Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  t 
July,  1890.  ) 
Marrubium  Vulgar e. 
327 
Lactiic avium  is  not  likely  to  be  prepared  in  the  United  States  on 
a  large  scale,  as  long  as  a  sufficient  supply  is  furnished  from  Europe 
at  a  moderate  price.  But  it  is  of  interest  to  note  that  one  of  the 
plants  yielding  it  has  considerably  increased  the  number  of  its 
habitations  on  this  continent ;  for,  according  to  the  "  Manual,"  Lac- 
tuca  Scariola,  Linn'e  extends  in  waste  grounds  and  on  roadsides, 
from  the  Atlantic  States  to  Missouri  and  Minnesota.  Since,  a  good 
medicinal  lactucarium  may  also  be  prepared  from  our  indigenous 
species,  it  should  be  noted  that  the  plants  regarded  as  mere  varie- 
ties in  the  preceding  edition  of  the  Manual  have  been  restored  to 
the  dignity  of  species ;  accordingly  we  have  now  L.  canadensis, 
Linne,  L.  integrifolia,  Bigelow,  and  L.  hirsuta,  Muhlenberg. 
Sweet  Fern  is  no  longer  Comptonia  asplenifolia,  Alton,  the 
genus  having  been  united  as  a  section  or  subgenus  with  Myrica  ; 
hence  we  have  now  Myrica  asplenifolia,  Endlicher. 
Chestnut  leaves  are  henceforth  collected  from  Castanea  sativa. 
Miller,  var.  americana,  instead  of  from  C.  vesca  L.  The  latter  name 
appears  to  be  more  appropriate  for  our  indigenous  tree,  which  is 
rarely  cultivated. 
MARRUBIUM  VULGARE. 
By  John  W.  Morrison,  Ph.G. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy. — 
No.  75. 
In  order  to  determine  the  usual  constituents  of  this  plant,  a 
portion  was  first  subjected  to  a  systematic  course  of  proximate 
analysis,  by  the  usual  solvents,  with  the  following  result : 
Ter  Cent. 
Fat,  wax  and  traces  of  volatile  oil,   2*05 
Crystalline  compound,  soluble  in  ether,   -48 
Chlorophyl  and  fat,   2  29 
Resin  and  bitter  compounds,  soluble  in  absolute  alcohol,    ...  1*94 
Mucilage,   4  94 
Glucose,   '67 
Extractive,  soluble  in  water,   5  93 
Albuminoids,   4*48 
Pectin  and  undetermined,   5  93 
Pararabin,   2-30 
Cellulose  and  Ligniu,   37  -48 
Moisture,                                                                               .  672 
Ash,   2430 
Loss,   49 
100*00 
