317 



ways. The usual method is to combine it with salicine, (the salts of 

 the willow bark,) chalk, plaster of Paris, &c. The salicine possesses 

 similar medicinal qualities, and resembles quinine very much in ap- 

 pearance, but it is afforded at less than one-fourth the price, and is 

 very far inferior in strength. This spurious article is largely im- 

 ported, neatly put up in French sti/le,mth the label of the celebrated 

 Pelletier, of Paris, (the original and always one of the most honour- 

 able foreign manufacturers,) on each article. This trash is made at 

 an extensive establishment in Belgium, the whole business of which, 

 your committee are informed, is to manufacture and dispose of base 

 imitations of all the important foreign chemical and medicinal pre- 

 parations. An agent of this establishment has been in this country 

 for the last ten months. His business is to effect sales, and obtain 

 orders. No wonder that those suffering the affliction of fever and 

 ague in the western country take quinine by the tea-spoonful at a 

 dose, rather than a few grains, which is all sufficient when the article 

 is pure. 



Calomel is imported not only crudely prepared, but more or less 

 adulterated with a white argillaceous earth or clay, and other arti- 

 cles; while it is put up after the manner, and bears the name of 

 some well known and deservedly popular manufacturing chemist. 

 The whole is a base imitation and fraud. 



Large quantities of an imperfectly manufactured iodine is imported 

 in kegs, and put in the usual small bottles and parcels here. It 

 is very impure, black, and damp, and totally unfit for medicinal pur- 

 poses. 



Much of the iodide, or hydriodate of potass, a valuable medicine 

 when pure, is greatly adulterated by the admixture of nitrate of 

 potass, (saltpetre,) thereby changing its nature, and rendering it 

 comparatively worthless. 



Many chemical preparations are not unfrequently misnamed ; im- 

 posing, by that means, upon the purchaser some inferior article, 

 bearing a similitude to the genuine, but different in medicinal quali- 

 ties and value ; the label and the mode of package affording no 

 security to the honest purchaser. 



Thus might your Committee continue through the whole cata- 

 logue, as most of the fine medicinal chemicals are prepared of un- 

 equal strength and purity, for the purpose of cheapening their cost, 

 thereby rendering them less effective and more uncertain in the treat- 

 ment of disease, and, in some cases, actually dangerous to the 

 patient as well as obviously unjust and greatly embarrassing to the 



