Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Marco,  1892. 
Reviews. 
175 
which  are  divided  into  four  classes  :  solid,  soft,  liquid  and  gaseous  forms. 
Under  the  first  group  are  comprised  species,  powders,  pills,  plasters,  soaps, 
suppositories,  caustic  pencils,  etc.;  the  second  embraces  electuaries,  jellies, 
poultices,  pastes,  and  ointments  ;  in  the  third  are  found  the  numerous  forms  of 
solution  and  mixtures  for  internal  or  external  use,  including  liquores  pulveri- 
sati  (sprays);  and  the  fourth  group  is  formed  of  vapor  baths,  fumigations,  gas 
baths  and  gaseous  inhalations.  These  forms  of  medication  are  briefly  charac- 
terized, their  applications  are  explained,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  may 
be  prescribed  by  the  physician  is  clearly  indicated. 
The  second  part  of  the  work  treating  of  special  materia  medica,  considers 
the  numerous  remedies  from  the  medical  standpoint  in  sixteen  classes 
according  to  their  characteristic  action  ;  and  these  classes  are  arranged  in  the  fol- 
lowing four  divisions  :  Prophylactics  ;  topical  remedies  ;  pansomatics  (aromatics, 
bitter  remedies,  antidyscratics,  antipyretics),  and  teledynamics  (neurotics, 
cardiotonics,  dermatics,  etc.)  The  drugs  of  each  class  are  arranged  according 
to  their  similarity  of  action.  A  brief  history  and  a  short  but  exact  description 
of  the  drug  or  chemical,  the  chief  active  principle  or  principles  of  the  vege- 
table or  animal  drugs,  the  behavior  to  solvents,  etc.,  serve  as  an  introduction 
to  the  most  important  part  of  the  text  which  gives  more  in  detail  the  medical 
action  of  the  article,  its  therapeutic  uses,  doses,  antidotes,  etc.,  and  closes  with 
the  galenical  preparations  into  which  the  remedy  enters,  and  when  deemed 
necessary,  with  a  few  prescriptions  serving  as  illustrations  of  the  manner  in 
which  these  remedies  may  be  prescribed  and  combined  with  others. 
It  need  scarcely  be  stated  that  important  drugs  are  discussed  with  much 
greater  minuteness  than  others  of  less  importance,  and  that  rjon-pharmacopce- 
ial  drugs  are,  as  a  rule,  merely  briefly  referred  to.  In  all  cases  the  important 
facts  are  clearly  brought  out  in  that  convincing  manner,  which,  owing  to  the 
exactness  of  the  statements,  is  characteristic  of  the  author's  literary  works. 
This  attractiveness  is  enhanced  by  the  pleasing  garb  in  which  this  valuable 
and  useful  work  is  presented  by  the  publisher. 
Les  Aristoloches.  Etude  de  matiere  medicale,  par  Louis  Plan chon,  Docteur 
en  medecine,  Pharmacien  superieur,  etc.,  Montpellier  :  Hamelin  Freres. 
1891.    8vo.  Pp.  266. 
A  very  interesting  and  valuable  monograph  on  the  medicinal  species  of 
Aristolochia.  In  the  first  part,  a  brief  history  is  given  of  the  genus,  followed 
by  the  description  of  its  botanical  characters,  its  geographical  distribution  and 
its  medical  properties.  The  second  part  treats  of  the  drugs  examined  by  the 
author,  consisting  of  branches  and  subterraneous  parts,  and  which  he  divides 
into  three  groups,  viz  :  fibrous,  of  which  A.  Serpentaria  and  A.  Clematitis 
furnish  the  types  for  short  and  elongated  rhizomes  ;  woody,  the  most  numerous 
section  embracing  the  guacos  and  mil-homens  ;  and  tuberous,  which  are  again 
subdivided  into  three  divisions  :  round  (A.  rotunda,  pallida,  etc.),  long  (A. 
longa,  Fontanesi,  etc.),  and  filipendulous  (A.  tenera  andfilipendulina).  These 
drugs  are  considered  and  compared  according  to  their  physical  and  structural 
characteristics.  The  third  part  of  the  work  is  devoted  to  the  special  study  of 
the  medicinal  species,  nearly  one-half  of  the  two  hundred  known  species 
of  Aristolochia  being  considered,  more  or  less  extensively,  according  to  their 
importance  and  uses.    In  each  case  a  full  list  of  synonyms  is  given,  with  refer- 
