xxvi INTRODUCTORY 



iber and others. The question as to what influence this mold has 

 on the quality of the drug has not been decided. 1 



A third cause of inferiority of vegetable drugs is lack of suf- 

 ficient care in garbling. This applies to a number of drugs, as 

 leaves, with which may be admixed a large number of stems and 

 roots; rhizomes and tubers, in which the proportion of stem-rem- 

 nants may be excessive, or, as in other cases, the proportion of roots 

 to rhizomes may be large. The roots contain much less of the active 

 principles, and have been found in cypripedium and hydrastis to the 

 extent of 50 per cent of the amount present in the rhizomes. 



A fourth factor influencing the quality of drugs is the manner 

 of preservation. While it is generally conceded that most drugs 

 deteriorate on keeping, still this depends largely upon the manner 

 in which they are kept. Thus, the Pharmacopoeia limits the time of 

 keeping of ergot and states how it shall be preserved ; yet a number of 

 writers call attention to the fact that, if properly prepared and pre- 

 served, the time of keeping may be very much extended. In order 

 to preserve ergot, Grover proposed the removal of the oil, and Moss 

 found the drug thus treated to retain its therapeutic value for six 

 and a half years. Zanon suggests placing the drug in alternate 

 layers with sand and keeping it in a closely sealed jar. Others grind 

 the fresh ergot and preserve with chloroform in paraffin paper, while 

 some first extract the oil from the powder with alcohol or ether. 



Accidental admixture in the store or warehouse depends upon the 

 care of the individual, and need not receive attention here. 



The Valuation of Drugs. In the identification of vegetable dfligs 

 certain characters are taken into account, such as color, odor, general 

 appearance, structure, texture, etc., these at the same time indicating 

 in a greater or less degree the qualitative value of the drug. While 

 these characters may enable the expert to detect very slight varia- 

 tions in quality, and to estimate approximately the value of a given 

 drug, still the true value is based upon the amount of the medicinal 

 principles or so-called active constituents. The methods employed 

 in the valuation of drugs may be grouped as follows: (1) Chemical, 

 (2) Physical, (3) Microscopical, and (4) Biological. 



(1) Chemical methods are more generally employed and usually 

 involve the isolation and estimation of the active principles. 



(2) Physical methods involve such processes as the determination 

 of specific gravity of the drug as of jalap, or the determination of the 

 elasticity or measurement of the fibers, as of cotton, and still other 



1 Viehoever, Detection of Mold in Drugs, Foods and Spices, Jour. A. Ph. A., 

 1917, 6, p. 518. 



