161 
Bjorsell, Otto, discusses the directions for preparing the decoctions 
of the Swedish Pharmacopoeia. — Svensk. Farm. Tidskr., 1905, v. 9, 
pp. 8-10. 
Sjoberg, Knut, discusses the communication by Bjorsell. — Ibid ., 
pp. 35-37. 
DIGITALIS. 
The Bureau of Plant Industry reports the successful cultivation 
of digitalis at Washington, but points out that since the plant occu- 
pies the soil for two years and yields only the leaves at flowering 
time the outlook for good financial returns is hardly as favorable as 
in the case of belladonna, for instance. — Ann. Rep. Dept. Agricul- 
ture, 1905, p. 148. 
Jenner, Edmund F. L., reports observations in connection with 
two plants of digitalis. One grown on stable manure was upwards 
of 8 feet high and had leaves fully a foot long; the other, on ordinary 
soil, was not more than 15 inches high and had leaves not more than 
3 inches long. — Canad. Druggist, 1905, v. 17, p. 406. 
Francis, John M., points out that the revisers of the U. S. P. might 
well have included the warning that this drug deteriorates badly 
with age. — Bull. Pharm., Detroit, 1905, v. 19, p. 451. 
Collin, Eug., reviews the history, uses, and pharmacognosy of digi- 
talis. The article is illustrated with two figures, showing the struc- 
tural characteristics as seen in powdered digitalis and the structures 
of some of the more frequently found adulterants, such as Inula 
conyza , Verbascum phlomoifes , Artanthe elongata , and Salvia 
sclavea. — J. de pharm. et de chim., Paris, 1905, v. 22, p. 56. 
Caeser and Loretz point out tlfat the characteristic structures of 
digitalis, in the finely ground drug, offer some difficulty in recogni- 
tion; this is not apparent in the coarse powder or the granulated 
drug. They also point out that the leaves of digitalis collected dur- 
ing the months of July and August are more uniformly reliable and 
active than are leaves that are collected earlier in the year. They 
also assert that the adulteration of digitalis, apart from the acci- 
dental admixture of grass, is a matter of rare occurrence and that 
the recently reported cases of sophistication with Verbascum are no 
doubt due to careless mistaking of one drug for another. — Geschafts- 
Ber. von Caeser & Loretz, in Halle a. S., 1905, pp. 28-31. 
Dohme, A. P. L ., has found that digitalis runs rather uniform in 
digitoxin strength. During seven years, 1899 to 1905, inclusive, the 
lowest was 0.23 per cent,*found in 1903, and the highest 0.30 per cent 
in 1904 and 1905. — Apothecary, Boston, 1905, v. 17, p. 942. 
Mitlacher, W. (Pharm. Post, Wien, 1905, p. 41), reports finding 
Inula conyza leaves in digitalis, and calls attention to the charac- 
77439— Bull. 49-09- 11 
