of Epsom salts, and as high as 15 per cent of glucose. The total maximum loading of the two found in any sample was 19 per cent. The average amount of Epsom salts in the weighted leather is 3 per cent, of glucose 8 per cent. The average amount of these adulterants in all weighted leather is approximately 9 per cent. The water-soluble materials in these leathers vary from 13 to 37 per cent. On this basis approximately 125,000,000 pounds of sole leather has been injured and lowered in wearing value by the use of glucose and Epsom salts, and the American public has paid the cost of at least 12,000,000 pounds of these materials, together with the cost of working them into the leather, plus a profit to the tanner for doing it, all to secure a less durable product. Nearly all of the leathers examined contained as much or more uncombined tannin as the best oak or hemlock bark, and the greater part of this tannin is worse than wasted. The weight of the leather is needlessly increased, thereby resulting in increased cost, and, further, the tannin thus wasted would make 40,000,000 pounds of leather. There is urgent need of reform in the tanning of leather, and the public should take immediate steps to protect itself against the fraud and the waste of national resources involved.

PAPER AND PAPER-MAKING MATERIALS.

The work on paper-making materials that are used but little and on improved processes of treatment has been continued with very encouraging results. It has been fully demonstrated that the waste pine wood of the South and Northwest is suitable for the manufacture of certain grades, especially manila wrapping, box boards, and other strong papers. As there are large quantities of this waste wood, its use for this purpose would greatly relieve the pressure on other woods better suited to make white paper. It has been shown that at a moderate estimate the value of the pulp, rosin, turpentine, and rosin oils obtained from a cord of pine wood is more than $40. The utilization of this waste material in this way is earnestly commended to paper makers and investors, and constitutes one of the most promising fields for industrial development. The results of this investigation have also been compiled.

Cooperative work with the Bureau of Plant Industry in regard to the availability of certain plants as paper-making materials is being continued.

Cooperative work with the Post Office Department is being continued both at Dayton, Ohio, where a special laboratory is maintained for the examination of the stamped-envelope papers, and at Washington.

Numerous requests have been received from the several Federal departments for tests of contract papers, for the preparation of specifications, and for assistance in passing on supplies. Much work has been done at the request of the General Supply Committee, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the Post Office Department. In addition, a member of this laboratory has served on the subcommittee on stationery of the General Supply Committee, and on the envelope committee of the Post Office Department. This committee has made material savings, estimated at approximately $180,000 in four years, in the cost of envelopes for the departments,

and this saving has been due largely to the adoption of suggestions offered by this laboratory.

TURPENTINE AND ROSIN.

The results of the examination of 300 samples of commercial turpentines, collected all over the country, have been published (Bulletin 135). They show but little adulteration on the part of the producer, while samples collected from dealers show from 13 to 18 per cent of the samples to be adulterated with mineral oils present in amounts varying from 2 to 3 per cent to 60 or 70 per cent. The average amount of mineral oil in a barrel of adulterated turpentine was 3 gallons, equal to a depreciation in value of at least $1.50 per barrel. The results of the study of the production, refining, uses, and value of wood turpentine have been compiled (Bulletin 144). The work shows how the number, quality, and value of the products obtained in the distillation of wood can be increased, how the quality of the products may be improved, and the cost of production decreased. Properly refined wood turpentine has been found to be a suitable paint and varnish thinner for all but the highest grade varnishes, and it may be safely used by the workman in well-ventilated places. The production of wood turpentine together with other products of the chemical treatment of waste wood, either by means of destructive processes or by solvent processes, as previously outlined, is one of the most promising chemical industries.

The work on the grading of rosin has now reached the point where the results can be presented. It shows that the misgrading of rosin is largely due to the practice of cutting the grading samples too large, as well as to the fact that the type samples rapidly bleach out, thus becoming lighter in color than they should be. The quantity of rosin which is misgraded from these causes is large, and the loss occasioned thereby is always at the expense of the farmer who produces the rosin. It is calculated on the basis of the work so far done that in the neighborhood of 400,000 barrels of rosin are misgraded annually from the above-mentioned causes alone. Work is being continued on the preparation of more durable and serviceable rosin type samples, with encouraging results.

