334 Botanic Drugs 



would be the same on the uterus in situ as on the 

 excised strips of uterus, provided the drug reached 

 the uterus in a similar concentration; this refers to the 

 action on the muscle directly and on the nerve end- 

 ings; any action on the local circulation can be dis- 

 missed, as no known drug acts specifically on the 

 circulation of any organ. The action on the human 

 uterus would be the same, as a similar physiology 

 implies a similar pharmacology. It is improbable, 

 however, that the concentrations of the drug used 

 in this work could be attained in the body in what- 

 ever way they were administered. From preliminary 

 work on another form of smooth muscle (intestine) 

 it seems highly probable that these drugs act in no 

 sense specifically on the uterus, but on smooth muscle 

 in general, so that, even granted that they could be 

 taken in sufficient dosage to exhibit their char- 

 acteristic action on the uterus, it is more probable 

 that the action on the other forms of smooth muscle 

 (intestine, blood vessels, etc.) would overbalance 

 any favorable effect there might be on the uterus." 



Of course opinions may differ regarding the con- 

 clusions here drawn. Indeed, this pharmacologic 

 technic is somewhat open to question. Viburnum 

 opulus is esteemed by many physicians as a uterine 

 sedative and antispasmodic, though many doubtless 

 used Acer spicata; but all pharmacologists agree 

 with Pilcher. And it would seem that, whatever 

 the drug (either viburnum or acer) may or may not 

 do, valerian would be more active in the same direc- 

 tion. 



"Cramp-bark," so-called, is a constituent of many 

 proprietary preparations, and various official and 

 semi-official formularies (as the N. F. IV) have 



