320 



with an extract made from the poppy plant, with an admixture of 

 the leaves. An article called opium is prepared and sold for ex- 

 portation in the foreign markets, composed of liquorice paste, extract 

 of poppy heads and leaves, and a small portion of gum tragacanth, 

 and a bitter vegetable extract. Another article of opium comes to 

 us, more or less, and, in some instances, entirely deprived of its 

 active principle, the same having been extracted for the manufacture 

 of morphine. 



" So called opium has passed the New York custom-house, within 

 the last twelve months, so highly charged with liquorice paste, that 

 not only was the smell very perceptible, but, on account of the ex- 

 cess of saccharine matter thereby furnished, the worthless mass was 

 alive with worms! Some of these adulterations are invoiced as low 

 as one-third the price of pure opium, and, of course, are not worth 

 that. 



"Calomel is adulterated with chalk, sulphate of barytes, and white 

 lead, and furnished, by the foreign manufacturer, at about two-thirds 

 the price of the genuine. 



"The mercury or quicksilver of commerce is generally impure; 

 lead, bismuth and zinc are found mixed with it. It should never be 

 used in the preparation of medicine without previous purification. 



"Red oxide of mercury, or red precipitate, is frequently mixed 

 with red lead. 



" Blue pill mass is greatly and extensively adulterated. This arti- 

 cle, when pure, should contain thirty-three and a third per cent, of 

 mercury, combined with conserve of roses, &c. ; but a spurious article 

 has been imported, to a considerable extent, within the past few 

 years, which is found, on analysis, to contain less than one-fourth 

 part of that quantity, basely mixed up with earthy substances, &c. 

 This worthless article is purchased from the foreign manufacturer at 

 about one-half the price of the genuine. 



" Sulphate of quinine, another very important medicine, is fraudu- 

 lently adulterated with salicine, chalk, sulphate of barytes, &c, 

 rendering it comparatively worthless, if not dangerous, as a medi- 

 cine. This spurious article has been imported and sold in New York 

 (neatly put up with the name, label, &c, of a popular manufacturer) 

 by the agent of a foreign establishment, at the rate of ninety cents 

 an ounce, when the genuine foreign article could not be purchased 

 of the manufacturer for less than tioo dollars and tiventy-five cents 

 an ounce. 



"Large quantities of iodine are sent to us in bulk, and in a very 

 impure condition, by foreign manufacturers and speculators. It is 



