Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
January,  1921.  J 
Book  Reviews. 
71 
Travaux  du  Laboratoire  de  Matiere  Medicale  de  L'Ecole 
SUPERIEURE   DE    PHARMACIE   DE    PARIS,   Vol.    XI,  I917-I919. 
Publishers,  Vigot  Freres,  Paris. 
The  volume  before  us  contains  a  series  of  theses  contributed 
as  researches  from  the  Materia  Medica  Laboratory  of  the  School 
of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Paris.  These  are  arranged  in 
five  parts: 
The  first  is  a  study  of  the  histological  characteristics  of  the 
natural  woods  of  Madagascar  and  a  comparison  of  these  with  the 
principal  woods  used  in  the  industries  in  Europe.  This  thesis  has 
been  prepared  by  Andre  Gerard.  In  the  consideration  of  each 
specimen  the  history,  macroscopic  characteristics,  the  microscopic 
examination  of  sections,  the  physical  properties  and  the  technical 
uses  are  carefully  described.  The  botany  of  the  wood  and  the 
source  from  which  each  authentic  sample  examined  by  the  student 
was  obtained,  the  synonyms  and  vernacular  names  employed  in  the 
country  from  which  obtained,  the  habitat  and  bibliographical  ref- 
erences are  given  with  each  description.  The  cellular  structure,  as 
shown  by  sections  of  the  wood  and  bark,  is  well  described  and  the 
illustrations  furnished  in  each  case  demonstrate  these  character- 
istics nicely.  The  cellular  contents  and  the  physical  and  chemical 
properties  are  also  generally  stated. 
This  monograph  of  about  1 60  pages  is  ended  with  tables  set- 
ting forth  the  chemical  properties  of  these  woods,  their  indigenous 
names  and  botanical  classifications. 
The  second  part  of  the  book  is  a  thesis  on  the  Alkaloidal  Con- 
tent of  Cultivated  Belladonna,  submitted  to  the  University  of  Paris 
by  Frederic  Beausite  for  the  diploma  of  Doctor  in  Pharmacy. 
The  author  carefully  reviews  the  literature  and  methods  for 
the  preparation  of  the  extract  of  belladonna,  the  various  methods 
for  its  assay,  the  effect  of  soil  constituents,  climatic  conditions  and 
the  time  of  cultivation.  These  questions  are  exhaustively  consid- 
ered in  this  thesis. 
The  third  part  is  devoted  to  a  thesis  on  the  Java  Coca,  being  a 
monograph  on  the  history,  botany,  chemistry  and  pharmacology, 
by  Mile.  Emma  Reens,  likewise  submitted  to  the  University  of 
Paris  for  the  diploma  of  Doctor  in  Pharmacy.  It  appears  that 
Erythroxylon  Coca  has  become  an  .important  article  of  cultivation 
and  commerce  in  Java  and  likewise  in  Ceylon.    Statistical  data  as 
