Pharmaceutical Considerations 41 



course, reduced by the application of some heat. 

 Properly made, they are satisfactory products, the 

 plants of more fragile structure being seldom made 

 up into extracts. There are powdered, soft and solid 

 extracts. 



PROXIMATE PRINCIPLES 



The Eighth United States Pharmacopeia lists 10 

 alkaloids, 26 alkaloidal salts, 14 preparations of 

 alkaloids, 2 basic substances, 2 preparations of 

 basic substances, 3 neutral principles, 7 oleo-resins, 

 3 proximate resins, 2 glucosides, and 2 proximate 

 gum resins, a total of 71. Omitting salts and 

 preparations, there are about 20 important agents. 

 "New and Nonofficial Remedies" adds a few new 

 products, some of which may prove to be of im- 

 portance. 



"Merck's Manual" lists these and 33 uncertain 

 concentrations and resinoids, and "Merck's Index" 

 adds a number more of so-called proximates. There 

 have been 92 alleged proximates broken out of 

 digitalis alone; and the sum total of so-called proxi- 

 mates mentioned in the dispensatories total several 

 hundred. 



This mere statement of facts will suffice to make 

 it clear that there are many uncertain alkaloids 

 and other proximates, even as there are uncertain 

 crude botanic drugs; there are "proximates" of 

 very unstable and varying composition; there is 

 no greater certainty and definiteness in proximates 

 as a class than there is in "galenicals" as a class; 

 and, finally, there is a limited list of proximates 

 of so useful and definite a place that every phy- 

 sician should use them when indicated. 