MISCELLANEOUS WORK.

The work of testing deliveries of paper, textiles, leather, turpentine, rosin, and other materials for the several Federal departments requires much of the time of the laboratory force. Considerable research is required in connection with this work, much useful information has been acquired from it, and several improvements in testing apparatus have been devised. Specifications to insure the delivery of materials suitable for specific purposes have been prepared at the request of other departments.

Miscellaneous samples, including fertilizers, phosphates, wastes, and various industrial materials have been examined at the request of other departments and of other bureaus of this department and the laboratory has cooperated in the study of methods for the examination of leather and tanning materials. An extended study of the fluorin in phosphate powders and of iron and alumina in phosphates is in progress.

23165°-AGE 1911- -30

The following tabulation shows the number and kind of samples examined in the laboratory during the year. Of these, 2,637 were papers examined at Dayton, Ohio.

The following publications have been submitted for printing during the past year: Sixteen bulletins, 23 circulars, 8 unnumbered publications, 1 Farmers' Bulletin, 3 Yearbook articles, 14 Food Inspection Decisions, and 492 Notices of Judgment. There have been. issued or sent to press 12 bulletins, aggregating about 1,079 pages, 17 circulars (306 pages); 10 unnumbered publications (339 pages); 3 Farmers' Bulletins (120 pages); 3 Yearbook articles (36 pages); 16 Food Inspection Decisions (30 pages); and 546 Notices of Judgment (1,129 pages, received from the Office of the Solicitor); making a total of 3,039 pages of new material published.

The bulletins included studies on the preparation of cod and other salt fish for the market and the contamination of shellfish; a series of elaborate studies of American mineral waters was begun with the report on the waters of the New England States; a report on the commercial turpentines found on the market; enological studies, dealing especially with grapes and their sucrose content; the processing of persimmons and studies in fruit respirations, and an elaborate report on the nature of coal-tar colors used in foods. The circulars cover a wide range of chemical investigations, many of them being studies for the improvement of methods of food analysis and the making of difficult determinations, as, for example, the estimation of iodin in organic compounds, the determination of tin in canned foods, the determination of small quantities of ethyl or methyl alcohol, of malic acid, of camphor, and chemical and bacteriological changes in poultry under varying conditions. The unnumbered publications included the report of the Chemist, a manual of instructions for food officials and analysts, and details in regard to the inspection of imported meat products under the law.

The Food Inspection Decisions covered Nos. 125 to 138 and included a decision by the Attorney General on labeling whiskies bearing a distinctive name, a decision of the three Secretaries forbidding the use of saccharin in foods after January 1, 1912, and decisions of the Board of Food and Drug Inspection in regard to the labeling of cordials, New Orleans molasses, and chocolate and cocoa, the composition of evaporated milk, the presence of salts of tin in foods, etc.

While the amount of job printing required for the work of the bureau, especially forms, index cards, circular letters, etc., in connection with the administration of the food law, has increased, the ordering has been so systematized that only 208 printing requests were made, as compared with 346 the preceding year. There were 146 requests drawn on the Division of Publications for drafting and photo

graphic work in connection with the illustrating of bulletins and the ordering of apparatus and other equipment.

CLERICAL AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS.

The total appropriation for the Bureau of Chemistry for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, was $985,700, of which amount $702,340 was for the enforcement of the food and drugs act, $109,000 was for studies in the application of chemistry to agriculture and for collaboration with other departments, $5,000 was for investigating the character of the chemical and physical tests which are applied to American food products in foreign countries and for inspecting the same before shipment, and $79,360 was for statutory salaries.

