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physician. We will here, however, proceed no further ; believing 

 the facts already set forth, respecting very many of our most im- 

 portant medicines, and those in daily use, will, if fully understood, 

 satisfy your honourable body of the imperative necessity of the pas- 

 sage of a law calculated effectually to put a stop to this reckless and 

 murderous trifling with human life for the sake of filthy lucre. Every 

 feeling of humanity, as well as regard to justice, towards those who 

 are entrusted with the lives of the people, demand this at your hands. 

 As elaborate as has been the statement of facts already presented, 

 we are unwilling to dismiss a subject of such vast importance with- 

 out presenting additional information. Dr. Baily, of whom we have 

 before spoken, has had submitted to him by the Committee a series 

 of questions, which we subjoin. His means of acquiring information, 

 his careful observation, together with his general intelligence and 

 integrity, commend to our confidence his answers to these inquiries. 

 " Question 1st. — How long have you held the position of examiner 

 of drugs, medicines, chemical preparations, &c, in the appraiser's 

 department of the customs at the port of New York? 

 " Answer. — Since the 3d day of December, 1846. 

 "What is the amount of drugs, medicines, &c. &c, annually im- 

 ported into New York? 



" Answer. — The merchandise of this description entered at the New 

 l r ork custom-house, during the year 1847, amounted to something 

 near one and a half millions of dollars ; I cannot name the precise 

 amount, as no separate record of that branch of trade is at present 

 kept in the custom-house. 



"What proportions do the importations of drugs, medicines, chemi- 

 cals, &c, into New York, bear to those entered at the other ports in 

 the United States ? 



" Answer. — According to the records in the Treasury Department, 

 full three-fourths of the entire amount of that class of merchandise 

 is passed through the New York custom-house. 



"Will you have the kindness to state, as near as your memory, or 

 any memorandums you may have, serve you, the quantities of some 

 of the more important drugs, &c, imported into the United States, 

 or into New York, during the past year? 



" Answer. — The quantity of camphor, crude and refined (princi- 

 pally crude), imported into the United States during the year 1847, 

 amounted to 177,403 lbs. Opium, imported during the same period, 

 85,228 lbs. The quantity of Peruvian bark imported into New 

 York, the same year, amounted to 495,300 lbs. 



