"^""ja^nuary^^?]?: !  Admuces  ifi  Phamacy.  21 
digitalis  and  obtained  results  that  compare  favorably  with  that  of 
any  grown  anywhere  else.  He  believes  that  the  wild  digitalis 
which  is  found  in  the  Northwestern  States  may  be  utilized  as  a  source 
of  supply  for  making  the  various  preparations  of  digitalis  and  that 
by  using  ordinary  methods  in  handling  and  preparing  the  leaves 
a  highly  active  product  may  be  secured,  one  that  would  compare 
favorably  with  the  activity  of  cultivated  leaves  grown  under  more 
favorable  conditions. 
In  their  experimental  work  Drs.  Pratt  and  Morrison  used  the 
one-hour  frog  method  recommended  by  the  United  States  Pharma- 
copoeia. In  one  series  twenty-two  frogs  were  required  to  determine 
with  sufficient  accuracy  the  minimal  dose  required  to  produce 
systolic  standstill.  The  temperature  of  the  water  in  which  the  frogs 
were  kept  before  and  during  the  experiment  was  carefully  regulated, 
and  the  temperature  of  the  air  in  the  room  was  noted  and  recorded. 
Twenty-eight  samples  of  American-grown  digitalis  were  tested. 
It  is  believed  that  differences  in  strength  in  leaves  grown  in  different 
localities  is  due  to  soil  and  climate.  Digitalis  does  not  grow  well 
on  limestone  lands.  This  was  noticed  by  lyloyd  when  he  tried  to 
cultivate  the  leaf  in  Kentucky.  It  is  generally  found  in  profusion 
on  land  containing  iron  and  manganese.  Digitalis  does  not  grow 
in  Switzerland  and  it  is  attributed  to  lack  of  iron  and  manganese  in 
the  soil.  The  authors  conclude  that  the  best  American  digitalis, 
both  wild  and  cultivated,  is  equal  in  activity  to  the  best  European 
digitalis.  They  are  also  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  all  digitalis 
should  be  tested  biologically  before  it  is  gathered  in  large  quantities , 
for  medicinal  use. — Jour.  A.  M.  A.,  73:  1606,  1919. 
A  ClinicaIv  Study  on  th^  Use;  of  CaIvOmki.  Inunctions. — 
Mercury  inunction  has  been  used  for  the  treatment  of  syphilis  ever 
since  the  beginning  of  recorded  medical  history,  and  always  in  the 
form  of  an  ointment  made  with  the  metallic  mercury.  There  has 
always  been  objections  to  its  use,  however,  by  fastidious  persons, 
and  justly  so,  on  account  of  its  uncleanliness,  its  betrayal  of  what 
the  patient  is  suffering  from,  and  the  frequency  with  which  it  sets 
up  irritation  of  the  skin.  These  points  have  been  often  dilated 
upon.  Recently,  Wile  and  Elliott  and  Schamberg,  Kolmer,  Raiziss 
and  Gavron  have  suggested  the  use  of  calomel.  Their  reason  for 
advocating  its  use  is  that  it  overcomes  the  foregoing  objectionable 
features  of  blue  ointment.    As  calomel  is  more  cleanly,  and  as  they 
