From our Herbalogy book review two names have served more than fifty years: Joseph E. Meyer,“ Herbalist” for North America, classified 470 herbals,“ Potters Cyclopedia” of drug preparations with 700 plants for the Commonwealth. To date the above books, which have been reprinted, are the only reliable privately published Herbals. There are many other attempts, but they have had only local and temporary fame, despite their excellent value.
We have reviewed Russian literature in the Bibliography. The latest information arrived after our manuscript was in print. Once again as a reminder, Herbalogy abroad is accepted for all known treatment and commands respect in many quarters, including numerous Institutes, Government Bodies, Special Schools, Medical Institutes, Laboratories, Clinics, Universities, Academies of Science, Experimental Stations, Botanic Gardens, School and. Youth organizations, for field work in identifying and collecting material for Folk Medicine. The following is from botanical analyses and research for 1968: Alkaloid, over 6,000; Ether Oil, over 4,000; Glucoside( for heart), over 2,000; Saponine, over 3,000; Flavin, about 1,000; Coumarin, 1,000. Russian Botanics have over 17,000 classified higher flowering plants, of which about 2,500 are used in Folk Medicine. For industrial, commercial( export) and medicine over 600 different plants are worked out by experiments and promoted for over 77 per cent heart and blood circulation conditions; 74 per cent liver and stomach; 80 per cent female corrective; 73 per cent bronchitis; etc., use only plant preparations.
There are over 100,000 accepted medical preparations in the world( Atlas, Moscow, 1963). Of these 30 per cent use pure plants, the other 70 per cent partly plants and partly chemicals. For heart conditions many of the plants cannot be substituted. In Russia, total outlet of plant life is up to 60,000 tons, not including the domestic cultivation by 25,000 Chinese-tea growers and an unknown amount of herbals used as domestic preparations.
In 1967 there were nineteen specialized medical botanic farms with over 250,000 total acres under cultivation belonging to a special state Lekarsprom( Medical Industry), and over 800 collective and state farms( Kolchaz and Sovchoz), working under contract with several state bodies. The over-all amount is still not enough to cover domestic and export requirements. The federal government encourages growth and collection of varied botanics. Educational material on Herbalogy is distributed by and through articles, books, booklets, brochures, encylopaedias, daily publications, magazines and monography.
LITERATURE ABROAD
Dealing with literature on our subject in Russia: publications on botanics are falling short of public request. This is most impressive and encouraging for our concern of the people in all lands.
The following information on their herbal publications is not for statistics but as illustration only. This is but a fraction of total publications Bello-Russ., Academy of Science, 1965, published 50,000 copies of“ Medical Plants” priced at 1.73 roubles($ 1.50), 380 pages, fully illustrated. Second edition 1966. The third edition, 1967, improved and enlarged issue, 75,000 copies with over 400 pages, 1.63 roubles($ 1.80). In 1967 Kolos, Moscow, published“ Medical Plants of U. S. S. R., 400 pages, fully illustrated, with 180,000 copies at 1.10 roubles($ 1.22). Omitting many others, we have received“ Malaya Medicinskay Encyclopaedia”( a small medical encyclopaedia), where herbals take prominent place with latest data. Of the twenty-four volumes we have only seven, all others being in preparation. Each volume is of ordinary encyclopaedia size of folio, with illustrations( some in full colour), and