It is held that the interested parties need not necessarily appear in person or by attorney, but, instead, may submit a brief to the Board of Food and Drug Inspection stating their side of the case.

If the results of the inspection and examination indicate that the law has not been violated, or if it is believed by the Dapartment that prosecution is unwarranted because of irregularity of sample, or for other reason, the dealer will be notified that no further action will be taken with reference to that sample.

No information will be given in any case by an inspector or branch laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry regarding the report of an inspection of a factory or the result of an analysis. No statement will be made at any time except as mentioned above regarding the analysis of a sample that is found to be in accordance with the law. No certificate of analysis will be given, and no report other than the notice of a violation of the law referred to above. Requests for reports upon samples taken will be answered by a copy of this decision.

The following form for the identification of inspectors has been adopted:

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Washington, D. C.,.....

• • • . . . ., 190 This is to certify that. whose photograph appears opposite, is authorized to inspect establishments manufacturing and dealing in food and drugs and products entering into their manufacture, under the food and drugs act, June 30, 1906.

This authorization expires

(Date.)

(Secretary.)

In addition to the above, the form includes a photograph of the inspector, the whole bound in a stiff cover. [H. W. WILEY, FREDERICK L. DUNLAP, GEO. P. MCCABE, Board of Food and drug Inspection, Washington, D. C., May 14, 1907.

Abuse of Guaranty for Advertising Purposes. (F. I. D. 70.)-The attention of the Department has been called repeatedly of late to the abuse, for advertising purposes, of the serial number assigned to a guaranty. The Department of Agriculture accepts no responsibility for the guaranty which the manufacturer or dealer files. Particular attention must be paid to the fact that it must neither be directly stated nor implied in any fashion that the Department of Agriculture or the United States Government guarantees or indorses the products to which the guaranty and serial number are attached. The guaranty represented by the serial number is the guaranty of the manufacturer and not of the Government.

To facilitate business a serial number is assigned to this guaranty, and the guaranty is filed in the Department of Agriculture for the purpose of verifying the serial number when it is used on packages of goods.

The misuse of the serial number is a misrepresentation, and in each case of such an abuse the serial number will be withdrawn and the guaranty returned after proper notice. Serial numbers, however which have been issued and passed into commerce prior to withdrawal will be respected by the Department in any action which may be brought against dealers selling goods bearing the number which is improperly used.

The attachment of the serial number or guaranty to

articles which are not foods or drugs is also regarded as a misrepresentation on which a similar action will be based.

Use of Guaranties and Serial Numbers Thereof. (F. I. D. 72.)-A misapprehension exists as to the requirements of the regulations for the enforcement of the food and drugs act, June 30, 1906, in regard to placing the serial number on articles manufactured by persons who have filed a guaranty with the Department and to whom a serial number has been issued identifying the said guaranty. Many have the impression that if a guaranty be filed the serial number which is assigned thereto must be used on all foods or drugs manufactured by them.

Regulation 9 provides two general methods of guaranty. The first is described in subdivision (5) of Regulation 9, as follows:

(b) A general guaranty may be filed with the Secretary of Agriculture by the manufacturer or dealer and be given a serial number, which number shall appear on each and every package of goods sold under such guaranty with the words, "Guaranteed under the food and drugs act, June 30, 1906."

The second is described in subdivision (d) of Regulation 9, as follows:

(d) If the guaranty be not filed with the Secretary of Agriculture as above, it should identify and be attached to the bill of sale, invoice, bill of lading, or other schedule giving the names and quantities of the articles sold.

The statement in subdivision (b), that when a guarantor is assigned a serial number the said number shall appear, should not be construed as mandatory. The meaning is that if a manufacturer wishes to make effective the guaranty filed with the Department, he must place the legend and serial number on his goods, otherwise no protection is afforded to his customers in the absence of a special agreement or the alternative as provided in subdivision (d) of Regulation 9.

