490 
ON  GILLENIA  TRIFOLIATA. 
with  the  remedial  effects  of  the  medicine,  but  on  the  contrary  it 
is  believed  will  be  found  to  be  a  useful  adjunct  to  the  diuretic 
property. 
ON  GILLENIA  TRIFOLIATA— AMERICAN  IPECACUANHA. 
{Review  of  Theses.) 
On  Gillenia  trifoliata.  By  John  H.  Ruch. 
Idem.  By  Joseph  L.  Lemberger. 
Idem.  By  John  Wyeth. 
Gillenia  trifoliata  as  compared  with 
Ipecacuanha.  By  David  Lewis,  Jr. 
For  many  years  past  it  has  been  the  constant  aim  of  the  Pro- 
fessors in  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  to  persuade  the 
candidates  for  graduation  to  select  as  subjects  for  their  theses, 
either  articles  of  a  chemical  nature,  or  else  those  calculated  to 
develope  and  bring  into  more  general  notice  our  indigenous 
medical  plants.  Of  the  success  of  these  efforts,  the  pages  of  this 
Journal  have  afforded  convincing  proofs.  It  is  true  that,  in  many 
instances,  the  published  analyses  will  not  bear  a  strict  comparison 
with  the  splendid  results  obtained  in  European  laboratories  from 
analogous  subjects,  yet,  bearing  in  mind  the  difficulties  under 
which  the  American  student  of  Pharmacy  labors,  there  is  much 
reason  for  being  gratified  with  what  has  already  been  accomplished 
in  the  analytical  study  of  our  native  plants. 
The  subject  of  the  present  article  was  suggested  to  the  class  of 
last  year,  and  as  the  result,  four  theses  were  presented  for  exam- 
ination. A  comparison  of  these  proves  by  the  harmony  of  the 
general  results  the  accuracy  of  the  operators,  and  by  the  difference 
on  some  points,  the  fact  that  each  experimenter  proceeded  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  plant  being  investigated  by  any  other  than 
himself. 
Of  the  processes  for  obtaining  the  more  common  and  unimpor- 
tant constituents  of  the  powdered  root  it  is  unnecessary  to  speak, 
since  they  are  well  known  to  pharmaceutists.  In  the  following 
summary,  therefore,  they  are  passed  over. 
Starch. — The  presence  of  this  principle,  as  revealed  by  the 
iodine  test,  is  announced  by  all  of  the  experimenters. 
Gum  was  detected  by  all  but  Mr.  Lewis,  who  doubts  its  presence. 
