THE MICROSCOPE. 17 



Powdered gamboge contained as its only organized impurity, 

 or rather adulteration, a small amount of wheat starch. 



"Powdered mace" was so badly treated with turmeric and wheat 

 starch that even none of its simple structure could be discovered to 

 account for its feeble taste and smell. These properties, however, 

 could be supplied by the additions of an essential oil. 



Ergot is another drug whose simple structure admits the quick 

 detection of foreign objects. A specimen of the powder contained 

 about three per cent, of starch. 



The same remark may be made of powdered orris and lycopo- 

 dium. The former proved pure, the latter with about two per cent, 

 of bean starch. 



The remaining drugs yielded but negative results. Nux vom- 

 ica, valerian, culumbo and senna were apparently pure. The char- 

 acterless structure of the last three renders difficult of detection the 

 introduction of many impurities. 



In the undissolved residue from powdered aloes of about Y^ 

 per cent, a small amount of starch existed. In the same form: 

 of powdered extract of licorice there was found no adulterant. 



Attention was attracted to the contents of an open box of the 

 proprietary "Kidney Wort," by a strong resemblance in appearance 

 and smell to roasted beans. Cracked roasted beans to the extent 

 of about 90 per cent, it proved to be! Fragments of senna leaves 

 were scattered through, but the second largest ingredient was what 

 was found upon some inquiry to be couch grass, triticum repens. 

 These, with a few fragments of large and small roots were all that 

 could be discovered or identified, and it may be wondered how 

 apparent or real effects could come from their three-minutes' in- 

 fusion. The fine siftings were examined for active principles with- 

 out success. 



AVith the microscope on the drug counter results are liable to 

 serious curtailment from lack of time and proper surroundings. 



"R." 



Bechamp estimated that eight thousand millions of germs of 

 one micro-ferment only occupied one cubic twenty-fifth of an inch. 

 Not one of these minute bodies could develop except by carrying 

 on complicated processes of a chemical nature, involving very active 

 movements of its atoms and molecules. — Ex. 



