69 
cum, ergot, and aspidium are to be renewed annually. A number 
of chemical tests and assay processes are given. Quantitative tests 
are provided for opium, ipecac, nux vomica, and others, while quali- 
tative tests are provided for such drugs as belladonna leaf, hyos- 
cyamus and stramonium. The ash content of the drug is also quite 
frequently prescribed. — Pharm Zentralh., 1906, v. 47, p. 374. 
Tschirch, A., presents a systematic classification of plant secre- 
tions. He classifies them primarily into («) resinotannol or tannol 
resins, ( b ) resenresins, (c) caesalpinoid resins, (d) resinolresins, (e) 
aliphatoresins, (/) chromoresins, (g) enzymoresins, (h) gluco 
resins, (i) lactoresins, (k) pseudoresins. — Ibid., v. 47, pp. 329-333. 
Mittelbach, Wm., believes that the recognition of more than one 
part of the same plant, as in the case of belladonna and colchicum, 
is a mistake. Proc. Am. Pharm. Ass., 1906, v. 54, p. 449. 
An editorial points out that the standards for crude drugs in the 
U. S. P. have been criticised as being impracticably high in many 
instances. — Am. Druggist, A. Y., 1906, v. 49, p. 159. 
Hopkins, J. L., in a letter to the chairman of the committee on 
revision of the U. S. P., asserts it to be his belief that nature has 
not stopped producing botanical drugs of high alkaloidal content, 
but that rather the poor supplies must be ascribed to the indiscrimi- 
nate gathering of immature and deficient specimens. — Oil, Paint and 
Drug Rep., 1906, v. 70, Dec. 31, p. 47. 
Dohme, A. R. L., asserts that nature does not always provide 
crude drugs of uniform quality and strength and that in such cases 
government officers should be in position to make their rulings 
accordingly. — Am. Druggist, A. Y., 1906, v. 49, p. 268. 
Rusby, H. H., is quoted as saying that while it is true that the 
markets, of Aew York do not afford ipecac, jaborandi, and possibly 
other crude drugs which comply with the requirements of the phar- 
macopoeia, this is merely because Americans have not insisted on 
higher standards, and that drugs complying with the pharmacopoeial 
standards can be readily secured if our importers will only pay an 
adequate price. — Ibid., v. 49, p. 346, 
He asserts that: 
A large minority of American pharmaceutical manufacturers make no pro- 
vision for ascertaining the alkaloidal strength of the drugs which they employ, 
or of the preparations after they are made. Most of the others do so in so 
fragmentary and careless a way that they can not truly claim to attempt to 
meet the official requirements. Of these two classes, a majority purchase 
the cheaper drugs, closing their eyes to the fact that the price conditions ren- 
der it highly improbable that the drugs so bought are of standard quality. 
The fact is established by the uniform experience of drug dealers that they 
have difficulty in finding a market for their better grades of goods. — Proc. Am. 
Pharm. Ass,, 1906, v. 54, p. 382. 
