114 PHARMACOGNOSY [Bot. Absts., Vol. V, 



to prepare similar statements, sufficiently detailed to indicate the nature of their studies, 

 though the work may still be in progress. — Part I is devoted to a discussion of Crude Drug 

 Control in which the author discusses various phases of the work, as domestic trade; import 

 trade; elimination of inert and objectionable material in crude drugs and spices; extension of 

 standardization of purity for drugs; value of volume weight determinations; pharmacopoeial 

 work; prevention of waste and utilization of waste crude drug products. — Part II is devoted 

 to the investigations of the pharmacognosy laboratory which cover a wide range of pharma- 

 ceutical and chemical research. Author also discusses the cooperative work of the laboratory 

 with various institutions, laboratories, etc. With bibliography. — Anton Hogstad, Jr. 



S36. Vierhout, P. Het Winnen van Curacao-Aloe. [The production of Curacao aloes.] 

 Pharm. Weekblad. 56: 1510-1512. PI. 1, jig. 3. 1919.— A description of methods of collecting 

 aloes in Curacao. — Abstractor. 



837. Wirth, E. H. A study of Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum and its 

 volatile oil. Jour. Amer. Pharm. Assoc. 9: 127-141. 22 fig. 1920. — The author has made a 

 study of the oil of Chenopodium which falls under the heading of the "western oils" in order 

 to compare same with the Maryland variety, the latter according to general opinion has been 

 claimed to be superior to the former. — A detailed discussion as to the composition of the oil 

 is given, the western oil agreeing with the Maryland oils, save in the amount of ascaridol 

 which is present in the latter from 60 to 80 per cent and in the former the average was 42 to 45 

 per cent. Specific gravity of western oil 0.934 compared to a specific gravity of 0.955-0.980 as 

 stated in the U. S. P. Upon subjecting an oil with a specific gravity of 0.934 to steam distil- 

 lation, one fraction, 70 to 75 per cent had a specific gravity of 0.900 and 25 to 30 per cent had a 

 specific gravity of 1.000, thereby showing that the western oil might be fractionated on a 

 commercial basis. Experiments found this to be impracticable owing to the waste involved. 

 — An exhaustive pharmacognostic study of Chenopodium ambrosioides anthelminticum is 

 given, in which the author, by microchemical tests, employing 5 per cent KOH in 95 per cent 

 alcohol, shows that the oil is not contained in the seeds but occurs only in the glandular hairs 

 and here only in the large thin-walled terminal hairs. The hairs upon the leaves were found 

 to contain oil but no glandular hairs were noted on the stems, which thus eliminates using 

 stem portions for the production of the oil. Flowers also contain oil, which sets forth the 

 value of subjecting the plant to distillation at the time of flowering. — Anton Hogstad, Jr. 



S38. Wong, Ying C. Opium in China. Amer. Jour. Pharm. 91: 776-784. 1919.— An 

 interesting account of this gigantic evil which has cost China billions of dollars and, more 

 important than that, has led millions and millions of her strong citizens into wreck and misery. 

 Author discusses in detail the history and cultivation of the poppy; interesting synonyms 

 and their application to the different grades of opium; opium smoking; suppression of the 

 poison. — Anton Hogstad, Jr. 



839. Wunschendorff, M. E. La racine d'Atractylis gummifera. [The root of Atractylis 

 gummifera.] Jour. Pharm. et Chim. 20: 318-321. 1919. — The writer gives an account of 

 the earlier investigations of the root by Lefranc. He succeeded in isolating about 4 per cent 

 of a petroleum-ether soluble resin, which was insoluble in water and alcohol, but gave pseudo- 

 solutions with chloroform, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, carbon disulphide, etc. It had 

 all the characteristics of caoutchouc and could easily be vulcanized. He further isolated 

 tannic acid, several sugars and a substance which probably was identical with Lefranc's 

 potassium atractylate. The ash, 14.8 per cent, was rich in silica and iron. — H. Engelhardt. 



810. Yamamoto, R. On the insecticidal principle of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium. 

 Ber. Ohara Inst. Landw. Forsch. 1 : 389-398. 1918. — Pyrethron, the insecticidal principle, is 

 a yellow, transparent, neutral syrup, having a saponification value of 216 and iodine value of 

 116. It is easily saponified with alcoholic potash and loses its insecticidal power after saponi- 

 fication. The power of this pyrethron is reduced either by heating or exposure to the air 

 for a long time. Pyrethron has germicidal as well as insecticidal powers. — H. S. Reed. 



