“The statement that the combined treatment with local injections and internal administration of natural balsamic products completely eliminates modern gonorrheal therapy, would at present not be justifiable even with reference to the initial or acute stage of gonorrhea, while in the subacute and chronic forms of the disease local injections and balsams play an almost insignificant rôle as compared with various other recognized therapeutic measures.”--(_From The Journal A. M. A., Oct. 13, 1917_). ALCRESTA IPECAC Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry The Council has adopted the following report and authorized its publication. W. A. Puckner, Secretary. In 1915 Alcresta Ipecac Tablets (Eli Lilly and Co.) were admitted to New and Nonofficial Remedies as a preparation of ipecac that is insoluble in the stomach but soluble in the intestines. It was supposed that this property would permit the administration of ipecac without the accompanying nausea and vomiting, and that this would be of especial advantage when using the drug in amebic dysentery. The systemic effects, of course, would be those of ipecac. More recently, the manufacturers of Alcresta Ipecac have been advising its use in conditions which were not contemplated by the Council when the preparation was accepted for New and Nonofficial Remedies. They now claim that ipecac alkaloids have been shown to be useful in the treatment of typhoid fever, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation and that Alcresta Ipecac has these properties. Such a statement is misleading. While it is true that at one time ipecac was used promiscuously against “flatulence, diarrhea and constipation” there never has been and is not now any scientific evidence of its efficiency in such conditions except, of course, in diarrhea of the amebic type. As to the alleged usefulness of ipecac in typhoid fever: This has not even the sanction of tradition and the claim certainly should not be accepted until there is strong evidence to support it. The advertising matter on Alcresta Ipecac also contained statements to the effect that ipecac alkaloids have a demonstrated usefulness in pyorrhea. Such an unequivocal statement is unwarranted. In spite of the enthusiastic advocacy, in the past, of ipecac alkaloids as a specific in pyorrhea alveolaris the preponderance of scientific evidence indicates that ipecac is of questionable value in this condition. Neither is there any substantial evidence to warrant the claim that ipecac alkaloids, when absorbed through the intestines, are demonstrably useful in amebic infections of the tonsils.