A total of 130,000 letters was written to approximately 24,896 correspondents; 64,700 letters were received, filed, and indexed; 88,350 mimeograph letters were sent out, treating of 446 subjects; 2,468 purchase orders were drawn for current supplies for the offices and laboratories; 9,500 vouchers were checked and passed to the disbursing officer of the department for payment; 800 letters of authorization were issued to the members of this bureau; 5,955 manufacturer's or dealer's guarantees under the food and drugs act were received, examined, filed, and serial numbers assigned thereto. In the interstate office complete records were kept of the collection, analysis, and disposition of all samples collected under the food and drugs act, as well as the development, progress, and disposition of each seizure and case based on a violation of the law. These records are complex and involve a vast mass of detail. Verbatim reports of all hearings before the Board of Food and Drug Inspection were made. In addition, complete records were kept of the analysis and action on all import cases under the food and drugs act.

THE PRINCIPAL PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1911-12.

INSPECTION WORK.

The greater portion of the coming fiscal year will be devoted to the collection of official samples of foods and drugs for analysis; to the close scrutiny of factories and conditions attending the production of such products; and to the interstate movement in adulterated or misbranded goods for the purpose of suppressing traffic therein. Inspection work will be carried on in cooperation with the scientific divisions of the bureau along the lines of investigation which may be planned by each division. One of the new subjects to be taken up during the coming year will be the investigation of the colors used in food products, the practice of drying fish and artificially coloring the same to give the semblance of thoroughly dried or cured fish being one phase of the subject to be investigated. The inspection of the milk supply furnished cities will be continued, as will also the close scrutiny of flour and cereals, dairy products, sirups, coffees, eggs, vinegars, etc.

The collection of official samples of so-called patent or proprietary medicines, many of which have in past years been declared by the courts to be misbranded, will be abandoned in view of a recent adverse

decision rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States, holding that any statement or expression of opinion relative to the curative or healing qualities of such nostrums could not be considered a misbranding within the meaning of the law. Attention will be devoted, however, to the investigation of the character of crude drugs, pharmaceuticals, and preparations to ascertain whether they comply with the standards of purity and strength required by the United States Pharmacopoeia and by the published formulas of the manufacturers. Attention will also be given to the investigation of other drug products which may be required from time to time by the drug division.

It has been impossible heretofore to give any attention to inspection work outside of the confines of the United States, but plans have already been laid and the necessary steps taken to begin a vigorous and thorough inspection of the food and drug supplies shipped to Alaska, as well as those which may be produced or manufactured there. Because of the climatic conditions, the season for prosecuting this work will necessarily be of short duration, and the force is not strong enough numerically to permit a force of inspectors to be detailed for this work, but at the same time it is hoped to accomplish something toward correcting any violations of the law which may exist in that Territory.

DRUG WORK.

The work planned for the coming year consists primarily in the examination of domestic and imported drugs and the preparation of cases based upon interstate shipments found to be misbranded or adulterated. The drug work at the branch laboratories will be extended as rapidly as possible. Special investigations of analytical processes will be continued for the separation, detection, and determination of alkaloids and other plant constituents contained in medicinal products. The effects of prolonged storage on the active principles contained in medicinal agents now under investigation will be continued.

Further studies will be made for the improvement of methods for the detection and determination of opium and constituents thereof contained in medicinal agents, and of the analytical processes for the detection and estimation of such constituents as ether, ethyl alcohol, and chloroform, so frequently found in complex mixtures. It is also planned to extend the investigations covering cooperative work on test mixtures of therapeutic drugs, in particular those containing synthetic morphin derivatives, heroin, codein, etc.; substitutes for cocain, such as novacocain, eucain, alypin, etc.; natural and synthetic laxatives belonging or closely related to the emodin group. Some interesting results have already been obtained in attempts to estimate minute quantities of chloroform in complex mixtures, and further investigations along this line are contemplated for the ensuing year.

SPECIAL FOOD INVESTIGATIONS.

The examination of interstate and imported samples of foods and drugs in connection with the enforcement of the food and drugs act will continue to occupy the greater part of the time of Food and Drug