Handbook of Pharmacy

determination of melting and boiling points, evaporation, sublimation, desiccation, solution and solubility, crystallization, decantation, filtration, etc., have also been discussed at length, particularly for the benefit of students and beginners. Especial care has been bestowed on the subjects of maceration, percolation and expression.

Part II treats of the various classes of galenical preparations. Each class is described and explained as fully as its importance warrants, and in connection with each class are given descriptions and explanations of the processes of those preparations which require a commentary. Particular attention has been given to the explanation of the several steps of the processes involving chemical reactions by means of equations or diagrams, and the method of testing, as well as the application of volumetric methods of assay, are fully explained. Working processes are, as a rule, only given in the case of those preparations which require a commentary. For all others, the reader or student is referred to the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, which he is expected to consult, and which this work is not designed to replace.

In connection with many of the more important preparations, examples or exercises are given which will assist in acquiring a thorough understanding of the reactions and calculations involved in the explained process.

Whenever necessary, syllabi or tables of the various preparations have been given under the several classes.

Part III embraces the Art of Dispensing. In the section treating on Prescriptions, the aim of the author has been to make it as practical as possible. Foreign methods of prescription writing and dispensing have been treated of, wherever thought necessary, alongside of those prevailing in this country, and a chapter added on homœopathic pharmacy, which is found to be a necessary occupation of the regular apothecary in some sections of the country. Much care has been devoted to the chapters on explosive or dangerous prescriptions, and on incompatibilities. The series of characteristic prescriptions, to which explanatory comments are added, will also, it is hoped, be found generally useful.

Owing to the prominence which the new Pharmacopoeia gives to the volumetric methods of assay, it has been thought not only useful, but quite necessary to present this subject somewhat more at length in Part IV, so as to make the student and general user of the book thoroughly familiar with it. It is an old experience of teachers that students approach this subject frequently with reluctance, as it appears to many of them at first difficult; but that they nearly all quickly master it, as soon as they understand the simple basis upon which the whole rests.

The author desires to acknowledge his indebtedness for valuable advice and assistance received from Charles Rice, Phil. D.,

of New York City. Likewise, acknowledgments are due to Prof. J. U. Lloyd, of Cincinnati, Ohio; also, Mr. A. Zimmerman, Ph.G., and Mr. W. H. Madison, Ph. G., for assistance rendered.

Many of the illustrations in this book were selected from various text-books and works of reference, which necessarily demand proper acknowledgment. It was found impracticable to mention the source in each separate instance, hence the author deemed it best and proper that a list of these be given in detail here, viz.:

Arbeitsmethoden für Organisch-Chemische Laboratorien; Lassar-Cohn.
Leipzig: Leopold Voss.

Arzneiverordnungslehre; R. Kobert. Stuttgart: F. Enke.

Atlas zu den flüchtigen Oelen; K. L. Vetters. Weimar F. Voigt.
Atlas zu den fetten Oelen; G. Bornemann. Weimar F. Voigt.
Die Neueren Arzneimittel; B. Fischer. Berlin J. Springer.

Ganot's Physics; E. Atkinson. New York: Wm. Wood & Co.

Kommentar zum Arzneibuch für das Deutsche Reich; H. Hager, B.
Fischer and C. Hartwich. Berlin J. Springer.

Commentar zur siebenten Ausgabe der oesterreichischen Pharmacopoe; F.
Schneider und A. Vogl. Wien: C. Gerald.

Lehrbuch der Organischen Chemie; V. Meyer und P. Jacobson. Leipzig:
Veit & Co.

Lehrbuch der Anorganischen Chemie; (Graham-Otto), A. Michaelis.
Braunschweig: F. Vieweg und Sohn.

Mohr's Lehrbuch der Titrirmethode; A. Classen. Braunschweig: Vieweg.
Manual of Analytical Chemistry; J. Muter. Philadelphia: Blakiston & Co.
Ostwald's Outlines of General Chemistry; J. Walker: Macmillan & Co.
Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association.
Physikalisch-Chemische Methoden; J. Traube. Leipzig: L. Voss.
Pharmaceutisches Manual; E. Dieterich. Berlin J. Springer.
Real Encyclopaedie der Pharmacie; E. Geissler, J. Miller.
Urban & Co