18 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY ~~ [Jan 
investigations are, however, defective, and a mere repe- 
tition of the work already done in Continental Europe, 
particularly in Germany. 
It is much to be regretted that the truly scientific spirit 
does not permeate the English-speaking nations. The 
great majority of the scientific work done is primarily 
instigated and abetted by commercialism and hence does 
not attain to the lasting, far reaching results of the work 
of our patient and careful German investigators whose 
prime motive is to find out. In 1853, Dr. F. Hoffmann re- 
commended the use of the compound microscope in Ame- 
rican pharmacy, calling attention to the value of this in- 
strument in the examination of vegetable drugs and their 
adulterants. 
It was, however, not until some thirty years later that 
the compound microscope was used to any considerable 
extent in the study of vegetable drugs, It was looked upon 
as an impracticable instrument, having no commercial 
significance, and presenting no advantages over the sim- 
ple microscope. Now and then some teacher or investi- 
gator would arise and reiterate the recommendations of 
_ Dr. Hoffman, or present some new phase of microscopic 
¥ work in pharmacy, only to be met with the same indiffer- 
ence, if not actual opposition and ridicule. It is, there- 
fore, little wonder that slow progress should have been 
made in the histologie study of medicinal plants. In Ger- 
many the compound microscope found a steady use in 
pharmaceutical practice. In 1865, Berg published his ex- 
cellent atlas illustrating the histology of the more import- 
ant vegetable drugs, and even at this date there is noth- 
ing produced by an English or American investigator 
which equals this work.—Meyer Brothers Druggist. 
Formaldehyde.—Itis put into milk for a preservative. 
Five tests for its detection are reported by Herman Harms 
in the Bulletin of Pharmacy, Detroit, Mich. Send 10 cents 
for the August number of 1900. 
