No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 47 



but the medical fraternity should join in an earnest effort to bring 

 about a substantial reformation. The Illinois Board of Pharmacy 

 undertook to test the purity of drugs in Chicago by sending out 

 decoy prescriptions. Out of one hundred and thirty prescriptions 

 that were filled, twenty-three contained no traces of the drugs called^ 

 for, while but thirty-nine were pure. A recent examination into the 

 same important subject in New York and Brooklyn resulted in like 

 unfavorable findings, and the statement cannot be denied that it is 

 not only necessary to have honest and capable physicians and drug- 

 gists, but pure drugs and chemicals as well, if we desire to gain 

 the much needed relief from a constant menace to the health and 

 lives of the community at large. Unless the powers of the law are 

 invoked, the same conditions will continue indefinitely. It is safe 

 and reasonable to assume that Pennsylvania also needs some atten- 

 tion in the direction already indicated. 



IMPROPER USE OP TRADE PACKAGES. 



The attention of the Dairy and Food Commissioner has been called 

 to the alleged improper and illegal use of some receptacles or trade 

 packages by certain dealers and others. These complaints referred 

 particularly to persons who made an improper use of milk and cream 

 cans, jars and bottles having the names or initials of the owners, 

 dealers or shippers marked or fastened on such receptacles. It is 

 claimed that in many instances such packages a^e used by others 

 without the consent of the owners, and that inferior goods are thus 

 palmed off upon the public, whose confidence in certain firms or 

 producers lead them to purchase materials bearing their names, 

 without suspecting that they are being imposed upon. The State of 

 New York passed laws to prohibit the abuse above cited, and unless 

 additional power is conferred upon the Dairy and Food Commis- 

 sioner, he cannot officially take any notice of such complaints, except 

 in cases where the goods contained in such receptacles, upon analy- 

 sis, fail to meet the standards for milk and cream, or are in some 

 manner adulterated or impure. 



SALE OF OLEOMARGARINE IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The manufacture and sale of oleomargarine has assumed large 

 proportions, as the following figures relating to the sale of this coun- 

 terfeit dairy product in the United States for the years indicated 

 will .clearly show: 



For year ending June 30, 1902, 126,316,472 1T)S. 



For year ending June 30, 1903, 71,804,102 Ihs. 



For year ending June 30, 1904, 48,071,480 lt)S. 



It is a noticeable fact that the national law imposing a tax of ten 

 cents per pound on oleomargarine "colored in imitation of butter" 

 has occasioned a shrinkage of sixty-two per cent, from the figures 

 reported in 1902. This statement is clearly in support of the allega- 

 tion that prior to the enactment of the Grout Bill, practically every 

 pound of oleomargarine was not only colored in imitation of cream- 

 ery butter and entered into competition with the legitimate product 

 of the American cow, but in too many cases was sold as genuine 

 butter, to the detriment of both the dairvman and consumer. The 



