K. 



Statement relative to the extent to which drugs are falsified, par- 

 ticularly with a view to their sale in the United States. By T. 0. 

 Edwards, M. D., of Ohio, Chairman of the special committee of 

 the House of Representatives to which was referred the subject of 

 the importation of worthless, adulterated and misnamed drugs* 



The College of Pharmacy of New York have, for a series of years, 

 called public attention to the subject of the importation of worthless, 

 adulterated and misnamed drugs, medicines and chemical prepara- 

 tions. In a circular, they state " that large quantities of sophisti- 

 cated and misnamed chemical and pharmaceutical preparations are 

 daily imported, not only to the injury of the custom house revenue 

 and of the honest importer, but of dangerous effect upon the health 

 and lives of all who require the aid of medicines, such as they pur- 

 port to be, throughout the country. 



" That, with some unprincipled foreign manufacturers, aided and 

 abetted by dealers of a kindred stamp in this country, it is a regu- 

 lar and systematic business to make different qualities of various 

 medical preparations for the American market; the better kinds for 

 the Atlantic cities, and others, very much inferior, ' for the west,' 

 meaning, thereby, our western States. The latter are generally 

 altogether unlike what they purport to be; are quoted at about half 

 price, and are unfit for any use whatever," &c. 



The memorial of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy sets forth, 

 " that one of the chief objects of the establishment of their institu- 

 tion was ' to direct attention to the quality of drugs brought into 

 the market,' with a view to correct the evils arising from the intro- 

 duction and sale of spurious and sophisticated articles; that they 

 have, from time to time, by a proper education of young men in 



* The courtesy of Dr. Edwards has enabled the Committee on Publication to present 

 this Paper, which embodies all of the strictly medical portion of the Report made by 

 him to the House of Representatives. It is proper to state, that the Memorial of the 

 American Medical Association (see K. — 1) was referred to and contained in the Report. 

 The bill, introduced by Dr. Edwards, providing for an inspection of drugs, at the princi- 

 pal sea-ports, was substantially adopted by Congress, and is now a law. 



