Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
October,  1920. 
Current  Literature. 
751 
the  organs  which  dry  up  in  the  process  of  aging  part  with  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  their  copper,  which  is  transferred  to  the  actively 
growing  tissues  with  the  reverse  material.  Thus,  in  shrubs  and 
trees  the  buds  are  richer  in  copper  than  the  wood  or  the  bark.  In 
evergreens  the  fresh  younger  leaves  contain  more  copper  than  the 
older  leaves.  It  is,  moreover,  evident  that  this  increase  of  copper  is 
not  due  merely  to  concentration  of  the  juices  by  evaporation.  In 
this  respect  the  accumulation  of  the  metal  in  certain  organs  is  of 
quite  a  different  order  from  that  of  the  increase  of  certain  inorganic 
salts,  such  as  silica  and  calcium  compounds.  In  the  case  of  the 
ripening  of  fruits  there  is  an  evident  concentration  of  copper  in  the 
seeds.  In  leguminous  plants  the  amount  of  copper  present  in  the 
green  immature  seeds  is  notably  greater  than  that  in  the  pericarps. 
As  ripening  proceeds  this  increase  becomes  more  and  more  evident 
in  the  former.  This  is  directly  opposite  to  what  is  observed  in  the 
case  of  calcium  salts,  wnich  are  found  to  accumulate  in  the  pericarps 
and  also  in  dead  or  mature  leaves.  Moreover,  more  copper  is  found 
in  the  albumen  or  the  decorticated  cotyledons  than  in  their  env^elopes; 
in  the  kernel  than  in  the  shell  of  nuts;  and  in  the  seeds  than  in  the 
pulp  of  fleshy  fruits.  All  these  facts  are  in  agreement  with  what  is 
observed  during  the  period  of  growth,  when  copper  is  transferred 
to  the  most  active  tissues.  It  would  appear,  therefore,  that  copper 
is  in  some  way  intimately  connected  with  the  vital  processes  of  the 
plant.  At  present  it  is  not  possible  to  state  what  part  the  metal 
may  play ;  but  the  inference  is  permissible  that  it  is  not  unimportant. 
(ly.  Maquerme  and  E.  Demoussy,  Comptes  rend.,  170:87,  1920; 
through  The  Pharm.  Jour,  and  Pharm.,  April  17,  1920.) 
Staining  Technic  for  Malaria  Plasmodium. — Gutierrez  de- 
scribes experiences  with  the  different  staining  methods  in  vogue  to 
decide  which  method  is  the  most  practicable  and  reliable.  His  final 
conclusion  is  in  favor  of  the  Tiedmann  technic,  slightly  modified. 
A  I  per  cent,  solution  of  methylene  blue  in  methyl  alcohol  is  made, 
and  a  similar  solution  of  eosin,  and  these  are  kept  in  dark  colored 
vials.  When  ready  to  use,  10  Gm.  of  each  solution  and  10  Gm. 
of  methyl  alcohol  are  mixed,  and  10  or  15  drops  of  the  reagent  mix- 
ture are  poured  on  the  smear  of  blood  dried  in  the  air.  Then  20  or 
30  drops  of  neutral,  filtered  water  are  added  immediately,  and  the 
slide  is  tilted  to  insure  the  complete  blending  of  the  stain  and  the 
water.    In  one  and  one-half  minutes — counting  from  the  moment 
