20 
Kefir  and  Its  Preparation. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I     January,  1908. 
their  supplies  of  hemp  preparations,  asked  for  samples  in  order  to 
make  rough  tests  upon  their  patients  before  ordering.  Since  the 
adoption  of  the  test  we  have  not  had  a  single  report  of  inactivity, 
although  many  tons  of  the  various  preparations  of  Cannabis  Indica 
have  been  tested  and  supplied  for  medicinal  purposes. 
Furthermore,  we  have  placed  out  quantities  of  fluid  extract  and 
solid  extract  of  Cannabis  Americana  in  the  hands  of  experienced 
clinicians,  and  from  eight  of  these  men,  who  are  all  large  users  of 
the  drug,  we  have  received  reports  which  state  that  they  are  unable 
to  determine  any  therapeutic  difference  between  the  Cannabis 
Americana  and  the  Cannabis  Indica.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that 
Cannabis  Americana  will  be  found  equally  as  good,  and  perhaps 
better,  than  that  obtained  from  foreign  sources,  as  proper  directions 
can  be  given  to  the  grower,  in  order  to  produce  a  drug  of  the  greatest 
value.  We  expect  to  give  this  phase  of  the  subject  especial  atten- 
tion during  the  next  few  years,  and  see  what  improvements  may  be 
effected. 
CONCLUSIONS. 
(1)  The  method  outlined  in  the  paper  for  determining  the  physio- 
logical  activity  of  Cannabis  Sativa  by  internal  administration  to 
especially  selected  dogs,  has  been  found  reliable  when  the  standard 
dose,  -oio  per  kilo  body  weight,  is  tested  in  comparison  with  the 
same  quantity  of  a  standard  preparation  of  known  strength. 
(2)  Cannabis  Sativa,  when  grown  in  various  localities  of  the 
United  States  and  Mexico,  is  found  to  be  fully  as  active  as  the  best 
imported  Indian  grown  Cannabis  Sativa. 
KEFIR  AND  ITS  PREPARATION.1 
By  I.  V  S.  Stanislaus,  B.  Sc.,  Phar.  D. 
The  name  "  Kefir  "  is  applied  to  a  beverage  prepared  from  cow's 
milk  with  the  aid  of  an  appropriate  ferment  called  "  Kefir  grains." 
This  beverage  has  been  used  from  time  immemorial  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  northern  part  of  the  Caucasian  Mountains  under 
various  names,  as  kefir,  kapir,  kifir,  kepu  and  the  like. 
Kefir  is  not  an  imitation  of  koumys  which  the  Tartars  prepare 
from  mare's  milk,  but  differs  from  the  latter  as  much  as  does  cow's 
milk  differ  in  its  composition  from  mare's  milk. 
1  Read  before  the  Scientific  Section  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Asso- 
ciation, September,  1907. 
