Vi PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION 



The domain of pharmacognosy because of the diversity of interests 

 is one of the most fascinating studies that can engage the attention 

 of pharmacists. The first question that should be asked in any under- 

 taking, viz., " is the work worth while?" must be answered in the 

 affirmative owing to the fundamental importance of the subject. 

 The work in pharmacognosy ought to be stimulating to the student, 

 for in the meaning of the word is implied the thought that he desires 

 to know drugs and to understand them from every angle. 



The modern study of pharmacognosy would be rather difficult if 

 the student did not have some special work on botany as his guide in 

 the study of fundamental facts and principles. The author has pub- 

 lished a work on " Applied and Economic Botany " which supplies 

 this deficiency. It should be used preparatory to taking up the 

 pharmacognosy as considered in the present work. There are many 

 phases of botanical investigation which are not considered in the usual 

 courses in botany, especially those relating to cell contents, cell walls 

 and the variations in tissues. These must be dealt with at great 

 length in the botanical courses of colleges of pharmacy and will be 

 found to be adequately considered in the text book referred to. 

 Furthermore, in this work will be found a large amount of practical 

 information concerning medicinal and economic plants, with which 

 the pharmacognocist should be acquainted, and which to a large 

 extent supplements the text of the present volume. In addition 

 the illustrations of living plants and technical products will stimulate 

 the student, and had they been included in the present volume would 

 have made it unwieldy as a text book or as a hand book for the 

 pharmacist. 



In the present volume drugs are arranged according to families 

 for the reason stated on page xxviii. It will be noted that in con- 

 nection with each of the families there is given a synopsis of the 

 morphological characters and more especially the histological char- 

 acteristics of each group. A few of the important animal drugs 

 are also considered and a key for the identification of powdered drugs 

 is appended. In connection with each drug an adequate literature 

 citation is given. This has not been extended, as Zornig in his work 

 on "Arzneidrogen " has given a very complete bibliographical sum- 

 mary, and it should be consulted by investigators. 



The present work is illustrated throughout, and the student is 

 advised to consult the illustrations freely, not only on account of their 

 value in elucidating the descriptions, but also because the legends 

 contain information which, in some instances, supplements that 

 given in the text. It should be stated that a large proportion of the 



