Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-11-09

even il each short-coming was not de-
tected- In the long run its business
would suffer. For a manufacturers
concern that has scrupulous regard
for its own reputation, therefore, it is
necessary that tests be made. Another
good reason for conducting such inves-
LEGATIONS is that the house might be
guided thereby in the choice of sources
from which it obtained its raw ma
terial.
The means employed for ascertain
ing the strength of drug are usually
of q chemical nature. Certain other
substances are added in carefully ad-
justed proportions and the reactions
which ensue reveal to : the skillful
chemist the quality of the stuff under
examination.
4 different and unique plan, how
ever, is pursued by one large house in
this country. 1t administers small
doses of the drugs to living beings and
watches the effect. If these substances
could be given to human subjects per-
haps the test would be more satisfac-
tory in some respects. But there are
obvious objections to such a procedure.
Few people would like to be experi4
mented upon with drugs which are
| poisonous. Hence it has occurred 20
the firm which uses thesnew method
to try their stuff on the lower. animals.
For instance, if digitalis is 60 be test
ed, 1t is tried on frog. A small guam
tlty having been administered, an in
strument which registers the action of
the heart is so attached to the frog
as to feel the creatures pulse. This
machine is called kymograph. If the
frogs pulse is recorded both before
and after taking" it will be possible to
ascertain how much the digitalis has
stimulated the heart, If at all. If no
effect is observed it is safesto say that
the drug is worthless. If certain
amount yields well-defined results Il is
then possible to calculate the precise
strength of the drug. The waves in
the line traced by the kymograph on a
moving strip Of paper will show, by an
increase in frequency or height, any
extraneous influence at work on the
heart.
Hasheesh is usually tried on dog.
II the drug is worthless, the dog re-
mains sober and active. But il it is
potent, it will tangle his feet for him
and paralyze him temporarily. He
drops off into nap, and perhaps has
the same delightful visions which are
supposed to result from mans indul-
gence in Canabis lndica. A special de-
/ gree of doubt attaches to this drug. A
product which possesses the desired
qualities is derived only from unferti-
lized female blossoms of the Indian
hemp. If fertilized female blossoms or
male blossoms be used, the effect Is
not the same. A tincture may be OBJ
tanned which looks and tastes like the
genuine article, but unless it is made
from the right class of flowers it IS
valueless.
The test made for ergot is an odd
one. The drug is given to a rooster.
but instead OF being placed in his
stomach, it is injected into his comb.
If 1T has the proper quality, it will dis
color the comb. At first the hue pro-
duced is blue, but this eventually turns
to black if the drug is sufficiently pow
erful. The strength of the sample is
estimated from the precise shade of
color developed.
A dozen or more different animals
are thus utilized. One responds readily
to one drug and another to another.
The frogs employed are very small
ones. The house in question once had
a lot of frogs which were transported
hundreds of miles but were rejected
because too large.
When this subject is preached to
other manufacturers of drugs they
smile in a long-suffering manner
as if greatly bored. They have heard
OF it many times before. While pro-
fessional courtesy restraints them from
INDUCING in criticism, they are appar-
emily well satisfied with their own
methods of inquiry. These, in most
cases, are prescribed in a standard
work which is kept in all pharmacies
in this Countrywide United States
Pharmacopoeia." The tests are
chemical in character, and, within GER
tain limits, enable any enlightenet
druggist to judge for himself whether
he is getting his moneys worth or no;
when buying from wholesale dealers.
On the other hand, 1t is alleged by
the firm which adopted the new sys.
tenn Of testing that chemical analysis
will fail to afford the desired informa.
ton, with number Of drugs. For in
stance, strophanthus and digitalis ar,
substances whose active principles arr
well known; but these cannot be as
sayed chemically, it Is asserted, be
cause the glucCsides to which they ow
their activity are OF such delicate
structure that they decOmpose in pro
cess of extraction, and so prevent
! quantitative estimation. Ergot de-
mands 'physiologic testing" because,
notwithstanding the investigation
which has been lavished upon it by
scientists, no one has yet succeeded in
isolating the definite component which
duplicates the action Of the drug; this.
Of course, renders any assay by chem c
methods very unsatisfactory. Regard