312 



their school of pharmacy, l>y exposing frauds of various kinds when 

 discovered, and by the publication of a journal, which assumes a 

 high tone in its exposition of these abuses, done much to correct 

 the evils spoken of: that it has now become notorious amongst dru^- 

 gists that, of late, important drugs and medicines are specially 

 adulterated in foreign countries, for sale in this, and pass daily 

 through the custom house, to be disseminated by ignorant or unprin- 

 cipled dealers, to the great detriment of our citizens," &c. &c. 



In consequence of the stringent laws now in force in most parts 

 of Europe, regulating the trade in drugs and the dispensing of me- 

 dicine, none but genuine articles, and those of acknowledged strength 

 and purity, are allowed to be used or purchased. All inferior and 

 deteriorated drugs in a crude state, as well as adulterated medicinal 

 and .chemical preparations, must, therefore, as a matter of necessity, 

 find a market elsewhere; and that market, unfortunately for the 

 people of this country, has long been, and still is, found in these 

 United States. 



For a long series of years this base traffic has been constantly 

 increasing, until it has become frightfully enormous. It would be 

 presumed, from the immense quantities, and the great variety of in- 

 ferior drugs that pass our custom-houses, and particularly the cus- 

 tom-house at New York, in the course of a single year, that this 

 country had become the grand mart and receptacle of all the refuse 

 merchandise of that description, not only from the European ware- 

 houses, but from the whole eastern world. 



On reference had, not long since, to the custom-house books in 

 New York, it was found that 7,000 lbs. of rhubarb root had been 

 passed within ninety days, not one pound of which was fit, or even 

 safe, for medicinal purposes. Much of it had become greatly dete- 

 riorated by age, was worm-eaten and decayed, while other portions, 

 notwithstanding they showed a somewhat fair appearance externally 

 (the color, &c, having been brightened by artificial means for the 

 purpose of deception), gave internal, unmistakeable evidence of the 

 virtue of the root having been extracted by previous decoction, for 

 the purpose of making what is sold as the "extract of rhubarb," 



and thereby rendering it of no further value for medicinal use. 



This article was invoiced at from 2 J pence sterling (5 cents) to 7 

 pence (14 cents) per lb. The price of good rhubarb, at the place 

 of production, has been, for several years past, about as follows : — 

 The East India, from 35 to 45 cents per lb., according to circum- 

 stances; the Turkey or Russian, from $1 25 to $2 50 per lb., ex- 



