No. 2, November, 1920] PHARMACOGNOSY 115 



tion. In the case of I he maidenhair fern, a layer of drug alternated with a shovelful of coarse 

 gravel in regular succession. Five bags were examined, the total being increased 50 pounds 

 by the gravel. In order to reduce the possibility of discovery to a minimum, each shovelful 

 of gravel was deposited as nearly as possible in the middle of each layer of drug. — H. W. 

 Youngken. 



819. Gark, II. D., and George E. E'wk. Hemlock bark (Tsuga canadensis) for pharma- 

 ceutical purposes. Jour. Amer. 1'harm. Assoc. 9: 567-573. 3 fig. 1920.— Evidence is presented 

 to show the superiority of the rossed bark over the whole bark for pharmaceutical purposes. 

 By separating and weighing the two portions, it was noted that the outer bark constituted 

 55.34 per cent while the inner bark was 44. 6G per cent. In the percentage of extractive matter, 

 using 32 per cent alcohol and hot water respectively, it was noted in general that there is no 

 preference, quantitatively between the two barks, but qualitative preference is on the side 

 of the extractive matter from the inner bark, since it is higher in tannin, oleoresin and vola- 

 tile oil content and lower in the non-essential coloring and extractive matters. Tannin con- 

 tent is about 50 per cent greater in the inner bark. The outer bark contains, on the average, 

 twice as much hot water-soluble coloring matter as the inner bark and 3£ times as much 

 32 per cent alcohol-soluble coloring matter. Microscopic examination showed a tremendously 

 greater content of volatile oil and oleoresin content in the inner bark. Therefore the inner 

 bark is to be preferred for pharmaceutical purposes. The microscopic structure and pharma- 

 ceutical uses are then discussed. — Anton Hogstad, Jr. 



820. Holmes, E. M. The importance of the medicinal plant and herb growing industry 

 to Britain. Chem. & Druggist 92 : 421-22. 1920. — The Hungarian government has placed the 

 medicinal herb industry under state control. The United States have exported Cannabis 

 Indica of good medicinal value to England and are supplying Henbane, Belladonna and Digi- 

 talis to the British South African and Australian Colonies. Many American drugs can be 

 grown readily in Britain. Among the almost unobtainable drug products of Russia are birch- 

 tar oil {Oleum Rusci) which could easily and cheaply be obtained from the birch forests of 

 Scotland; ergot, abundant in many rye fields and easily separated from the grain at the time 

 of threshing; and santonin, obtainable from Artemisia Gallica var. maritima, which would 

 probably do well in the salt marshes of Kent, where Artemisia Gallica flourishes. Many other 

 drug and perfume plants and culinary herbs could be raised in Britain, in addition to those 

 now profitably cultivated. The necessity of purity and quality and of government inspec- 

 tion is indicated. — E. N. Gathercoal. 



821. Holmes, E. M. The manna of the Scripture. Chem. and Druggist 92: 25-26. 1920. 

 —See Bot. Absts. 6, Entry 933. 



822. Jermstad. Vergleichende Untersuchungen und Identifizierung der vershiedenen Sor- 

 ten von Rauchopium. [Comparative investigation and identification of different varieties of smok- 

 ing opium]. [Rev. of: Simons, Fr. D. Journal of Industrial Engineering Chemistry, 1916, p. 

 345-351; and Pharm. Weekblad, 1919, p. 1540-1548.] Schweiz. Apotheker Zeitg. 20: 249-252. 

 1920. — Different methods of manufacture divide smoking opium into four classes: (1) That 

 prepared by extracting gum opium with water, filtering and evaporating the filtrate to a syrupy 

 liquid containing about 15-20 per cent of water. (2) That prepared by first, carefully heating, 

 kneading and roasting before extracting with water. (3) A product obtained by using the 

 opium obtained after processes 1 and 2, and admixing it with yen shee plus the scraped-out 

 residue of the opium pipes. A detailed description of the properties used in the identification 

 are given. The ash contents, charring temperature, and the melting points of the opium alka- 

 loids are the diagnostic points of consideration used in the comparison. The average and 

 range of alkaloids present in a good sample of opium are given in terms of percentage and also 

 a quantitative method for the isolation of all the alkaloids present in the crude drug. — B. H. 

 Hoffstein. 



823. Maiden, J. H. Plants which produce inflammation or irritation of the skin. Agric. 

 Gaz. New South Wales 31: 386. 1920.— Deals with a tree, Psexidomorus Brunoniana. Ref- 

 erence is given to previous articles dealing with other plants. — L. R. Waldron. 



