Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
December,  1914.  J 
Current  Literature. 
567 
CURRENT  LITERATURE. 
Digitalis. 
The  second  instalment  of  Dr.  Robert  H.  Hatcher's  two-part 
paper  on  digitalis  is  presented  in  the  October  number  of  the  Drug- 
gists Circular,  and,  like  its  precursor,  is  both  interesting  and  in- 
structive. In  it  he  deals  altogether  with  the  pharmacology  of  this 
much-experimented-with  and  much-discussed  drug,  and  closes  with 
an  excellent  summary  which  embraces  the  conclusions  arrived  at  in 
both  papers.  An  adequate  abstract  of  these  papers  is  almost  im- 
possible. Physicians  and  pharmacists  should  really  read  and  study 
the  original  papers. 
The  author  recapitulates  as  follows :  "  Digitalis  of  the  'first  year's 
growth  is  probably  as  active  as  that  of  the  second,  the  cultivated  as 
active  as  the  wild-grown. 
"  The  most  active  digitalis  is  not  necessarily  the  best ;  the  best  be- 
ing that  which  possesses  a  maximum  of  therapeutic  actions  with  a 
minimum  of  side  actions,  such  as  the  nauseant  and  emetic.  It  is  not 
known  at  what  period  digitalis  possesses  this  advantage. 
"  The  drying  and  storage  of  digitalis  require  no  exceptional  con- 
ditions. Like  all  vegetable  drugs,  it  should  be  selected  carefully, 
dried  properly,  and  stored  so  that  it  will  not  become  mouldy.  It 
will  then  keep  indefinitely. 
"  Pharmaceutical  preparations  of  digitalis  which  contain  at  least 
60  per  cent,  of  alcohol  in  the  finished  product  will  keep  almost  in- 
definitely under  all  ordinary  conditions  of  storage,  where  the  con- 
tainers are  kept  securely  corked  and  away  from  sunlight. 
"  At  least  two  principles — digitoxin  (or  crystalline  digitalin  of 
Nativelle),  and  true  digitalin  of  Schmiedeberg,  or  of  Kiliani — are 
obtained  from  digitalis  leaf,  and  it  is  possible  that  a  third  thera- 
peutically active  substance,  digitalein,  may  be  so  obtained  in  fairly 
pure  form,  but  not  absolutely  pure. 
"  It  is  not  absolutely  certain  that  these  exist  preformed  in  the 
leaf. 
"  There  is  no  digitalis  principle  or  preparation,  pharmacopceial 
or  proprietary,  which  has  the  advantage  of  digitalis  without  certain 
undesired  effects,  such  as  nausea  and  vomiting.  Cumulation,  so- 
called,  also  pertains  to  all  digitalis  principles,  as,  indeed,  it  does  to 
all  drugs. 
