Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
November,  1915.  j 
Book  Reviews. 
529 
Therefore,  buyers,  American  or. otherwise,  must  pay  high  prices  for 
these  selections.  Further  than  this  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  in 
the  so-called  "  selected  leaves  "  they  must  be  gathered  at  a  time  when 
the  leaves  are.  most  succulent,  which  is  a  period  at  which  they  are  not 
the  most  active.  In  other  words,  the  English  and  Continental  grower 
can  sell  on  the  basis  of  looks,  and  he  is  wise  enough  to  use  the  less 
sightly  portions  as  well  as  other  parts  of  the  plant  in  other  ways. 
The  problem  is  one  which  confronts  drug  growers  in  the  United 
States  to-day.  In  respect  to  Digitalis,  it  has  been  shown  that  the  first 
year's  leaves  are  fully  as  active  as,  and  sometimes  more  active  than, 
the  second  year's  growth,  and  in  a  measure  the  same  holds  true  in 
regard  to  Hyoscyamus. 
The  question  is,  What  will  the  grower  do  with  his  first  year's 
growth,  and  with  the  stem  and  other  parts  of  the  plant? 
If  the  first  year's  growth  is  to  be  discarded,  and  if  in  the  second 
year's  growth  only  the  leaves  can  be  used,  the  cost  of  cultivation  will 
be  prohibitive.  I  have  in  mind  a  considerable  acreage  of  Belladonna 
which  is  just  ready  to  be  harvested ;  the  leaves,  to  meet  the  require- 
ments, must  be  free  from  stems.  The  stems,  flowering  tops,  and 
other  portions  of  the  plant,  except  the  root,  cannot  be  sold  as  a  drug 
meeting  the  requirements  of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  In  other  words,  less 
than  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the  yield  is  usable  for  Pharmacopoeia 
preparations. 
In  brief,  I  intended  to  point  out  that  we  should  follow  the  example 
of  the  cultivators  in  other  lands — be  able  to  utilize  the  whole  of  the 
plant,  and  thus  avoid  paying  a  high  price  for  only  selected  portions, 
especially  when  "  selections  "  does  not  always  mean  high  alkaloidal 
assay. 
Very  truly  yours, 
F.  B.  Kilmer. 
Sept.  1,  1915. 
BOOK  REVIEWS. 
The  Pharmacology  of  Useful  Drugs.  By  Robert  A.  Hatcher, 
Professor  of  Pharmacology,  Cornell  University  Medical  College, 
New  York,  and  Martin  I.  Wilbert,  Technical  Assistant,  Division  of 
Pharmacology,  Hygienic  Laboratory,  U.  S.  Public  Health  Service. 
Chicago :  American  Medical  Association,  535  North  Dearborn  Street, 
I9I5-  ; 
This  book  of  457  small  8vo  pages  embodies  a  discussion  in  popu- 
