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BOTANY  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  PHARMACEUTISTS. 
BOTANY  IN  ITS  RELATIONS  TO  PHARMACEUTISTS. 
Mr.  Wm.  Procter,  Jr: 
Dear  Sir, — The  season  of  flowers  is  rapidly  approaching,  and 
the  idea  of  suggesting  to  your  junior  readers  the  advantages  they 
may  derive  by  devoting  a  part  of  their  leisure  time  to  the  study  of 
Botany,  has  presented  itself  with  so  much  force,  that  I  am  con- 
strained to  avail  myself  of  your  pages.    It  is  lamentable  to  what 
an  extent  this  important  branch  of  science,  in  its  bearing  on  phar- 
macy and  materia  medica,  is  neglected,  not  only  by  pharmaceutists 
in  business,  but  by  students  of  pharmacy  and  of  medicine.  No 
stronger  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this  need  be  obtained,  than  the 
general  ignorance  manifested  by  druggists  and  drug-clerks  when 
you  present  living  or  dead  specimens  of  plants  to  them  for  recog- 
nition.    They  are  ignorant  of  the  mere  contour  of  many  of  the 
more  important  indigenous  medical  plants,  not  to  speak  of  their 
structural  characters  and  habits.    One  cause  of  this  ignorance  is, 
the  fact  that  most  of  the  medical  plants  cultivated  or  collected  for 
use  in  the  United  States,  are  derived  from  the  Shakers,  (or  those 
who  prepare  them  similarly,)  who  completely  destroy  the  configu- 
ration of  the  plants  by  section  and  pressure  for  convenience  of 
packing,  and  thus  prevent  them  from  being  recognized.    It  should 
be  part  of  the  education  of  a  pharmaceutist  to  study  indigenous 
plants  in  their  native  localities,  or  in  the  gardens,  and  not  merely 
their  general  appearance,  but  critically  as  regards  structure  devel- 
opment, botanical  affinities  and  classification.    One  of  the  most 
beautiful  points  of  systematic  botany  is  the  parallel  relation  that 
exists  between  the  natural  affinities  of  plants  and  their  chemical 
constitution,  and  consequent  medical  qualities. 
Many  years  ago,  it  was  common  for  druggists  and  apothecaries 
to  collect  plants,  or  have  them  collected  and  dried  under  their  own 
superintendence,  which  is  yet  done  to  some  extent  by  a  few.  This 
plan  affords  a  good  opportunity  to  apprentices  to  become  familiar 
with  a  limited  range  of  plants,  and  is  a  part  of  practical  pharmacy 
that  is  sadly  overlooked. 
The  pleasure  of  a  ramble  in  the  woods  and  fields  is  much  en- 
hanced by  making  it  subsidiary  to  the  pursuit  of  botanical  know- 
ledge; although  to  some  it  may  at  first  appear  tedious,  a  little 
perseverance  will  give  such  an  insight  of  the  hidden  beauties  of 
