BBB

PHARMACOPCEIAL VEGETABLE DRUGS.

tion of a belladonna plaster that is exceedingly populär, as well as hav-ing a professional reputation. Johnson and Johnson, New Brunswick,U. S. A., now use more than 150,000 pounds of belladonna yearly inthe making of plasters.

BENZOINUM

Benzoinum (from Styrax benzoin), curiously enough escaped theattention of the Greeks and Romans, nor, so far as is known, did thoseenergetic tradesmen of the tenth to the thirteenth centuries, theArabians and Persians, carry it to China. Ibn Batuta (333a)1325-49, mentions "Java frankincense," which under the Arabianname became corrupted into Banjawi, Benjui, Benzui, Benzo'e, Benzoin,and finally even Benjamin. After a hundred years the sultan of Egypt,Melech Elmaydi, sent it to the doge of Venice among other presents,and in 1490 a second doge of Venice was presented with a largeramount by the same sultan of Egypt. Considered still a precious bai-sam, in 1476 Caterina Cornaro, queen of Cyprus, received from Egypt15 pounds of "Benzui." Thence travelers in Siam and the MalabatCoast, Venetian tradesmen, and others, gave it due consideration, dur-ing and after which time it became regularly imported into Europe.Being submitted to dry distillation in rüde paper cones over a pan, theCondensed distillate, or flowers, under the name of Flores Benzo'es, inthe 17Ü1 Century, gave origin to the now familiär Benzoic Acid. Thusfrom the empiricism of the past this grateful flavoring agent and pre-servative was introduced to the medicine and pharmacy of to-day.

BERBERIS

The berberis ofhcially recorded in the Pharmacopeia of theUnited States, (Berberis aquifolium, or mahonia), was introduced tomedicine by Dr. Bundy, an Eclectic physician of California, whobrought it to the attention of physicians (467) through the manufac-turing establishment of Parke, Davis and Company, of Detroit, Mich-igan. This variety had previously been used throughout the WesternStates as a domestic remedy in the direction commended by Dr. Bundy,and in many respects it paralleled the domestic and omcial uses of itsnear relatives in the Orient and elsewhere.

The Pharmacopeia of India reeognizes three species of barberryunder the common name berberis. These species of barberry have do-mestic records as tonics dating from the earliest times, being used indecoction or infusion in inflammatory discharges, as well as in appli-cations for various forms of Ophthalmie inflammation. The Arabianphysicians employed this plant. Dioscorides (194), Pliny (514), Cel-sus (136), Galen (254a), and others recognized it. It was one of theIndian drugs on which the Alexandrians levied duty, A. D. 176-180.Among Greek antiquities are preserved small vases of barberry, show-ing its value in ancient times. A certain Heraclides of Tarentum ismentioned by Celsus as having a reputation for treating diseases of theeye, and among the vases of barberry above referred to, is one bearingthe label of this person. In formulas for eye diseases given by Galen2 9