458 
Reviews. 
f  A  m.  Jour.  Pharra. 
\  September,  1897. 
au  Important  Function  of  Leaves,"  by  U.  Suzuki ;  "On  the  Behavior  of  Active 
Albumin  as  a  Reserve  Material  during  Winter  and  Spring,"  by  U.  Suzuki  ;  "On 
the  Physiological  Action  of  Neutral  Sodium  Sulphite  upon  Phaenogams,"  by 
K.  Negami ;  "  On  the  Poisonous  Action  of  Ammonium  Salts  upon  Plants,"  by 
S.  Takabayashi ;  "The State  of  Cane  Sugar  Manufacture  in  Formosa,"  by  N. 
Yamasaki. 
The  Japanese  are  a  progressive  people,  and  especially  are  they  ahead  of  the 
rest  of  the  world  in  the  matter  of  the  application  of  ferments  to  the  prepa- 
ration of  vegetable  food.  In  the  soja  bean  they  have,  by  preliminary  treat- 
ment, made  available  a  nitrogenous  and  fatty  food  which  largely  answers  the 
purposes  of  animal  food.  We  could  learn  many  valuable  lessons  from  them 
on  this  subject. 
Some  Common  Poisonous  Plants.  By  V.  K.  Chestnut.  Reprint  from  the 
Year  Book  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  for  1896. 
The  following  plants  have  been  considered:  Poison  Ivy,  and  the  other  poi- 
sonous members  of  the  genus  Rhus  ;  Cicuta  maculata,  or  the  American  Water 
Hemlock,  and  the  Death  Cup,  Amanita  phalloides  ;  some  other  members  of  the 
Amanita  family  have  also  received  attention.  We  are  pleased  to  note  that  the 
author  not  only  considers  the  chemistry  of  the  poisonous  principle  of  poison 
ivy  settled,  but  he  also  recommends  a  remedy  which  in  his  hands  has  pro- 
duced excellent  results.  He  agrees  with  Pfaff  that  the  active  principle  is  a 
fixed  oil  (toxicodendrol).  Acting  on  this  foundation  he  considers  that  alka- 
lies render  it  inert,  but  he  has  more  easily  obtained  this  result  by  alcoholic 
solution  of  lead  acetate.  The  solution  of  sugar  of  lead  in  strong  alcohol  is, 
on  account  of  the  solvent,  too  irritating  ;  therefore,  he  proposes  a  saturated 
solution  of  the  lead  salt  in  50  to  75  per  cent,  alcohol.  "  The  milky  fluid  should 
then  be  well  rubbed  into  the  affected  skin,  and  the  operation  repeated  several 
times  during  the  course  of  a  few  days.  The  itching  is  at  once  relieved  and 
further  progress  of  the  malady  is  checked.  The  remedy  has  been  tried  in  a  large 
number  of  cases  and  has  always  proved  successful." 
We  hope  the  author  is  right  and  that  all  the  superstition  and  mystery  which 
have  surrounded  this  plant  for  centuries  have  been  dissipated  forever;  but  before 
committing  ourselves  too  fully,  we  want  to  hear  from  some  of  the  numerous 
victims  of  the  plant  who  can  produce  abundant  evidence  that  they  have  been 
poisoned  by  it  without  contact. 
The  report  is  written  in  a  clear,  concise  style,  free  from  technicalities,  and 
cannot  but  be  of  service  to  all  those  who  will  study  it  carefully.  The  author 
will  do  well  to  continue  his  researches  and  reports  on  this  subject. 
Proceedings  of  the  Florida  State  Pharmaceutical  Association,  at 
its  tenth  annual  meeting,  held  at  Jacksonville,  Florida,  May  22,  23,  1896. 
Although  late  in  appearing,  this  issue  indicates  creditable  work  by  the  phar- 
macists of  Florida.  Two  papers  were  read  with  the  following  suggestive  titles  : 
"  New  Facts  Staring  Us  in  the  Face,"  by  H.  L.  Irwin  ;  and  "The  '  Drug  Busi- 
ness' is  a  Very  Interesting  Profession,  but  a  Very  Poor  Business,"  by  S.  P.  Fries. 
Both  papers  picture  the  demoralization  caused  by  cutting  of  prices,  and  recom- 
mend organization  of  a  manufacturing  company  by  the  pharmacists  of  the 
State. 
