184 TWENTY-FIRST REPORT. 



countrj- with the view of increasing tlie allvuloidal content by selection of 

 seeds. 



18. Digitalis purpurea L. (Fox glove). Tliis one of the five most impor- 

 tant drugs used in medicine, the others being opium, yielding morphine, cin- 

 chona, yielding quinine, iodine and mercury and its salts. Under the name 

 of Digilalis gloxiniacflora Carr, there are a numl)er of horticultural varieties 

 of Digitalis purpurea cultivated in the gardens. They are all more or less 

 toxic. The form which produces purplish flowers that are more or less spotted 

 is the one used in medicine. It is a biennial plant, producing flowers in the 

 'second year. In this country it has escaped to some extent from the garden, 

 and in Oregon and Washington grows wild. Digitalis has been quite exten- 

 sively cultivated in the United States during the past few years, and it is the 

 work done in this country which has thrown considerable light on the nature of 

 the drug and its constitutents, as well as its physiological action. 



19. Digitalis grundiiiora. Lam. This is a biennial or perennial plant, 

 with ovate lanceolate leaves and large yellowish flowers. The plant, gromng 

 in Switzerland, seems to be quite as efficient as the common Foxglove. 



20. Digitalis lanata. Ehrh. This plant produces oblong or lanceolate 

 leaves and rather small flowers varying from a creamy yellow to a whitish or 

 purplish color. 



21. Digitalis sibirica. Lindl. This may be only a form of digitalis lanata, 

 as the flowers closely resemble the latter species. Experiments are being con- 

 ducted with these and several other species of Digitalis, besides purpurea, with 

 the view of determining if one or more of them may not give with greater 

 uniformity the heart-acting principle and possibly enable us to make a more 

 permanent preparation. 



22. Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal. (California gum plant). This 

 plant is found on the prairies and dry banks of the western states. On account 

 of its scarcity it is being cultivated. It is commonly employed in the treat- 

 ment of bronchial catarrhs. The plant is rather easily grown from seed, and 

 if the cluster of radical leaves prove to be as efiicient as the stem leaves and 

 flowers of the second year plant used at the present time ,the drug on the 

 market will be considerably improved. 



23. Ilclianthus annuus L. (Sunflower). This plant is very extensively 

 cultivated in China, Europe and in the United States for the fix5d oil obtained 

 from the seeds, as much as 275 pounds of oil often being the yield per acre. 

 In Russia the seeds are also eaten, the same as the Americans eat peanuts, 

 and it is not, uncommon to find the vender on the sidewalk with his tray of 

 sunflower seeds. The pith is valuable as a source of cellulose, and the leaves 

 are used by the people of the Caucasus in the treatment of malaria. 



24. Ilyoscynmus nigcr U. (Henbane). This species produces two forms, 

 the one annual and the other biennial ; in fact, may be said to possess an alter- 

 nating annual or biennial habit. Apart from its medicinal interest, this would 



