Volume 1

The extra pharmacopœia of Martindale and Westcott.

  • Martindale, William, 1840-1902.
Date:
1932-1935
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The extra pharmacopœia of Martindale and Westcott. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/1272
    to licence from the Home Office. They are not made in this country. Acetyl-dihydrocodeinone (Acedicone) came under the same regime within the last few weeks and similar remarks apply. It is added to Part III of the [§]. All these are referred to on p. 357, and are also in the Acts, p. 996 et seq. Colloidal Metal chapter.—Lead Selenide has half a page devoted to it, but the conclusion of a M.R.C. Report is that it is not curative of cancer—v. p. 368. Digitalis.—Digitalis Leaf Tablets prepared with powdered leaf of the same strength as International Standard present a simple method of overcoming what may be termed ‘ Digitalis Difficulties.’ The writer has been interested in Digitalis for a good many years. So far as assay is concerned, he has from time to time had numerous comparisons made between, on the one hand, his colorimetric method (devised in 1912), and described in Vol. II, nineteenth edition, p. 72 et seq., and results from Bio-Assay (M.L.D. for frogs) and he has no hesitation in remarking that the results are comparable ; this relatively simple test if carefully carried out will show whether a Tincture is below Standard or above Standard. We have had occasion to compare (a) 1932, (b) 1931, (c) 1930 home¬ grown leaf, (d) leaf of British Standard (for which acknowledgment is due to the Department of Biological Standards of the National Institute for Medical Research), and (e) leaf supplied by a pharmacist friend in Spain, also an enthusiast on the subject. This Spanish leaf had been collected 1200 metres up in the mountains at Salamanca (Sierra de Francia), and stabilised im¬ mediately after collection. Prior to sending tinctures of these leaves to our Pharmacologist, we found (a), (b) and (c) above standard, and the Spanish leaf (e) decidedly above by the colour assay method. (The marked potency of this Spanish preparation we attributed to sunlight rather than stabilisation.) The potency of our own (1931) growing of leaf was confirmed by the Bio-Assay result. Ephedrina.—In our previous edition Ephedrine had merely some brief notes in the Supplementary List. These have been re-written and extended, and, together with numerous preparations suitable for prescribing, now occupy over four pages (397-401). The chief utility of Ephedrine is for asthma and hay fever, hence Nebuke, plain and compound, and both oily and aqueous, are required. There has been some misconception as to the solubility of Ephedrine Base in Liquid Paraffin. Experiments were needed to determine the amount of vegetable oil to be incorporated to make a stable Spray Solution. In similar manner, experiments were needed to produce a satis¬ factory Elixir for internal use in asthma, and whooping cough in children. We regard the alkaloid as a [jpjj Poison, and its sale is therefore protected. One case of overdose is recorded. We provide recom¬ mendations as to antidotes, on p. 397. We would draw attention to the pages relative to treatment, as they are, for the most part, entirely new.