EDITORIAL. 
89 
of  which  are  in  small  type.  It  is  well  to  state  that  the  author  of  this  report 
deemed  the  task  so  imperfectly  accomplished,  owing  to  the  necessity  of 
condensation  to  get  it  within  reasonable  limits,  that  he  doubted  the  pro- 
priety of  its  publication  by  the  Association,  and  suggested  its  reference  to 
a  committee.    This  committee  reported  in  favor  of  its  publication. 
The  report  on  the  Revision  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  occupies  44 
pages,  and  is  composed  of  sub-reports  from  Messrs.  Carney,  Meakim, 
Stearns,  Melvin  and  Graham,  which  embrace  many  valuable  suggestions 
that  are  now  in  a  form  to  facilitate  their  study  by  all  the  revising  com- 
mittees who  are,  or  will  shortly  be,  appointed  by  various  medical  or  phar- 
maceutical bodies.  It  will  be  well  for  apothecaries  who  feel  an  interest  in 
the  improvement  of  pharmaceutical  processes  to  try  many  of  these  sugges- 
tions, and  give,  either  through  the  journals  or  to  the  committee  appointed 
to  revise  these  reports,  the  results  of  their  examination. 
The  report  on  Home  Adulterations,  by  Prof.  Guthrie,  was  noticed  in  our 
last  number.  «  That  on  Local  Unofficinal  Formulae"  is  brief  compared  with 
the  report  of  last  year. 
The  paper  of  Frederick  Stearns  on  "  the  Medicinal  Plants  of  Michigan," 
exhibits  great  industry  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  and  the  great  richness  of 
the  flora  of  Michigan.  We  have  made  a  few  extracts  from  this  report, 
which  will  be  found  at  page  28  of  this  number,  on  Abies  canadensis, 
Carya  amara,  Gaultheria  procumbens  and  Ulmus  fulva. 
The  remarks  of  Prof.  Grahame  on  Displacement  embrace  several  sug- 
gestions meriting  attention  and  will  be  read  with  profit.  The  next  paper, 
on  Tobacco,  has  already  been  published  in  our  last. 
The  paper  on  Blue  Mass,  by  Charles  Bullock,  is  particularly  worthy  of 
attention,  and  developes  some  results  in  reference  to  the  solubility  of  mer- 
curial compounds  not  generally  understood. 
E.  Dupuy's  paper  on  Saccharides  will  be  found  interesting  ;  and  that  on 
Podophyllin,  by  Dr.  Stabler,  is  in  our  last  number.  The  next,  an  Essay  on 
Wild  Cherry  bark  tree,  by  Wm.  Procter,  Jr.,  gives  a  general  history  of 
the  preparations  derived  from  that  tree,  with  some  suggestions  on  the  use 
of  the  distilled  water  of  the  leaves  in  lieu  of  the  Cherry  Laurel  water  im- 
ported from  Europe.  Dr.  Donnelly's  paper  on  the  Brazil  nut  tree  [Berthol- 
letia  excelsa]  and  its  products,  is  accompanied  by  a  beautifully  executed 
lithograph  engraving  of  the  fruit  and  leaf  copied  from  an  oil  painting 
accompanying  the  report.  Dr.  Battey's  report  on  Southern  Arrow  Root 
is  also  illustrated  by  an  engraving  of  the  machine  used  in  rasping  the  root. 
It  consists  chiefly  of  the  results  of  Messrs.  Cooper  and  Hallowes,  which 
show  that  no  obstacle  exists  to  the  abundant  production  of  arrowroot  in 
Georgia,  the  culture  of  the  plant  being  nearly  that  of  the  sweet  potato. 
The  paper  of  John  M.  Maisch,  on  the  Detection  of  Adulterations  of  Vol- 
atile oils,  is  a  valuable  contribution  to  practical  pharmacy,  and  deserves 
careful  perusal.    It  brings  together  all  that  is  known  on  this  difficult  sub- 
