Commercial procainamide hydrochloride tablets given orally to a 25-year-old female patient with a cramp associated with small polyposis of gastric mucosa were excreted into the feces without any disintegration 10 hours after administration. In this study, disintegration of procainamide hydrochloride tablets was examined in immersion fluids with various acidity. The tablets never disintegrated in the test solution at pH of 5-6. It was found in a test of the gastric juice that the patient had gastric achylia where the acidity of gastric juice might have prevented the disintegration. The fact seems important to discuss because gastric achylia is not a rare symptom and because the drug is excreted without any effect in such patient. Most of the drugs should be so manufactured as to disintegrate in a wide range of pH. If a drug disintegrates only in a limited range, that should be printed in the package insert for the drug. Further, caution should be taken before use of the drug against specific intestinal conditions of patients.

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The number of dispensing errors occurring in hospital pharmacy and being detectable by inspection was studied by simple statistical method. Errors in calculation occurred most frequently. They often occurred 1) when new graduates are employed; 2) after vacation; 3) when places of vials of powder medicines are changed; 4) through carelessness; 5) in confusion of one drug with another with similar name. Errors in confusion of the product names were analyzed by Pragnanz theory by Max Weltheimer. The names containing 4-7 common alphabetic letters most often caused confusion. Also, names with 1-3 common first letters were confused most frequently.

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Twenty one pharmaceutical products which had shown a positive reaction of microbial contamination in all of the 5 culture media in the previous sterility test were selected for this test. This paper compares the levels of microbial contamination in the latest test with those in the previous test conducted 3 years before, and also analyzes the tendency of the recent quality control of pharmaceutical products in relation to microbial contamination. In the latest study, total aerobic microbial count of more than 10000/g was observed in 3 of the 21 products, showing the same incidence as in the previous test. Total aerobic microbial count of less than 1, 000/g was observed in 15 products, as compared to 10in the previous test. Coliform organisms were detected in 2 products, compered to 6 in the preceding study.

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Stability of six kinds of antibiotics (cephaloridine, sodium cephalotin, cefazolin, ampicillin, carbenicillin and disodium sulbenicillin) in intravenous hyperalimentation combined with or without vitamins was investigated by microbiological and physicochemical methods. Vitamins used in the tests were: vitamin B complex, flavin-adenine-dinucleotide, ascorbic acid, phytonadione and pantothenyl alcohol. Appearance, pH, turbidity and residual potency of antibiotics were investigated in 12models of mixture. The results showed a decrease of residual potency without change in appearance or turbidity in some mixtures investigated. It should, therefore, be emphasaized that the incompatibility of the mixture cannot be judged only by change in appearance.

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Difference of acute degeneration of renal tubules which was caused by four kinds of the intravenous fluids (Dextran 40, Dextran 40-hypertonic solution, hypertonic solution, hypertonic solution-antibiotics) was examined with 20 autopsy cases. Though only 20 cases of serious underlying diseases were examined, following findings were obtained:
1) Acute degeneration of renal tubules due to the intravenous fluid therapy is caused by the continual administration of fluid. 2) Of acute degeneration of renal tubules, “hydropic” degeneration should be differentiated from “vacuolated” one. 3) Dextran 40 produces marked hydropic degeneration of renal tubules. 4) Hypertonic solution causes marked vacuolated degeneration and mild hydropic change.-But when it is administered together with Dextran 40, hydropic change due to Dextran 40 is prominent, and vacuolated change due to hypertonic sollition is reduced. 5) Antibiotics produce vacuolated degeneration. 6) In order to prevent acute degeneration of renal tubules due to the fluid therapy, the continual administration of fluid and the administration of Dextran 40 combined with hypertonic solutionand antibiotics should be avoided. 7) Dextran 40 should be administered in conjunction with electrolyte solution.

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In the previous report, seasonal variation in number of prescriptions and amount of dispensing services was analyzed by moving average method. Statistical analysis of the amount of dispensing services is made in the following on regression equation by the method of least inspection. Then, modified seasonal variation was compared with analyzed original data. As a result, the method of analysis of RUN on the basis of the total number of the run separated on the median line proved simple and useful. Change in regression equation was not so different between the original data and modified seasonal variation. Since the interval estimation of the amount of services showed a marked reduction, the modified seasonal variation may be very applicable in prediction. According to the statistical analysis, modified seasonal variation produced better results than original data, data on outpatints than total data, and daily average than monthly total.

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