THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
MARCH,  i898. 
A  BRIEF  STUDY  OF  THE  RHUBARBS  AND  A  PROBABLE 
ADULTERANT. 
By  L.  E.  Sayre, 
Member  of  Research  Committee  C  of  Revision  Committee  of  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia. 
Problem  twelve  proposed  by  the  Committee  on  Revision  of  the 
Pharmacopoeia  for  1900  reads  :  "  Rheum — distinguish  from  Rhapon- 
ticum  and  from  Rumex  hymenosepalus,"  the  drugs  being  in  the 
powdered  state.  The  object  of  this  paper  is  to  present  the  investi- 
gations of  the  author  upon  the  line  of  work  indicated  in  the  query. 
For  the  purpose  of  the  study,  both  microscopical  and  chemical 
methods  have  been  employed,  and  will  here  be  described  ;  and  since 
the  greater  part  of  the  research  has  been  accomplished  by  the  use 
of  the  optical  instrument,  the  methods  used  and  the  results  obtained 
by  it  will  first  be  considered. 
In  connection  with  this  subject  I  need  only  remark  that  the  line 
of  work  laid  out  in  former  contributions  has  been  adhered  to  in  the 
present  instance.  Authentic  specimens  having  been  obtained  from 
the  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  they  were  carefully  prepared, 
sectioned,  and  the  elements  studied  in  their  normal  relations  to  each 
other.  With  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  structure  thus  obtained, 
the  drugs  in  the  powdered  condition  were  then  observed,  and  the 
prominent  characteristics  noted.  Drawings  and  photographs  were 
made,  and  appear  with  this  article.  It  is  best,  I  think,  to  state  here  that 
although  the  specimens  used  are  doubtless  thoroughly  representative, 
care  must  be  used  in  drawing  too  general  conclusions  from  the  re- 
(129) 
