AmNo°vll""i87h7arm'}     Varieties. — Minutes  of  the  College.  565 
VARIETIES. 
Viburnum  Prunifolium  (Black  Haw).  E.  W.  Jenks,  M.D.  ("  Gynaecological 
Transactions,"  1876). — This  remedy,  used  by  the  writer  almost  daily  for  several 
years,  warrants  him  in  speaking  confidently  in  regard  to  results  obtained  from  its 
use.  Its  most  frequent  use  has  been  as  a  prophylactic  against  abortion.  Of  course 
the  remedy  is  worthless  when  the  abortion  has  already  begun  by  detachment  of  the 
ovum.  Where  the  habit  of  abortion  has  been  formed  the  viburnum  may  be  given 
in  the  form  of  the  fluid  extract  from  a  half  teaspoonful  to  a  teaspoonful,  four  times 
a  day,  beginning  two  days  before  the  regular  menstrual  date,  and  continuing  it  two 
days  longer  than  the  usual  menstrual  flow.  In  dysmenorrhcea  with  profuse  men- 
struation and  pain,  except  when  the  pain  is  due  to  stenosis  or  mechanical  destruc- 
tion, viburnum  affords  the  patient  great  relief.  The  remedy  should  be  given  for 
several  days  in  advance  of  the  period,  as  well  as  during  the  time  of  the  flow. 
In  spasmodic  or  neuralgic  dysmenorrhcea  it  is  not  sufficient  alone  to  give  relief, 
but  may  be  given  with  advantage  combined  with  sedatives  and  antispasmodic  rem- 
edies, such  as  cannabis  Indica,  camphor,  hyoscyamus,  and  conium.  In  that  form  of 
dysmenorrhoea  with  menorrhagia,  caused  by  fibroid  growths,  it  has  been  given  in 
combination  with  ergot,  with  gratifying  results.  The  writer  would  designate 
viburnum  prunifolium  as  a  uterine  sedative,  whose  action  is  as  pronounced  as  is  that 
of  ergot  in  causing  uterine  contraction. 
The  form  of  the  viburnum  used  is  the  fluid  extract  made  from  the  bark  of  the  root 
and  bark  of  young  shrubs,  and  newly-grown  twigs.  The  dose  is  a  half  drachm  to 
a  drachm,  repeated  every  two  to  six  hours. — Chicago  Med.  Jour,  and  Exam.,  Oct. 
True  Rhubarb. — The  examination  by  Mr.  E.  M.  Holmes  of  the  root  of  Rheum 
officinale,  grown  at  Banbury,  does  not  confirm  the  view  that  it  may  be  accepted  as 
the  true  source  of  the  Russian  rhubarb  of  commerce.  A  plant  three  years  old  was 
dug  up  $  the  rootstocks,  being  trimmed,  weighed  on  an  average  about  8|  lbs  ,  the 
central  one  10  lbs.  "  When  the  outer  portion  was  carefully  sliced  off  (writes  Mr. 
Holmes)  in  different  parts  of  the  rootstock  and  root,  it  nowhere  presented  the  appear- 
ance characteristic  of  the  true  Russian  rhubarb."  On  slicing  the  meditullium  in 
like  manner,  there  was  no  trace  of  the  network  which  forms  a  marked  characteristic 
of  Rvissian  rhubarb,  and  the  following  points  of  difference  were  observed  :  "  The 
transverse  section  of  the  rootstock  also  is  not  so  finely  grained,  and  although  it  is 
marked  with  many  stellate  spots  the  markings  are  much  larger  and  bolder  than  those 
of  Russian  rhubarb  and,  in  fact,  approach  more  nearly  to  the  markings  of  English 
rhubarb.  The  sections  of  the  true  roots  present  only  a  radiate  structure,  without 
any  stellate  markings.  In  my  opinion,  the  Russian  root  is  produced  by  a  plant 
which  has  a  much  less  rapid  growth  than  the  noble  Rheum  officinale,  Baill."— Sept. 
8,  1877.  From  the  above  it  would  appear  that  the  question  has  not  been  so  defi- 
nitely settled  as  some  writers  have  supposed.  The  root  forwarded  to  the  late  Daniel 
Hanbury,  claiming  to  be  a  specimen  of  the  true  source  of  Russian  rhubarb,  was  not 
that  of  Rheum  officinale.  Unfortumately,  it  arrived  too  late  to  be  subjected  to  his 
admirable  powers  of  investigation.-  -Cbem.  and  Drug.,  Sept.  15th,  1877. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  COLLEGE. 
Philadelphia,  September  24th,  1877. 
The  semi-annual  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  was  held 
this  day  at  the  College  Hall,  No.  145  North  Tenth  street.  Dillwyn  Parrish,  Pres- 
ident, in  the  chair.    Twenty-eight  members  present. 
The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read,  and,  on  motion,  approved. 
The  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  since  the  last  stated  meeting  of  the 
College  were  also  read  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Board,  and,  on  motion,  adopted. 
These  minutes  show  that  in  July  last  a  report  was  received,  and  adopted,  from  a 
