THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



173 



to ourselves, as relieving us from any ap- 

 pearance of deliberate interference, we may- 

 state that we had already committed our- 

 selves to present this contribution before 

 we had taken note of his work in that 

 connection. 



Endeavoring now to ascertain what is 

 the present status of the opinions pre- 

 viously advanced as the medicinal prop- 

 erties of this drug, I would conclude as 

 follows : 



1 . We have no records of any scientific 

 investigation of such properties, and 

 must rely for the present entirely upon 

 empiricism which, while certainly con- 

 clusive as to certain facts, does not ex- 

 plain them. 



2. Even empirical results cannot be 

 said up to the present to have confirmed 

 the claims as to the control of this drug 

 over the sexual organs. 



3. Phenomenal powers as a nutrient 

 are fully established. 



4. Its great value in catarrhal dis- 

 orders is well established by the evidence 

 before us. 



5. Perhaps this value in catarrh is 

 sufficiently explained by the effects of 

 the drug in nourishing the mucous mem- 

 brane. If this is true, then the remedy 

 may be placed naturally in the same class 

 with cod liver oil, and it is even worth 

 while to ascertain whether it be not equal 

 or superior to that remedy. 



6. In such case it is clear that certain 

 preparations will be found to embody the 

 virtues ot the fruit, while others will 

 probably be partially or even completely 

 lacking therein. Hence it is very desira- 

 ble that the physiological department of 

 pharmacology should take up the inves- 

 tigation at this point. 



From Prof. Coblentz's report given be- 

 low of the composition of this fruit, it 

 will be seen that there is contained a 

 remarkable amount of carbonaceous 

 nutriment to account for its great fatten- 



ing powers. But it must not be forgotten 

 that the mere presence of such material 

 does not necessarily imply fattening pow- 

 ers, as in that case all such substances 

 would act similarly when proportional 

 amounts were consumed. It would appear 

 that there is something in the nature of 

 the nutrients of the Saw-Palmetto, or in 

 the associated substances, which favors 

 nutrition. This is a point for investiga- 

 tion by physiologists, and until it is 

 determined the best form of preparation 

 cannot be indicated with certainty. But 

 at least we know the latter should be 

 made to include the glucose, fat and fixed 

 oil. 



We may now turn to pharmacognosy, 

 chemistry and pharmacy of our subject, 

 and ascertain what information has been 

 placed at the disposition of the physician 

 to serve as a basis for his investigation. 

 In this connection we note at once that 

 no comparative examinations have yet 

 been made respectively of the immature 

 fruit, the mature fruit, and the fruit 

 which has been allowed to become par- 

 tially weather-beaten upon the plants. 

 Inasmuch as there are placed upon the 

 market fluid extracts of both the unripe 

 and ripe fruit, it would appear eminently 

 proper that some investigation of the rela- 

 tive composition of these two forms should 

 be undertaken. 



DESCRIPTION OF FRUIT. 



The gross appearance and structure of 

 the fruit, as it appears in the market, are 

 as follows : Of oblong-ovoid form, from 

 one-half to one inch in length and about 

 half as broad, the coast form being nearly 

 twice as large as that of the interior. The 

 wrinkling in drying is not excessive. The 

 wrinkles are rather few and not very 

 elevated and sharp, separating rather 

 large, smooth, flattened areas. If sun- 

 dried, the wrinkling is more abundant 

 and stronger. Except for the wrinkles the 