Regulation 9, in its entirety is intended to provide for the enforcement and administration of section 9 of the food and drugs act, which reads as follows:

SEC. 9. That no dealer shall be prosecuted under the provisions of this Act when he can establish a guaranty signed by the wholesaler, jobber, manufacturer, or other party residing in the United States, from whom he purchases such articles, to the effect that the same is not adulterated or misbranded within the meaning of this Act, designating it. Said guaranty, to afford protection, shall contain the name and address of the party or parties making the sale of such articles to such dealer, and in such case said party or parties shall be amenable to the prosecutions, fines and other penalties which would attach, in due course, to the dealer under the provisions of this Act.

A study of the law in connnection with the regulations makes it apparent that the intention is to provide a means whereby the manufacturer can asssume responsibility under the law for the character of the goods manufactured by him, after they have passed out of his possession into the hands of the person who purchased them from him. In no case is a guaranty a good defense, unless it be from the person who sold the goods to the person offering the guaranty as a defense. In order to simplify the procedure, the Department volunteers to act as custodian of the guaranty, which is an offer on the part of the manufacturer to free dealers, reselling his goods, from responsibility, under the law, for possible misbranding or adulteration. In order that the guarantor may convey his intention on his part to purchasers of his goods, a serial number is assigned to such guarantor, and by placing this number on his goods he fixes his responsibility. Whether he desires to enter into an agreement of this kind with the purchaser of his goods is a matter wholly within his discretion, and he can use the serial number or not for this purpose, as he may please. The use of the number will save the trouble of individual guaranties with each individual transaction or each individual customer. In other words, the label itself will carry notice that the manufacturer holds himself responsible, under the law, to the persons who purchase goods directly from him, for any misbranding or adulteration.

DRUG ADULTERATIONS.

BY DR. CHARLES E. CASPARI, ST. LOUIS, MO.

Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Drug Adulterations at the Twenty-Ninth Annual Meeting of the Missouri Pharmaceutical Association, at Pertle Springs, June 12, 1907.

DR. CHARLES E. CASPARI.

From June 1, 1906 to June 1, 1907, in the neighborhood of 1,900 samples have been examined, including chemicals, essential oils and crude drugs. The net result of all this work has been to show that the state of the market as regards purity is exceptionally good. This state of affairs has unquestionably been largely brought about through the enactment by Congress of the Pure Food and Drugs Law, which was passed last June and which went into effect on the first of January of this year. The sum and 'substance of this law is that the label must tell the truth, and it requires no superhuman intelligence to see that such a law must make for purer drugs and chemicals. It is not within the province of this committee to discuss the Food and Drugs Act, but there is one defect in it which deserves mention. This defect is favorable to the unscrupulous retail pharmacist, and consists in the fact that he is not compelled by the law to use only drugs and chemicals of official U. S. P. strength in filling physician's prescriptions. Spirit of Nitrous Ether is an excellent illustration. The Pharmacopoeia requires this preparation to contain 4% of ethyl nitrite, but there has always been a demand by pharmacists for an article which should be cheaper and consequently manufacturers have supplied them with a spirit of ethyl nitrite labeled "3F" or "4F" and containing from 1% to 3% of ethyl nitrite. Now the manufacturers comply with the law by stating the strength of the preparation on the label, but the pharmacist continues to fill the prescription with the weaker article, thus, for a few cents profit, defeating the object of the physician and of the medicine. The proof that such a practice is being followed is the fact that large quantities of the weaker spirit of nitrous ether are sold. One member of your committee, Mrs. D. V. Whitney, has, during the past year, done considerable work on spirit of nitrous ether and her results will appear later.

A list of the articles examined, the number of samples of each article examined and the results of such examination follow:

Reduced Iron.-Fourteen samples examined, two o. k.; ten contain excess of sulphide, two weak in strength.

Acetic Acid, 36%.- Thirty-two samples examined, thirty o. k.; two weak in strength,

Oil Sassafras.-Eleven samples examined, eight o. k.; three low in Specific Gravity.

Oil Pimenta.-Three samples examined, three o. k. Oil Cubebs.-Three samples examined, three o. k. Acetanilide. Seventy-eight samples examined, seventy-eight o. k.

Silver Nitrate. Twelve samples examined, eleven o. k.; one contained lead.

Cocaine Hydrochloride.-115 samples examined, 115 o. k.

