256 PHARMACOPEIAL DRUGS 



which some prepared charcoal was added, not daring to 

 prescribe a more active laxative. By perseverance in 

 this course, the patient recovered in six or seven days, 

 but, unfortunately, with some chronic gastro-enteritic 

 abnormal condition, that remained for many years. 

 From this experience I was so influenced, that I feared 

 to use any of the remainder of the resin until, at least 

 eighteen months had passed, when I ventured a repeti- 

 tion of its use, but in much smaller quantity, and with 

 most excellent results. 



There, my dear Professor, you have in a nutshell 

 my discovery, which led to further investigations, 

 resulting in the obtainment of more or less active 

 principles, from other of our medicinal plants. 

 Yours with Respect, 



JNO. KING, M. D. 



A complete history of the discovery of Resin of Podo- 

 phyllum, with detailed references to this and others of 

 the "Eclectic resinoids," of which the foregoing is a 

 brief resume, may be found in Bulletin No. 12 of the 

 Lloyd Library. 1 In this are carried short biographies, 

 accompanied by excellent portraits, of both Dr. John 

 King 2 and Dr. William S. Merrell. 



1 See footnote, p. 251. 



In connection with his history of "Podophyllin," Dr. King speaks of "a princely for- 

 tune." It might be added that in his contribution of this substance, Dr. King gave to Amer- 

 ica and the world more than a princely fortune. To say that millions of dollars have come 

 from this one substance to collectors, manufacturers, pharmacists and physicians, expresses 

 but mildly a fact that could be verified by statistics. A neat monument, contributed by 

 the Eclectic profession through "The Right Side of the Car," marks the tomb of King near 

 his home at North Bend, Ohio. The life of Dr. King was in itself a contribution to the world 

 of medicine, pharmacy, science, the land he loved, America, his ideal. In this the resin 

 of podophyllum was but an incident. But for the encouragement of Dr. King, the writer 

 of these lines could not have made his way in pharmacy, the Library in which these researches 

 are now oossible could not have been instituted. 



