usually quoted at the same price and frequently at an advance on the price of the powder. The adulteration of this product with Hungarian Daisy, is deemed of such importance as to be worthy of record and prompt exposure.

The present editions of the Dispensatories contain but indifferent descriptions of this drug. The following descriptions are offered with the hope that they may serve to distinguish the two.

Hungarian Daisy.-Stems angled, the dried flower heads averaging about half inch in diameter, the rays florets being twisted and folded. When soaked in water to their natural size, the flower heads average 14 inch in diameter from tip to tip of the ray florets. The involucre broadly campanulate imbricate, the scaly margins chaff-like, the stem being deeply inserted makes it distinctly depressed or concave; greenish-grey in color, glabrous. (Fig. 1 represents the involucre, the dried flower enlarged two diameters.)

Receptacle prominent, subglobular, convex, dark colored. (Fig. 2. represents the receptacle, (the florets being removed) enlarged two diameters.

The ray florets, (about 18), white ligulate, nerved, three toothed pistillate; the appendages of the style extending beyond the tube. The achenia angled without pappus, but crowned with a faint margin. (Fig. 3 A represents the ray floret enlarged about three diameters.) The disk florets numerous, bright orange yellow, tubular, five toothed, the stamens included; achenia without pappus. (Fig. 3 B represents the disk floret enlarged about seven diameters.)

The botanical characteristics of this flower would indicate that it most probably belongs to the sub-genus Leucanthemum; but, with only the flowers for examination, the naming of the species would be but a guess of little or no value.

Jour. Pharm

, 1889

Chrysanthemum cinerariæ folium, Bocc. (Pyrethrum cinerariæfolium, Treviranus)-Dalmatian Insect Flower. Stem angled, the whole flower head ashy gray in color and quite pubescent. When dried the flower heads are from to inch in diameter, the ray florets being twisted and folded and frequently broken off. When soaked to the natural size, about 14 inch in diameter, including the ray florets. The involucre imbricate,

the scaly margins membranous, campanulate and convex without depression at place of attachment to stem. Fig. 4 represents the dried involucre enlarged two diameters. The receptacle small, conical, naked and solid and light greenish-gray in color. (Fig. 5 represents the receptacle of the dried flower, the florets being removed, enlarged two diameters.) The ray florets, (about 18) white, ligulate, nerved, three toothed, the tube pubescent, pistillate; the appendages of the style

protruding beyond the short tube. The achenia crowned with a membranous, notched (eroded) pappus. (Fig. 6 A represents the ray floret enlarged about 3 diameters). The disk florets, numerous gray tending towards light yellow in color, tubular, five toothed, the stamens included. The achenia angled, nearly as long as the tube and also crowned with a notched pappus. (Fig. 6 B represents the disk floret

Jan., 1889.

enlarged about four diameters.) The florets of the true insect powder are somewhat larger than those of the Hungarian Daisy.

The Hungarian Daisy is distinguished from the true Pyrethrum by the orange yellow disk florets, by the depression of the involucre, by its prominent dark receptacle and the absence of pubescence and pappus. The odor is less pungent than that of the true insect flower being more like that of matricaria. The difference in odor is more pronounced on infusing in warm water. The Hungarian Daisy yields a powder, somewhat darker in color. This powder used upon flies and cockroaches appeared to have no value as an insecticide. Microscopically no difference could be detected between the two powders.

Time and the amount of material at my command would not permit of a thorough chemical examination, but it was hoped that the percentage of extractive matter obtained with various solvents might furnish a useful comparison. The following statement exhibits the results obtained.

A Contribution from the Chemical Laboratory of the Philadelphia College of

Pharmacy.

Read at the Pharmaceutical Meeting, December 18th.

The following description of the above plant, together with the material for analysis, has been furnished by Dr. V. Havard, U. S. Army Surgeon, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota :

“Lewisia rediviva, called "Spathum" by the natives of Northern California and South Oregon, and "Chita" by those of Northern Oregon. The "bitter root" of the whites in the Rocky Mountain region.

