1 64  Lands  Where  Drugs  Grow.  {AmAP°rnr;i9Sfrm* 
cedure  rigidly,  and  under  no  consideration  could  they  be  induced  to 
experiment  or  change. 
It  seemed  to  me  that  to  suddenly  subject  a  fresh  plant  structure 
containing  alkaloidal  principles — glucosides,  ether,  resins,  and  other 
delicate  and  complex  substances — to  such  a  high  temperature  in 
the  presence  of  so  much  water  (comprising  the  natural  juices) 
amounted  to  a  cooking  process  which  must  result  in  radical  if  not 
injurious  changes. 
It  is  well  known  that  the  cause  of  the  change  of  chlorophyl  is 
due  to  the  presence  of  oxydases,  or  oxidizing  ferments  which  are 
in  the  cells  of  the  fresh  plant.  When  the  plant  is  torn  from  its 
structure,  bruised  and  exposed  to  light  and  air,  the  ferment  action 
is  started ;  and  this  is  well  known  to  be  followed  by  destruction  of 
chlorophyl  in  many  plants.  To  avoid  this  the  crude  but  effective 
method  of  heating  the  plant  to  a  point  destructive  of  the  oxydase 
is  used.  If  a  green  color  is  a  necessity,  experiments  might  be  con- 
ducted to  ascertain  whether  it  might  not  be  preserved  by  using 
some  agent  other  than  heat,  and  without  injury  to  the  other  con- 
stituents. It  has  been  suggested  that  the  vapors  of  formaldehyde 
act  as  a  preservative  for  plant  colors.  I  am  endeavoring  to  have 
experiments  made  with  this  agent  on  a  practical  scale.  It  is,  how- 
ever, quite  possible  that  the  action  of  the  formaldehyde  will  bring 
about  other  and  undesirable  changes  in  the  albuminoid  constituents 
of  the  plant.  I  have  also  suggested  experiments  looking  towards 
the  drying  of  these  plants  under  red  or  amber  glass,  accompanied 
with  a  moderate  amount  of  heat. 
With  respect  to  roots  the  color  problem  is  presented  in  a  different 
aspect.  It  is  not  desired  to  preserve  the  natural  color  of  roots ; 
the  general  tendency  of  the  resinous  matters  often  present  in  the 
root  is  to  become  darker;  this  is  not  checked, and  as  to  drugs  like 
aconite,  etc.,  the  darker  the  color,  the  better  will  be  the  market 
price,  as  a  rule. 
After  digging,  the  roots  are  usually  washed,  an  operation  very 
carelessly  performed  by  the  lower  class  of  gatherers.  The  root 
must,  therefore,  be  washed  several  times  before  reaching  the  ulti- 
mate market.  To  avoid  the  tendency  of  thick,  fleshy  roots  to  be- 
come mouldy,  and  to  facilitate  drying,  they  are  split  lengthwise  or 
laterally,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  root,  or  in  obedience  to 
custom.    The  workers  in  this  industry  have  solved  the  problem  of 
