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it, handed the jar back to Hal, and placed the test tube
on a Bunsen burner with its blue-violet flame. Cherry
sniffed as the liquid bubbled and gradually separated
into its component elements. It certainly was smelly.
Dr. Greer pointed out a sediment that settled at the
bottom of the test tube.
We ll set up an experiment with the sediment, the
chemist said. First he examined it under the microscope.
I think this is panacin. Then he mixed it with another
chemical, to see how it would react, and tried it with
74 CHERRY AMES, RURAL NURSE
other catalysts. Yes, this is panacin, Dr. Greer said.
It s the main constituent of this patent medicine.
Cherry and Dr. Hal were not sure what panacin was.
Dr. Greer explained that it was an oily, gluey substance
derived from the Panax or Ginseng plant. He said it
could slightly soothe irritated mucous membrane. It
also had a slightly stimulating effect as a tonic.
Why don t you look it up? the chemist said, and
pointed out a copy of The Merck Index of Chemicals
and Drugs on the bookshelf. This was a standard refer-
ence book giving a list of drugs and chemicals.
I d like to look it up, Cherry said, and took down
the heavy volume. She turned to ginseng and read that
panacin is derived from the five leaf (quinquefolium)
Panax or ginseng plant. The chemical constituents of
the plant are panacin, sugar, starch, mucilage Cherry
skipped over other ingredients in the long list. She read
that The Pharmacopeia of the United States of America
had recognized ginseng 1840-1880 as an aromatic bit-
ters with a mildly soothing and stimulating effect. But
at present, and since about 1906 when the Federal
Pure Food and Drug Act was enacted, ginseng had no
official value. It s like herb tea, Cherry thought, nearly
worthless as a drug.
Then she consulted a botany book and read in sur-
prise:
American Panax or ginseng, a perennial, is a small,
leafy, originally woodland plant. It is native to the
United States; it also grows in China. In early days in
America, ginseng hunters, even a century ago, found
MEDICAL DETECTIVE WORK 75
large patches of ginseng where for hundreds of years
the plant had grown untouched. She went on read-
ing. Ginseng is now rare and little known. Some wild
patches can still be found, growing in the temperate-
weather zone around the Mississippi River, particularly
in Illinois and Iowa.
Particularly in Iowa! Its stalks carry five leaf clus-
ters. In September it has bright crimson berries. It has
a forked root like a human figure, two to four inches
long, translucent and brittle. Ginseng grows wild and
can be transplanted, or it can be cultivated. Ginseng
requires very little care or nurture.
Why, this was the plant growing in profusion at the
abandoned farm! The distinctive plant neither she nor
Jane had ever seen before! The plant that had been
common enough a hundred years ago A century ago,
Cherry thought. The secret of the old farm dated back
a hundred years or more. Cherry turned the page and
found a detailed pen and ink drawing of the Panax or
ginseng leaves and root. She recognized it as exactly
the same plant! She had never seen ginseng growing
anywhere else around here. Nor had Dr. Hal, when she
excitedly asked him.
The chemist was busy with paper and pencil, recon-
structing the formula of the patent medicine, mutter-
ing, Traces of albumen. He looked up and noticed
Cherry s excitement. Have you found something inter-
esting, Miss Ames?
Yes, I have! in this book I mean, especially at an
abandoned farm near Sauk, she sputtered. It took her
76 CHERRY AMES, RURAL NURSE
a moment to calm down, and explain to Dr. Hal and
the chemist.
They agreed her discovery was important. The gin-
seng that went into the patent medicine might very
well be the same ginseng growing at the abandoned
farm. If so, they had their first lead toward finding the
irresponsible or dishonest manufacturer of Nature s
Herb Cure.
But look at this address, Dr. Hal objected. He held
up the jar and read: Manufactured by Nature s Herbs
Company, Flushing, Iowa. Is Flushing near here? I never
heard of it.
Dr. Greer, a native Iowan, had never heard of Flush-
ing, either. Never mind where the place is. Ginseng is
uncommon. The ginseng used in this remedy might be
grown around Sauk, and shipped to Flushing.
Dr. Greer, Cherry asked, if I were to go to that old
farm this afternoon and bring you back a ginseng plant
today or tomorrow, how soon could you analyze it? To
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