4i 8  Odor  in  the  Recognition  of  Drugs.    { %£Ekgg? 
sion  at  the  first  instant  of  its  recognition,  afterwards  the  mucous 
membrane  of  the  nasal  cavities  (for  a  brief  space  of  time)  being 
clogged  with  the  previous  emanations,  new  odorous  particles  have 
difficulty  in  reaching  the  terminal  nerve  filaments  imbedded  in  the 
mucous  membrane.  There  is  some  little  art  in  treating  a  drug  so 
that  its  odor  will  be  brought  out  most  distinctly.  If  the  drug  is 
such  that  it  can  be  readily  powdered,  then  by  rubbing  a  small  por- 
tion briskly  between  the  palms  of  the  hands,  so  as  to  rupture  the 
oil  glands  or  resin  cells,  etc.,  and  partly  volatilize  their  contents, 
then  by  bringing  the  closed  hands  to  the  nose  the  odor  will  be  most 
distinctly  perceived.  In  the  case  of  a  hard  drug,  a  little  powder 
can  be  scraped  off  with  a  knife  and  treated  in  this  manner. 
Thinking  that  it  might  be  of  some  value  in  the  recognition  ot 
drugs,  or  at  least  give  us  truer  ideas  of  their  odors  (as  even  the 
Pharmacopoeia  contains  some  incorrect  statements  concerning  them), 
I  have  endeavored  to  work  out  a  classification  of  drugs  based  on 
their  odors.  There  are  difficulties  in  making  such  a  classification, 
as,  on  account  of  the  personal  element  involved,  no  two  investiga- 
tors will  probably  agree  to  all  of  the  conclusions  reached  ;  besides, 
it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  describe  odors  in  words.  In  quite  a 
number  of  cases  a  drug  will  be  found  to  have  almost  equal  affini- 
ties for  two  or  more  classes. 
Classification  of  Drugs  Based  on  Their  Odors. 
division  l    drugs  having  an  agreeable  odor. 
Class  A. — Drugs  with  an  Aromatic  Odor.    (Odors  which  are  spicy 
or  strong,  and  generally  agreeable.) 
(i)  Those  with  a  Simple  Aromatic  Odor. 
(a)  Odor  Strong  and  Characteristic. 
Asarum,  Lupulin  (strong  on  keep-  Sage, 
Anthemis,  ing),  Tanacetum, 
Cascarilla  (stronger when  Inula,  Sandal  Wood  (somewhat 
burned),  Marrubium,  musk-like), 
Gelsemium,  Matricaria,  Wormwood. 
Hops,  Rhubarb  (peculiar), 
(b)  Odor  Less  Strong  and  not  Characteristic. 
Arnica  Flowers,  Calumba,  Melissa  (fragrant,  lemon- 
"    Rhizome,  Eupatorium,  like  when  fresh), 
Angustura  (musty),  Juniper,  Pilocarpus. 
