*73 
No. IX.—THERAPEUTICS, 
Travellers in little known or in new countries have many 
opportunities of benefiting science and mankind by sending 
home products which are novel, or have a reputation as 
medicines or poisons. To aid them in doing so, a few direc¬ 
tions are here given. 
With mineral substances, and with a large number of 
organic substances met with and used in a dry state, no 
difficulty is encountered, as it is only necessary that they 
should be packed in a perfectly dry state, and with such 
covering as will protect them from moisture. 
Difficulties are, however, encountered with many vegetable 
products. These may possess (A) a botanical, or (B) a 
medicinal, or what is practically the same, a physiological 
or toxicological interest. 
(A) Botanical. The parts of a plant of most value to the 
botanist are the flowers, fruit, and leaves. The flowers and 
leaves require merely to be dried, by being pressed between 
folds of bibulous paper, such as blotting paper. The fruit, 
if of small size or hard, may be dried by exposure to dry air, 
natural or artificial; but, if of large size or succulent, it is 
advisable that at least some specimens should be sent in the 
natural state, and this may be done by placing them in 
securely stoppered or corked bottles with a strong solution 
of sugar or of salt, or with whisky, brandy, methylated or 
rectified spirit. Other preserving fluids which may be 
employed are—saturated solution of white arsenic (made 
by boiling in water), or this arsenical solution with half its 
bulk of glycerine, or a solution of corrosive sublimate (1 in 
500 of water), or a saturated solution of carbolic acid in 
water; and the preservative properties of each of these 
solutions will be increased by the addition of methylated or 
rectified spirit. 
It is of great importance that each specimen should be 
labelled, and for doing this directions are afterwards given. 
(B) Substances of medicinal or toxicological interest . Of 
