Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1915. 
Remarks  on  Digitalis. 
219 
distribution  as  the  plants  themselves,  these  protective  principles  are 
not  needed  where  the  respective  enemies  are  lacking,  and  conse- 
quently are  not  produced.  This  supposition  explains  the  fact  that 
the  amount  of  digitalin  of  cultivated  digitalis  is  less  than  that  of  the 
wild-grown  plants." 
This  is  not  a  new  theory.  It  has  been  shown  that  the  cinchona 
tree  produces  quinine  as  a  protective  against  the  attacks  of  certain 
insects  and  bacteria,  and  whenever  the  tree  is  transplanted  to 
countries  where  it  is  not  attacked  by  these  enemies  the  production 
of  quinine  gradually  decreases.  I  also  refer  to  Doctor  R.  C.  Eccles's 
paper  on  "  Pharmaceutical  Bacteriology  "  in  the  Proceedings  of  the 
American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  1894. 
Many  other  instances  of  self -protection  of  plants  against  sur- 
rounding enemies,  be  they  of  vegetable  or  animal  nature,  or  condi- 
tions of  the  atmosphere,  could  be  mentioned.  Here,  then,  is  an 
unexplored  field.  We  generally  do  not  grant  self-consciousness  and 
individuality  to  plant  organism,  but  the  few  observations  that  we 
have  made  seem  to  indicate  that  there  is  in  these  low  organisms  far 
more  foresight  and  judgment  in  action  than  we  admit.  They  may 
not  think,  but  their  work  and  productions  could  not  be  more  correct 
and  logical  if  they  had  been  planned  by  the  most  highly  developed 
mind.  Nobody  ever  expects  to  discover  the  thoughts  of  a  human 
being  by  dissecting  his  body  after  death  and  analyzing  the  various 
parts.  Can  we  expect  to  explore  plant  life  in  its  conception  and  its 
influence  on  surrounding  Nature  by  dissecting  the  plant  and  analyzing 
what  is  left  after  its  death? 
Literature. 
A.  A.  Herzfeld,  M.D. :    Remarks  on  the  Use  of  Digitalis. 
R.  A.  Hatcher :  Digitalis  and  its  Preparations. 
J.  W.  Lloyd :  A  Treatise  on  Digitalis. 
Merck  &  Co. :  Digitalis  Glucosides  and  Allied  Drugs. 
Doctor  H.  Thorns :  Arbeiten  aus  dem  Pharmaseutischen  Institut,  Berlin. 
Gehe  &  Co. :  Handelsberichte,  1913. 
Schmiedeberg :  Pharmacologic 
H.  Kiliani :    A  Review  of  the  Chemistry  of  Digitalis. 
C.  E.  Vanderkleed:   Proc.  Pa.  Pharm.  Assn.,  1913. 
S.  Hirahuschi :   Yahngakuasshi  No.  369. 
Am.  J.  Pharm.  :  1913. 
/.  Am.  Pharm.  Assn.:  1913-1914. 
Am.  Druggist :  1913. 
Apotheker  Zg.:  New  York,  1913. 
W.  A.  Puckner:  /.  Am.  Med.  Assn.,  1913. 
