572 
Book  Reviews. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharni. 
(  December,  1915. 
mophytes,  embracing  Gymnosperms  and  Angiosperms.  The  Angio- 
sperms  yield  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  vegetable  drugs,  and 
about  seven-eighths  of  the  book  is  taken  up  in  consideration  of  the 
drugs  of  this  group. 
Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  number  and  excellence  of 
the  plates  with  which  the  book  is  illustrated.  While  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  plates  are  reproductions  of  original  photographs  and 
drawings  made  by  the  author,  in  some  instances  the  works  of  other 
authors  have  been  drawn  upon,  credit  being  given  to  each  author 
in  connection  with  the  reproduction.  The  selection  of  the  borrowed 
illustrations  has  for  the  most  part  been  a  happy  one,  but  in  one  in- 
stance a  drawing  by  Hasse,  representing  a  cross-section  of  Helonias 
rhizome,  omits  the  most  characteristic  feature  of  the  drug.  Instances 
of  this  kind,  however,  are  rare,  the  illustrations  with  their  accom- 
panying legends  forming  a  most  useful  portion  of  the  book,  par- 
ticularly to  the  student.  In  some  cases  the  illustrations  supple- 
ment the  description  given  in  the  text,  and  the  student  is  advised  to 
consult  them  freely. 
The  individual  drugs  are  treated  in  a  most  exhaustive  and 
thorough  manner,  usually  after  the  following  outline:  The  Latin 
and  English  names,  the  habitat  of  the  plant,  the  part  used,  the  time 
of  collection  and  method  of  preparation  for  market,  a  macroscopic 
description  of  the  drug,  the  histology  of  the  inner  structure  and  the 
powder,  the  constituents,  the  allied  products  and  adulterants,  and, 
finally,  literature  citations. 
A  very  useful  feature  of  the  book  is  the  key  for  the  study  and 
identification  of  powders,  in  which  they  are  first  divided  into  groups 
according  to  color,  sub-groups  being  formed  by  making  use  of  the 
most  important  histological  feature  common  to  a  portion  of  the 
larger  group.  A  characteristic  histological  feature  indicates  the 
identity  of  the  powder.  By  referring  to  the  index  the  full  de- 
scription given  in  the  text  may  be  consulted. 
A  special  feature  of  the  book  is  the  application  of  the  crystal- 
lographic  method  of  examination  to  certain  drugs  having  con- 
stituents which  may  be  obtained  in  crystalline  form.  In  this  method 
the  angles  and  elasticity  axes  of  crystals  are  determined  by  means 
of  the  petrographical  microscope.  The  subject  is  in  a  rather  rudi- 
mentary stage  at  present,  but  appears  to  offer  an  unlimited  field  for 
scientific  investigation. 
Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  unusually  interesting  and  in- 
