42  Indigenous  Plants  of  Medical  Interest.  {Am-j{°™i£9o&Tm' 
group  which,  in  the  peptones  and  albumoses,  resembles  hydrocyanic 
acid,  and  in  the  other  proteids  which  give  a  violet  color  cyanuric 
acid  or  biuret.  The  color  produced  by  Millon's  reagent  is  due  to 
the  aromatic  substance  tyrosin  which  is  so  readily  obtained  from 
proteids.  Tyrosin  is  oxy-phenyl  «-amido  propionic  acid  C6H4(OH) 
CH, — CH(NH2) — COOH.  It  has  also  been  suggested  that  proteids 
are  condensation  products  of  aldehydes — aspartic  aldehyde,  for 
example.  This  would  account  for  their  unstable  character.  Another 
theory  is  that  they  are  composed  of  an  cyanhydrin  chain  united 
with  a  benzene  nucleus.  This  accounts  both  for  their  instability 
and  the  presence  or  easy  derivation  of  various  cyanide  groupings. 
Lastly,  synthesis  has  been  attempted  by  heating  mixtures  of  certain 
proteid  decomposition  products  with  dehydrating  substances  like 
phosphoric  anhydride  ;  but  up  till  now  no  real  synthesis  has  been 
accomplished. 
SOME  LOCAL  INDIGENOUS  PLANTS  OF  MEDICAL 
INTEREST. 
By  Joseph  Crawford,  Ph.G. 
Read  before  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  Dec.  13. 
The  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Pharmaceutical  Meetings  evidently  had 
the  best  of  intentions  for  general  good  when  he  ordered  the  writer  to  prepare 
a  paper  on  indigenous  medicinal  plants.  But  the  present  result  is  more  in 
obedience  to  his  commands  than  for  any  particular  feature  in  botanical  science 
of  interest  to  the  fraternity.  Therefore,  if  it  cause  you  any  discomfiture  what- 
soever, we  hope  to  find  you  a  counter-irritant  in  the  shape  of  an  Hepatica  or 
Hercules'  Club,  Dogwood  Bark  or  an  Opuntia,  or,  finally  and  truly,  a  postage 
stamp  customer.  The  chairman  has  been  liberal  indeed  with  the  limits  indi- 
cated by  him  as  to  the  wide  field  to  take  5-ou  through,  which  of  itself  is  only 
fair  and  square,  but  out  of  the  possibilities  of  the  occasion  ;  hence,  with  your 
permission,  we  will  kindly  look  over  the  fence,  take  in  one  corner  of  the  situa- 
tion, thence  turn  on  our  heels  and  return  to  our  homes  in  time  for  supper. 
In  the  first  place,  he  said  indigenous,  that  of  itself  is  the  biggest  "  Stump- 
in-the-field,"  for  the  true  natives  are  not  proven  conclusively  to  botanists  to 
this  day ;  hence,  if  there  should  be  mentioned  any  that  are  doubtful  in  your 
minds,  kindly  place  them  with  other  things  to  the  ignorance  of  the  writer, 
who  doubts,  indeed,  if  he  can  give  you  any  new  information  concerning  these 
plants,  unless  it  be  the  fact,  that  all  can  be  found  within  a  few  hours'  ride  from 
the  city  during  their  respective  seasons. 
But  would  be  pleased  to  find  a  desire  among  our  pharmacists  for  more 
knowledge  of  the  surrounding  materia  medica.  if  it  only  amounted  to  a  speak- 
ing acquaintance  with  their  botanical  characters.  Knowing  the  features,  or 
having  seen  them,  it  is  easy  to  recall  them  when  occasion  demands. 
