410 PHARMACOGNOSY [Bot. Absts. 



ripe seed a cork tissue is developed in the chalaza layer which joins the cork-cell layer and 

 the inner cuticle or both cork-cell layers in such a way that the endosperm and the embryo 

 are covered by cork tissue or by cork tissue and a cuticle. Therefore, not only the tissue which 

 develops from the integuments of the embryo but also the chalaza cork tissue and the tissue 

 which lays outside of this must be considered as seed-coat. [See Bot. Absts. 3, Entry 2453.] 

 — H. Engelhardt. 



ADULTERATION 



2810. Small, James. Triticum repens: A commercial rarity. Pharm. Jour. 103: 73-75. 

 Figs. 1-4. 1919. — The rhizome of Triticum repens is a commercial rarity and the chief, if 

 not the only, substitute is the rhizome of Cynodon Dactylon. The lens view of transverse 

 sections of Triticum repens, Cynodon dactylon, Holcus mollis and Agrostis vulgaris are figured. 

 The examination of 15 samples resulted as follows : seven recent commercial samples from Eng- 

 lish wholesale firms were pure Cynodon Dactylon; one was 75 per cent Triticum repens and 25 

 per cent Cynodon Dactylon; and one was pure Triticum repens. Two samples of dog-grass 

 from French firms were Cynodon Dactylon; two samples from pharmaceutical museums, 

 one sample from an old stock in a retail store and one collected on a Kentish farm, were pure 

 Triticum repens. — E. N. Gathercoal. 



2S11. Clevenger, J. F., and Clare Olin Ewing. Santolina Chamaecyparissus L., an 

 adulterant of Matricaria Chamomilla. Jour. Amer. Pharm. Assoc. 8: 536-538. 2 fig. 1919. 

 — A shipment invoiced as "chamomile flowers" labelled in Spanish "La manzanilla aroma" 

 was found to consist entirely of the flower heads of Santolina chamaecyparissus. A compari- 

 son of the 2 flower heads is included. — Anton Hogstad, Jr. 



PLANT CHEMISTRY 



2812. Anonymous. Determination of oil in seeds. Sci. Amer. Suppl. 87: 155. 1919. 



2813. Cofman, Victor. A note on "Japanese chiretta." Pharm. Jour. 103: 82. 1919. — 

 Japanese chiretta, the dry plant of Swertia chinensis, recently introduced to the British 

 market, compares very favorably in therapeutic activity with Indian chiretta (S. chirata). 

 Similar tinctures (60 per cent alcohol) yielded total solids as follows: S. chinensis, 3.12 per 

 cent; S. chirata, 1 per cent. The comparative bitterness of the tinctures may be stated thus: 

 quinine hydrochloride, 1-30000; Japanese chiretta, 1-12000; Indian chiretta, 1-1000. Several 

 solvents used in succession on the same sample, in a Soxhlet extractor, yielded the following 

 amounts of extracted matter, as per cent of the sample : 



S. chinensis S. chirata 



Petroleum ether (boiling point,40-50°C.) 3.22 3.20 



Ether 5.16 1.34 



Chloroform 2.32 0.96 



Alcohol (95 per cent) 23.14 8.98 



Total extracted matter 33.84 14.48 



Ash (whole plant) 3.20 3.24 



Chemical constituents of both Indian and Japanese chiretta should be carefully investigated. 

 — E. N. Gathercoal. 



2814. Berry, Edgar. A standardization of digitalis preparations. Pharm. Jour. 103: 

 69-71. 1919. — The dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea were used in the investigation. From 

 previous investigations based on frog heart perfusions, three conclusions may be drawn, viz.: 

 1. The water-soluble glucosides of Digitalis apparently have the most desirably tonic and 

 slowing effect on the heart, and are non-cumulative and non-toxic. 2. Digitoxin is cumulative 

 and toxic, appearing to enter into actual combination with the heart muscle. 3. The leaf 