Codeine Phosphate.-Forty-three samples examined, forty-three o. k.

Codeine Sulphate.-Thirty-nine samples examined, thirty-nine o. k.

Methylene Blue.-Four samples examined, three o. k.; one contained zinc.

Glycerine. Sixteen samples examined, two o. k.; fourteen contained butyric acid.

Tartaric Acid.-Five samples examined, four o. k.; one contained metallic impurities.

Potassium Iodide.-103 samples examined, sixty-nine o. k.; fourteen contained excess alkali, twenty contained iodate.

Lead Acetate.-Seven samples examined, four o. k.; three contained excess carbonate.

Balsam Copaiba.-Nineteen samples examined, fourteen o. k.; five contained gurjun balsam. Vanillin.-Seventeen samples examined, seventeen

o. k.

Tannin.-Seven samples examined, none U. S. P.; seven not completely soluble in water.

Bismuth Subgallate.-Nine samples examined, none U. S. P.; nine contained nitrate.

Bismuth Subnitrate.-Sixty-seven samples examined, none U. S. P.; sixty-seven contained chloride.

Precipitated Sulphur.-Ten samples examined, 8 o. k.; two contained forty per cent to fifty per cent calcium sulphate.

Sodium Bromide.-Eleven samples examined, seven o. k.; four contained excess of chloride.

Wool Fat.-Seven samples examined, five o. k.; two contained traces of fatty acids and chloride.

Calomel. Thirty-seven samples examined, thirty o. k.; seven contained traces of corrosive sublimate. Caffeine.-Fourteen samples examined, twelve o. k.; two contained other alkaloids.

lodine.-Eight samples examined, eight o. k. Corrosive Sublimate:-Seven samples examined, seven o.k.

White Precipitate.-Five samples examined, three o. k.; two contained carbonate.

0. k.

Sodium Glycocholate.—Three samples examined, three o. k.

Sulphonal.-Eight samples examined, eight o. k. Trional.-Eight samples examined, eight o. k. Terebene.-Seven samples examined, seven o. k. Chromic Acid.-Four samples examined, none o. k.; four contained sulphuric acid.

Lactic Acid. Five samples examined, five o. k. Hexamethylenamine. - Twelve samples examined, twelve o. k.

Castor Oil.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Cod Liver Oil.-Fifteen samples examined, twelve o. k.; three contained other fish oils.

Oil of Santol.-Eight samples examined, eight o. k. Citric Acid. Twelve samples examined, ten o. k.; two contained metallic impurities.

Salicylic Acid.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Antipyrin.-Nine samples examined, nine o. k. Collodion. Four samples examined, four 0. k. Mercury with Chalk.-Five samples examined, one o. k.; four contained oxides of mercury.

Borax. Thirteen samples examined, twelve o. k.; one contained phosphate.

Iron Sulphate.-Three samples examined, three o. k. Ammonium Carbonate.-Eight samples examined, six o. k.; two were deficient in ammonia.

Olive Oil.-Fifteen samples examined, thirteen o. k.; two contained sesame oil.

Oil of Pennyroyal.- Five samples examined, five o. k. Lithium Salicylate.-Five samples examined, four o. k.; one contained metallic impurities.

Strotium Bromide.-Seven samples examined, seven

o. k.

Resorcin.-Fourteen samples examined, fourteen o. k.

Lithium Bromide.-Five samples examined, five o. k. Bromoform. Four samples examined, one o. k.; three contained bromides,

Creosote.-Seven samples examined, seven o. k. Bismuth and Ammonium Citrate.-Three samples examined, three o. k.

Guaiacol.-Five samples examined, four o. k.; one

contained creosote.

Oil Spearmint.-Two samples examined, two o. k. Oil Juniper Berries.-Five samples examined, five o. k. Oil Tansy.-Nine samples examined, nine o. k. Calcium Hypophosphite.-Seven samples examined, seven o. k.

Potassium Hypophosphite.-Seven samples examined, seven o. k.

Sodium Hypophosphite.-Seven samples examined, seven o. k.

