60 Botanic Drugs 



chemical research is not the discovery of a single 

 active principle, but the complete analysis of the 

 entire drug." 



The detailed laboratory methods employed in 

 the standardization of remedies need not occupy 

 space here; they are described in works upon phar- 

 macology, which should be consulted for details. 



To close this subject, and to answer certain 

 criticism directed by clinicians against standardi- 

 zation methods, permit me again to quote Stewart, 

 who says: 



"The purpose of the biologic assay, just as of the 

 chemical assay, is to secure a means of measuring 

 therapeutic activity and to make it possible to fur- 

 nish uniform preparations. A satisfactory method 

 which meets these requirements may or may not 

 involve the production of physiologic reactions sim- 

 ilar to those which the drug is intended to be the 

 means of producing when used therapeutically. 

 That the effect chosen as a means of standardiza- 

 tion does not parallel the clinical effect sought is 

 not sufficient to condemn the method. It is only 

 necessary that the effect chosen as an earmark be 

 always indicative of a good quality of the drug or 

 preparation, and criticisms of methods on the ground 

 that they are toxic methods or that the animal 

 chosen is biologically much different from man are 

 made only through a lack of conception of the real 

 purpose of the physiological test, namely, to secure 

 uniformity. The determination of the real value 

 of a drug in the treatment of disease in man is an- 

 other matter entirelv." 



