It is claimed (quoting from Hare) that strontium salicylate “... is not so disagreeable to the taste as the corresponding sodium salts, and more important still, it is far less apt to disorder the stomach.” “Taste” is a difficult subject to dispute; but in the experience of the referee, patients object more to the strontium than to the sodium salt. No evidence is submitted to prove that the strontium salt is less apt to disorder the stomach. In observations made under the direction of the referee, the nauseant and emetic doses are about the same as, or even less than, those of sodium salicylate. Under hexamethylenamin, the recommendations are not confined to its recognized use as a urinary antiseptic; it is also said to be “unexcelled” as a “germicide,” and to prevent the formation of urate and phosphate deposits. These statements are contrary to facts. “Rheumalgine ... may be used in all cases where the salicylates are indicated. It is superior to preparations containing sodium salicylate, in that it does not cause nausea or disturb the digestion.” Both the preceding statements are misleading. The necessity of giving 1/200 grain of colchicin for each 5 grains of salicylate would certainly interfere with the use of adequate doses of the latter. The colchicin would produce digestive disturbance quite apart from the salicylate. The mixture is described as: “... ANTIRHEUMATIC, ANTIPYRETIC, URINARY ANTISEPTIC, AND URIC ACID ELIMINANT. Useful in Acute Articular and Chronic Rheumatism, Muscular Pains, Lumbago, Sciatica, Migraine of the Rheumatic, Gout, and in Nervous Irritability of the Gouty or Lithemic.” The facts are: Salicylates are useful in some of these conditions, colchicin occasionally in a few, hexamethylenamin in none. The combination is conducive to uncritical prescribing. For instance, salicylates are effective in acute articular rheumatism; hexamethylenamin and colchicin are useless; salicylates are of very little use in chronic rheumatism, sciatica and nervous irritability, while hexamethylenamin and colchicin are useless in these conditions; colchicin is sometimes effective in gout, salicylates perhaps also; hexamethylenamin is not. Attention should also be called to the high dosage of colchicin, namely, 1/100 to 1/50 of a grain of the alkaloid, every three or four hours, the dose then to be “slightly reduced,” but continued for several days; or in chronic cases, 1/100 to 1/30 grain per day, continued indefinitely. This dosage appears high, if a really active preparation is used. Finally, the name “Rheumalgine” encourages thoughtless and unscientific prescribing. If a mixture is used at all, the prescriber should be constantly reminded of its composition. It is therefore recommended that Rheumalgine be held in conflict with Rules 6 (unwarranted therapeutic claims), 8 (nondescriptive name) and 10 (unscientific composition).--(_From The Journal A. M. A., June 26, 1915._)