ENGLISH MEDICINAL RHUBARB AND HENBANE. 
83 
diverge again into any transition from its central type. It is thus quite possible to 
account for the previous deterioration of the plant for medical uses, which caused the 
strong prejudice existing for many years against it, and some remaining doubts are still 
expressed respecting the real properties of English rhubarb ; but that a powerful reaction 
has taken place in its favour since the plant has been restored to its primitive form of 
development, there is most ample testimony, not only in the increased demand for it at 
home and abroad, but in the evidence of eminent medical practitioners. In addition to 
the improvement which became apparent in the plant by the entire exclusion of seed¬ 
lings, an important change has been effected in the mode of drying, by exchanging a 
high artificial temperature for a more gradual one ; the process in the first stages being 
effected Dy the application of a strong current of atmospheric air, which has not only 
greatly condensed the root, and rendered it less porous, but has given it an appearance 
approximating more closely to foreign. 
The progressive but certain destruction of all former prejudices existing against the 
use of English rhubarb may be adduced from facts much stronger than theory. The 
first is that as recently as 1845, the extent of land appropriated to the cultivation of the 
plant did not reach ten acres, whereas now it has reached upwards of forty acres, and 
even this is quite insufficient to supply the foreign demand for trimmed English rhubarb. 
If the home consumption of this drug had remained stationary, the export trade alone 
would have afforded every facility for extending the plantation—a fact most strikingly 
shown by the article being sent to ports, such as Odessa, from which East India rhubarb 
is sent to Great Britain. 
Even where regulations of the most stringent character have been put in force to 
prevent the use of either inferior or adulterated drugs, English rhubarb has passed the 
ordeal in safety. The following is a portion of one of the statutes of the United States 
of America, entitled, “ An Act to prevent the Importation of Adulterated and Spurious 
Drugs and Medicines.” Thirtieth Congress, Chapter 70th, date 1848; Section 1st pro¬ 
vides :—“ That from and after the passage of this Act, all drugs, medicines, medicinal 
preparations, etc., imported into the United States from abroad, shall, before passing the 
Customs-house, be examined, as well in reference to their purity and fitness for medical 
purposes, as to their value and identity specified in the invoice.” Section 3rd provides : 
—“ That if, on examination, any drugs, medicines, medicinal preparations, whether 
chemical or otherwise, are found, in the opinion of the examiner, to be so far adulterated, 
or in any manner deteriorated as to render them inferior in strength and purity to the 
standard established by the United States, Edinburgh, London, French, and German 
pharmacopoeias and dispensatories, and thereby improper, unsafe, or dangerous to be 
used for medicinal purposes, a return to that effect shall be made upon the invoice, and 
the articles so noted shall not pass the Customs-house, unless, on a strictly analytical 
character called for by the owner or consignee, the return of the examiner shall be 
found erroneous.” To carry into effect the provisions of this Act, qualified examiners of 
drugs were appointed, at salaries varying from one thousand to sixteen hundred dollars 
per annum, at the ports of New York, Boston, ‘Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, and 
New Orleans. 
A large portion of my trimmed rhubarb for several years passed through the hands of 
Messrs. David Taylor and Sons, for shipment to the American market, where it became 
a regular article of commerce. 
From the year 1855 to the present period the demand for English rhubarb has far 
exceeded my means of supplying it; and the ratio in which the increasing demand is 
taking place far exceeds the propagating capacity of the plant. The period when the 
rapidly increasing demand for export took place was that immediately succeeding the 
investigation of the question by a Committee of the House of Commons, during the 
sessions of 1855 and 1856. It will be recollected that a committee was appointed, of 
Avhich Mr. W. Scholefield, member for Birmingham, was chairman, to invest the ques¬ 
tion of adulteration of food, drink, and drugs. During the sitting of this committee a 
large number of witnesses were examined on the question of English rhubarb, with 
varying results as to the individual Opinion of the parties examined Some, amongst 
whom may be named Dr. Hassall, contended it was practicable to carry out a system of 
absolute purity in drugs and chemicals; whilst others, with equally practical views, 
contended that a classification as to the quality of those articles must always exist. 
I need scarcely say that the evidence adduced on the question of the adulteration of 
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