Abstract: A pharmaceutical formulation of taxol and polyethoxylated castor oil is disclosed to be relatively acidified to a pH of less than 8.1 and preferably within a pH range of 5 to 7, inclusively, by an acidifying agent. Ethanol is optionally included in the formulation which is adapted for use in a body for the treatment of cancer. A formulation method is disclosed and includes the step of mixing an acid with a carrier material, such as polyethoxylated castor oil, to form a carrier solution after which taxol is added in an amount such that the resulting pH is less than 8.1 and preferably in a pH range of 5 to 7. Ethanol may optionally be slurried with the taxol before mixing with the carrier solution. A variety of acidifying agents, a preferred one being anhydrous citric acid, are described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring optical properties of materials such as optical rotation, depolarization and absorption includes a light source emitting a primary beam of light that is monochromatic, collimated and plane-polarized and a sample cell through which this beam is passed. The primary beam is split into at least two components by a beam splitter and each component is passed through an analyzer, such as a prism. The two analyzers have polarizing axes oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to one another and at pre-selected angles with respect to the plane of polarization of the original beam. Signals corresponding to the intensities of the components are produced by detectors and then the signals are amplified, digitalized and processed to yield the optical properties. A third test component may alternately be split from the primary beam after it has been passed through the sample with this test component also being detected and processed.