424 
American  Medicinal  Flora. 
/  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I      August,  1897. 
Franks  which  will  carry  specimens,  when  of  suitable  size,  together  with 
descriptions  and  notes,  free  of  postage  through  the  mails,  will  be  forwarded 
upon  application.  Should  an  object  be  too  large  for  transmission  by  mail  the 
sender  is  requested,  before  shipping  it,  to  notify  the  Institution,  in  order  that  a 
proper  authorization  for  its  shipment  may  be  made  out. 
Respectfully, 
(Signed)  S.  P.  L,angley,  Secretary. 
INSTRUCTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  MEDICINAL  PLANTS. 
The  Pan-American  Medical  Congress,  at  its  meeting  held  in  the 
City  of  Mexico,  in  November,  1896,  took  steps  to  institute  a  system- 
atic study  of  the  American  medicinal  flora,  through  the  medium  of 
a  General  Commission  and  of  special  Sub-Commissions,  the  latter 
to  be  organized  in  the  several  countries.  The  Sub-Commission  for 
the  United  States  has  been  formed,  and  consists  of  Dr.  Valery 
Havard,  U.  S.  A.,  Chairman ;  Mr.  Frederick  V.  Coville,  Botanist  of 
the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  ;  Dr.  C.  F.  Millspaugh,  Curator 
of  the  Botanical  Department  of  the  Field  Columbian  Museum, 
Chicago  ;  Dr.  Charles  Mohr,  State  Botanist  of  Alabama ;  Dr.  W.  P. 
Wilson,  Director  of  the  Philadelphia  Commercial  Museums ;  and 
Prof.  H.  H.  Rusby,  of  the  New  York  College  of  Pharmacy.  This 
Sub- Commission  solicits  information  concerning  the  medicinal 
plants  of  the  United  States  from  every  one  in  a  position  to  accord 
it.    The  principal  points  of  study  are  as  follows : 
(1)  Local  names. 
(2)  Local  uses,  together  with  historical  facts. 
(3)  Geographical  distribution  and  degree  of  abundance  in  the 
wild  state. 
(4)  Is  the  plant  collected  for  market,  and  if  so — 
(a)  At  what  season  of  the  year  ? 
(b)  To  how  great  an  extent  ? 
(c)  How  prepared  for  market  ? 
(d)  What  is  the  effect  of  such  collection  upon  the  wild  supply? 
(e)  What  price  does  it  bring  ? 
(/)  Is  the  industry  profitable  ? 
(5)  Is  the  plant,  or  has  it  ever  been,  cultivated,  and  if  so,  give  all 
information  on  the  subject,  particularly  as  to  whether  such  supplies 
are  of  superior  quality,  and  whether  the  industry  has  proved  profit- 
able? 
(6)  If  not  cultivated,  present  facts  concerning  the  life  history  of  the 
plant  which  might  aid  in  determining  methods  of  cultivation. 