Hydroquinone.-Five samples examined, five o. k. Phenyl Salicylate.-Fourteen samples examined, fourteen o. k.

Calcium Phosphate Precipitate.-Ten samples examined, none o. k.; ten contained large excess of chloride, two contained arsenic.

Lithium Benzoate.-Three samples examined, three

Iron Pyrophosphate.-Five samples examined, five o. k. Terpin Hydrate.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Thymol.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Oil of Hemlock.-Ten samples examined, ten o. k. Oil of Cedarwood.-Eight samples examined, eight o. k.

Camphoric Acid.-Two samples examined, two o. k. Potassium Citrate.-Seven samples examined, seven o. k.

Pine Tar. Three samples examined, three o. k. Ammonium Valerianate.-Five samples examined, five o. k.

Sodium Sulphocarbonate.-Four samples examined, three o. k.; one contained metallic impurities. Ammonium Benzoate. Seven samples examined, seven o. k.

Atropine Sulphate.-Three samples examined, three o. k.

Acetic Ether. Four samples examined, four o. k. Sodium Thiosulphate.-Ten samples examined, ten o. k.

Gum Scammony.-Two samples examined, one o. k.; one yielded too much ash.

Berberine Sulphate.-Four samples examined, four o. k.

Salicin. Three samples examined, three o. k. Saccharine. Twelve samples examined, twelve o. k. Carbon Disulphide.-Three samples examined, one o. k.; two left residue on evaporation.

Chloral Hydrate.-Nine samples examined, nine o. k. Morphine Sulphate. Fifty-one samples examined, fifty-one o. k.

Menthol. Four samples examined, four o. k. Magnesium Sulphate.-Seven samples examined, five o. k.; two contained arsenic.

Potassium Chlorate.-Ten samples examined, ten o. k. Strychnine. Ten samples examined, ten o. k. Strychnine Sulphate.-Eighteen samples examined, eighteen o. k.

Strychnine Nitrate.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Balsam Peru. Five samples examined, five o. k. Balsam Tolu.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Oil of Cajeput.-Eight samples examined, none o. k.; eight contained copper.

Oil Rue.-One sample examined, contained turpentine.

Oil Georgia Pine.-Two samples examined, two o. k. Oil Citronella. Two samples examined, two o. k. Oil Rose. Three samples examined, three o. k. Asafoetida. Fourteen samples examined, none U.S.P. They varied from 16% to 39% ash on ignition and were soluble in alcohol to the extent of from 10% to 65%.

Cinchona Red.-Eight samples examined, eight o. k. Cinchona Yellow.-Ten samples examined, ten o. k. Opium. Twelve samples examined, twelve o. k. Nux Vomica. Four samples examined, three o. k.; one weak.

Belladonna Leaves.-Three samples examined, three

weak.

Belladonna Root. Three samples examined, one o. k.; two weak.

Stramonium Seed.-Three samples examined, one o. k.; two weak.

Stramonium Leaves.-Three samples examined, three

weak.

Guarana. Two samples examined, two o. k.
Aconite Root. Three samples examined, three o. k.
Hydrastis. Four samples examined, four o. k.
Ipecac.-Three samples examined, two o. k.; one

weak.

Henbane. Three samples examined, three weak.

Making Wine from Figs.-Consul Maxwell Blake, of Funchal, advises that some interest has been aroused in the island of Madeira as the result of experiments conducted by an Italian chemist, Prof. Pagisci, who declares that the juice of the fig under proper treatment can be converted into a wine of excellent taste.

The professor states that its flavor is agreeable, that

destitute of tannic acid, qualities that render it espe

Oil Peppermint.-Three samples examined, three o. k. Oil Anise. Three samples examined, three o. k. Oil Bergamot.-Four samples examined, four o. k. Calcium Glycerophosphate.-Five samples examined, five o. k.

Ether. Fifteen samples examined, fifteen o. k.

is said also to create a new food for milch cows and fowls. The fresh fig contains only about 25 per cent of sugar, but after it has been dried and prepared for the making of wine it yields 80 per cent sugar.

A. Ph. A. local secretary, Thomas P. Cook, 114 William Street, New York City.