Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
May,  1876.  J 
Pressed  Herbs. 
l97 
success  in  the  chronic  fevers  of  oriental  countries  ;  it  is  made  into  a 
strong  decoction  together  with  the  leaves  of  the  olive  tree.  The  name 
of  the  plant  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  derived  from  Kivraupoc,  cen- 
taur, while  others  refer  its  origin  to  the  words  centum,  a  hundred,  and 
aurum,  gold,  signifying  a  plant  worth  a  hundred  gold  pieces. 
In  this  connection  it  may  be  stated  that  there  are  annually  consumed 
in  Greece  about  20,000  kilos,  and  in  all  the  oriental  countries  over 
500,000  kilos  of  sulphate  of  quinia. 
PRESSED  HERBS. 
BY  J.  U.   LLOYD,  CINCINNATI,  O. 
Herbs  are  pressed  to  reduce  their  bulk,  they  then  are  compact,  re- 
quire but  little  space  for  storage,  and  are  easily  handled.  If  I  mistake 
not,  I  have  named  about  the  only  advantages  pressed  herbs  possess 
over  loose. 
My  experiments  teach  me  that  they  deteriorate  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
as  rapidly  when  pressed  as  loose.  In  either  case,  they  are  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  decomposing  effects  of  the 
moisture  with  which  it  is  usually  laden.  Insects  attack  both.  Pressed 
herbs,  without  a  doubt,  mould  quickest.  Excepting  the  mere  matter 
of  bulk  there  is  no  inducement  for  pressing  herbs.  Common  paper 
bags,  or  even  cotton  sacks,  will  preserve  them  as  well.  The  desidera- 
tum of  the  day  is  a  process  for  preserving  the  delicate  medicinal 
principles  of  our  herbs  from  season  to  season.  If  this  can  be  accom- 
plished, in  conjunction  with  compactness  of  form,  so  much  the  better, 
otherwise  let  us  choose  quality  first,  even  though  it  be  at  the  sacrifice 
of  convenience  in  handling. 
In  the  proceedings  of  the  Amer.  Pharmaceutical  Association,  1875, 
we  find  an  article  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Miller,  upon  an  im- 
proved method  for  preserving  herbs,  said  improvement  being  the  sub- 
stitution of  pasteboard  boxes  for  paper.  The  herbs,  instead  of  being 
pressed  by  the  dealers  into  compact  masses,  as  is  now  customary,  are, 
by  the  pharmacists  themselves,  firmly  packed  into  the  box  by  hand, 
remaining  loose  enough  to  admit  of  examination  at  any  time.  In  my 
opinion,  the  important  point  in  connection  with  dried  herbs  is  preserva- 
tion, not  convenience.  Is  there  any  advantage  to  be  derived,  in  this 
respect,  from  the  substitution  of  pasteboard  boxes  for  our  machine 
