315 



extent, and so adroitly as almost to defy detection by the unsuspect- 

 ing and confiding purchaser. I have lately passed three invoices of 

 opium from London, which, on opening the cases, seemed to all 

 external appearance to be as it should, but a closer examination 

 proved it a base compound of that drug with various vegetable ex- 

 tracts — the mass not affording more than about one-third part of pure 

 opium. When I questioned the consignee, (and to the credit of our 

 regular importers, most of these adulterated and deteriorated drugs 

 and medicines are consignments from speculators abroad,) they ad- 

 mitted their private advices gave them to understand that the article 

 'was not quite pure;' yet, as the law now is, I must pass all such 

 dangerous and rascally imitations, if they are found to be charged at 

 their full value, and in commercial language, to be the article speci- 

 fied in the invoice. In fact, I have no authority to examine into the 

 purity, &c, of any article, further than to enable me to judge as to 

 the correctness of the value expressed in the invoice." We subjoin 

 also a quotation from the Boston Traveller of last week, entitled 

 "frauds in opium." "About twenty cases of opium were sold at 

 auction yesterday, by John Tyler. It was imported from Smyrna 

 and Liverpool in various vessels, and to all appearances was of 

 equally good quality. Notwithstanding this, however, its price 

 varied from $3 45, $1 35, six cents, to three cents per pound. An 

 exposition of the fraud was made at the sale. It is said to consist in 

 the extraction of the morphine, or vital principle of the drug, before 

 exportation. This fraudulent opium was invoiced at a lower price 

 than that of the first quality, but still greatly above its real value." 



Genuine scammony, another important drug, is now but seldom 

 imported. Not a single pound of pure Aleppo scammony has passed 

 the New York custom-house during the last twelve months. The so 

 called scammony, now imported, contains generally only about one- 

 half the active principle of the genuine article ; it being a combina- 

 tion of that drug and a worthless vegetable extract commingled with 

 clay. Pure scammony is an expensive drug ; hence the object of its 

 adulteration. 



Many of the medicinal gums and gum-resins imported are so dete- 

 riorated, or combined with earthy or other matters, that they are not 

 only unsafe, but worthless for medicinal purposes. 



The medicinal extracts, which are very important medical agents 

 when pure, were formerly made with great care, and of one uniform 

 strength, but they now come to us not only prepared of the refuse 

 or inferior drugs, but also greatly adulterated, &c. These worthless 



