish-brown, odorless and tasteless powder that is
insoluble in water, ether or benzine, but is soluble in alcohol and in
dilute solutions of alkalies or of the alkaline carbonates. It is
directed to be used internally in cases of intestinal catarrh, and
externally for a variety of inflammatory conditions of the skin.
Internally it may be given in doses of 0·50 gramme (_Phar. Centralh._,
1906, page 1006).
_Theolactin._—This name has been applied to a double salt of theobromin
sodium and sodium lactate. It occurs as a white hygroscopic powder,
readily soluble in water and having a distinctly bitter taste. It is
said to be an active diuretic, but is not free from occasional side
effects in the form of gastric disturbances. (_Phar. Zeit._, 1907, page
49.)
_Tinctura olea Europeae._—A tincture made with 60 per cent. alcohol from
the dried leaves of the European olive has been used as a febrifuge as
well as a general tonic in place of the tincture of cinchona bark.
_Triacetyl morphin._—This substance has been isolated from a mixture of
acetyl derivatives of morphin. Triacetyl morphin melts at from 206 to
208° C., is only slightly soluble in water or cold alcohol, but is
readily soluble in acids. With hydrochloric acid it forms a salt that
crystallizes in the form of long needles. (_Phar. Centralh._, 1906, page
928.)
_Tulaselactin_ is the name given by Behring to a substance that is
expected to immunize infants against tuberculosis. (_Phar. Centralh._,
1907, page 24.)
_Tulase_ (_A. J. P._, 1906, page 582) is the name given by Behring to
his immunizing and curative serum for tuberculosis.
This preparation is said to contain all of the constituents of the Koch
bacillus. It occurs as a clear fluid which has the general outward
characteristics of thin honey. It may be given subcutaneously,
intravenously or by mouth. The mixture of tulase with milk, mentioned
above, is the form in which it may be administered to infants.
Tulase is now being used in an experimental way, but Behring himself
warns against too much reliance being placed on the curative properties
of the substance.