I (a) -REPORT ON THE SECTION OE MATERIA MEDICA IN THE 

 II. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, EOR THE YEAR 1884. 



Bj H. G. Beyer, If, D., IsHsta/ni Surgeon, l . 8. \ , Honorary Curator. 



A<<< ssi<>)is of tlic year, — Daring tin* past year specimens of drags hai e 

 been contributed to this department, principally by 1). Morris, esq., 

 director of Public Gardens and Plantations, Jamaica; Messrs. F. \\ . 



Stearns & Co., Detroit, Mich.; Mr. G. W. Jewett, inspector of drags, 

 New York; and Messrs. Fritzsche Bros., New York'; numbering in all 



km;. 



Method of arrangement. — When specimens are received they are, after 

 being carefully examined, entered upon the register, and according to 

 their condition are dried, bottled, and labeled, after which they are added 

 to the exhibit, which is arranged as follows: First, animal products ; 

 second, vegetable products ; third, products of fermentation and dis- 

 tillation; fourth, inorganic products; the entire collection being pre- 

 faced by an array of all the " medicinal forms" in which medicines are 

 administered. In addition to the above there is a separate collection 

 of Chinese materia medica. 



Succeeding the general collection is an exhibit of some of the most 

 popular mineral waters. Each of these is shown in the quantity of 10 

 liters, and with it each of its saline constituents, in the exact weight 

 which analysis has shown to be present in that volume of the water; 

 thus representing to the eye the quantity of each constituent salt in- 

 gested with a given quantity of water, and furnishing a quantitative 

 table, without the use of figures, for comparison of the different mineral 

 waters. 



A catalogue of the collection has been printed, and a classification of 

 the forms in which drugs are administered, by Dr. James M. Flint, U. S. 

 N.: also will be found a ".Report on the Pharmacopceais of all Nations," 

 by Dr. Flint. No original researches have been carried on in this De- 

 partment, owing to the want of necessary apparatus. 



Illustrative of drug-yielding plants, there are now properly placed on 

 exhibition 13G photographs and 350 colored plates. 



During the year 1,500 labels have been sent to the printer; at present 

 893 are permanently attached to specimens. 



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