"This interesting member of the Purslane family (Portulacaceae) named after the great explorer, Capt. Lewis, who, with Capt. Clarke, first crossed the Rocky Mountains in 1805, owes its specific designa

Jour

tion to its wonderful vitality; prepared specimens have been found, after months and years, sprouting in herbariums, and have, even then, been planted successfully.

"It is a small stemless herb with linear leaves, smooth and fleshy, densely imbricated on the short, thick caudex. From the cluster of leaves spring one or more jointed scapes, one or two inches long, each bearing a showy flower. Sepals 6-8, light pink, broadly ovate, membranous, persistent. Petals 8-10, rose colored, oblong, often an inch long, at length twisting around the stamens and pistil. Stamens numerous. Capsule globose, 1-celled, separating transversely at the base, containing many campylotropous shining seeds borne on long funiculi which spring from a central placenta.

"This plant blossoms early in May and through June and part of July. After the middle of July (according to Dr. C. C. Parry) the scape breaks off at the joint and the flower is blown away, leaving no trace of the plant exposed to view until the following spring develops the cluster of leaves by which the Indians are guided in procuring their supplies of this palatable and nutritious root.

"It is common, often abundant in the Rocky mountains and westward to the Pacific, on dry prairies and in mountain valleys. Its vast habitat comprises the southern part of Washington territory, Oregon, Idaho, Western Mohtana (where it gives its name to the Bitter Root Mountains), Northern California, Nevada, Utah, Western Wyoming and Northern Arizona.

"The natives use the roots as an article of food. These roots, 3 or 4, or more, curled and twisted, spread out laterally and are generally superficial. As they spring from the caudex they are rarely half an inch in diameter and are seldom thicker than a goose quill; they taper gradually to a length of two to four inches when they branch off into small radicles. The bark is brownish externally, bright red within and very bitter, it is quite possible that it might possess useful tonic and astringent properties. The inner part of the root is white and farinaceous, containing in the centre the yellowish pith. This white part is quite palatable and said to be very nutritious, a single ounce of the dried article (according to Dr. E. Palmer) being sufficient for a meal. Eaten raw it has a slight bitterish flavor. According to Nuttall, it almost dissolves into starch by maceration in cold water. If boiled in water, it forms a substance similar to boiled arrow-root. The Indians, generally, boil it with other esculents into a soup.

"As a very pretty ornamental plant, the Bitter Root would prove quite an acquisition to our gardens."

The roots of the above plant as received by me were free from bark, of a white color, and ready for use as food. No evidence of sugar as glucose or saccharose could be obtained. Tests for tannin likewise gave negative results. The most important constituents are starch, gum and mucilage, the last two are not readily precipitated by alcohol. The following summary gives the amount of the most important food constituents.

The amount of starch found may appear small when we consider the uses of the root, but the large amount of gum and mucilage make up for this deficiency.

THE LEAVES OF MAGNOLIA GLAUCA, LINNÉ.

BY WILBUR FISK RAWLINS, PH. G.

Abstract from a Thesis.

The leaves are three to six inches long, one and a half to two inches in width, have a prominent mid-rib, are pinnately veined, elliptical, petiolate, coriaceous, deep green upon the upper side and of a beautiful glaucous color underneath. in the early part of September. pounds, the loss being sixty per cent. number eighty powder.

Twenty pounds were collected After drying they weighed eight They were then reduced to a

Two grams of the drug heated in an air-bath at a temperature of 110° C. lost ten per cent., and when incinerated left 10 per cent. of ash.

Fifty grams of the powdered leaves were placed in a flask, covered with petroleum spirit and, after maceration, exhausted; five per cent. of the drug was soluble in petroleum. This residue when heated to 110°C. lost four-tenths per cent. Absolute alcohol left four-tenths of one per cent. of insoluble waxy matter melting at 64° C.