EDITORIAL. 
91 
Eclectic  Remedies  as  prepared  by  the  Shakers. — During  a  visit  to  the 
Shaker  village  last  September,  we  were  shown  some  crude  specimens  of 
some  of  the  "concentrated  preparations,"  so  called  by  the  Eclectic  physicians, 
which  were  in  course  of  preparation.  Since  then,  Mr.  Fowler,  the  enter- 
prising chief  of  the  medicine  department  of  that  people,  has  sent  us  speci- 
mens of  Leptandrin,  Myricin,  Podophyllin,  Colocynthin  and  Macroytin, 
neatly  put  up  in  ounce  vials,  enclosed  in  paper  boxes,  the  vials  covered  with 
tin  caps.  The  Macroytin  and  Podophyllin  appear  to  be  the  resinoid  matter 
of  the  respective  drugs  obtained  in  the  way  described  in  eclectic  books.  They 
have  not  been  treated  with  animal  charcoal  or  otherwise  deprived  of  coloring 
matter,  but  possess  the  odor  and  appearance  of  pure  preparations.  In  refer- 
ence to  the  Colocynthin  resin,  we  have  some  theoretical  doubts.  Colocynth 
pulp  contains  about  13  per  cent,  of  resin,  and  14  per  cent,  of  colocynthin,  but 
we  are  not  prepared  to  say  how  much  of  the  latter  is  retained  in  the  resin 
after  it  is  washed  with  water,  nor  will  it  be  easy  to  decide  the  question  with- 
out resort  to  a  physiological  experiment.  If  it  does  retain  its  activity  this 
preparation  may  become  a  valuable  agent  in  the  hands  of  the  physician.  The 
Myricin  and  Leptandrin  of  the  Shakers,  are  simply  dry  alcoholic  extracts 
reduced  to  powder.  They  appear  to  possess  the  active  properties  of  the  re- 
spective plants  yielding  them,  yet  we  cannot  but  believe  that  the  really  active 
principles  may  be  more  nearly  reached  than  by  a  simple  extract,  as  they 
do  not  seem  to  be  resins.  We  would  advise  that  in  all  cases  where  the  cha- 
racter of  the  preparations,  obtained  by  certain  processes,  is  not  well  estab- 
lished, that  the  products  be  therapeutically  tested  by  medical  men  before  they 
are  thrown  into  commerce,  and  their  relative  medicinal  activity  determined. 
History  of  Medicine,  from  its  origin  to  the  nineteenth  century,  with  an  ap- 
pendix, containing  a  philosophical  and  historical  review  of  medicine  at 
the  present  time,  P.  V.  Renouard,  M.  D.  Translated  from  the  French 
by  Cornelius  G.  Comegys,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  the  Institute  of  Medicine, 
Miami  Medical  College.  Cincinnati,  Moore,  Wilstach,  Keys  &  Co.  1856. 
Pp.  719,  octavo. 
The  author  commences  his  work  with  the  following  quotation  from  Ca- 
banis  ;  «  In  order  to  study  and  practice  Medicine  in  a  proper  manner  it  is 
necessary  to  be  impressed  with  its  importance  ;  and  to  be  so  impressed  we 
must  believe  in  it."  Which  is  evidently  pointed  at  the  skepticism  in  refe- 
rence to  medicine,  as  a  science,  which  has  and  does  prevail  with  many  phy- 
sicians. 
Our  author  evidently  himself  is  no  medical  skeptic,  A  careful  study  of 
its  history  has  convinced  him  that  in  spite  of  its  rival  theories  and  chang- 
ing doctrines,  past  and  present,  that  there  is  a  science  of  medicine  around 
which,  and  mixed  with  which,  these  hypotheses  exist.  "As  a  science  so 
far  as  regards  theories,  medicine  offers  the  picture  of  a  republic  delivered 
up  to  many  rival  factions,  which  dominate  by  turns  without  ever  obtaining 
lasting  power.  Theory  is  an  arena  of  interminable  discussions  a  real  tower 
of  Babel;  it  is  the  apple  of  discord  among  physicians,    Who  cajQ  flatter 
