440  Tinctures  from  Fluid  Extracts.      { ^^Z'lm^' 
etc.,  can  represent  the  total  therapeutical  activities  of  a  drug.  They 
represent  their  individual,  therapeutical  actions  only,  and  nothing 
more.  The  total  activities  of  a  drug  can  only  be  had  from  the  drug 
itself,  or  a  preparation  of  the  drug  representing  all  the  therapeuti- 
cally active  proximate  principles  as  they  exist  in  the  drug.  Hence, 
for  example,  aconitine,  hyoscyamine,  digitalin,  and  quinine  represent 
their  individual  activities  only.  They  do  not  represent  the  total 
therapeutical  activities  of  aconite  root,  hyoscyamus  leaves,  digitalis 
leaves,  and  cinchona  bark,  respectively,  for  these  drugs  possess  other 
proximate  principles  which  have  a  therapeutic  worth  over  and 
above  that  of  the  principles  mentioned.  It  does  not  follow,  either, 
that  tinctures  and  fluid  extracts  necessarily  represent  the  total 
therapeutical  activities  of  drugs.  They  represent  only  the  thera- 
peutically active  principles  soluble  in  the  menstrua  used  to  exhaust 
the  drugs,  due  allowances  being  made,  of  course,  for  those  precipi- 
tated and  removed. 
Whilst  alkaloids,  glucosides,  etc.,  do  not  represent  the  total 
activities  of  drugs,  their  isolation,  where  decomposition-products 
are  not  formed  as  a  result  of  assay,  is,  next  to  clinical  experience, 
the  only  means  we  have  of  estimating  the  therapeutic  worth  of  a 
drug-preparation  ;  and  it  is  of  value  when — and  only  when,  the 
manufacturer  of  the  preparation  uses  in  its  making,  the  proper 
quality  of  crude  drug.  If  he  uses  an  inferior  drug,  and  raises  the 
natural  amount  of  alkaloid  or  glucoside  to  the  proper  standard  by 
their  extraneous  addition,  the  preparation  will  not  represent  the 
special  activities  of  the  superior  drug,  but  will  represent  those  of 
the  inferior  drug  plus  those  of  the  compound  added. 
This  doctrine  of  the  individuality  of  the  drug  as  against  the 
individuality  of  its  so-called  active  principles,  is  no  new  doctrine.  It 
has  been  repeatedly  taught  by  Squibb  and  other  authorities,  but  in 
their  strong  endeavors  to  secure  greater  uniformity  in  drug-pre- 
parations (a  laudable  ambition  within  certain  limits),  manufacturers 
have  largely  ignored  its  existence ;  claiming  that  the  percentage 
of  a  so  called  active  principle  is,  of  necessity,  an  index  of  the  total 
therapeutic  value  of  the  drug-preparation. 
Apropos  of  this  subject,  Prof.  Attfield  gives,  in  a  recent  number  of 
The  Pharmaceutical  Journal  and  Transactions  (July  15,  1893)  some 
very  interesting  data  had  from  an  examination  of  certain  samples  of 
ipecacuanha.    After  showing  the  results  of  his  analysis,  and  stating 
