282 ANNUAL REPOKTS OF DEPAKTMKXT OF AGRICULTURE. 



has also been studied. Several toxic preparations of arsenious oxide 

 were prepared for the Biological Survey to be used in poison- 

 ing tests for the control of predatory animals. A public-service 

 patent covering the preparations and their manufacture has been 

 applied for. Department Bulletin No. 1023 on the action of strych- 

 nine as a rat poison has been published. Two papers have also 

 been published dealing with the action of strychnine. A report was 

 made covering the toxicity of a series of dyes. Studies were con- 

 tinued on the toxicity of fat soluble dyes. 



CONTROL OF MEDICINAL PRKPARATIONS. 



The office of drug administration is the staff advisor in the applica- 

 tion of the food and drugs act to pharmaceuticals and to proprietary^ 

 and other preparations which are sold as remedies for disease. The 

 director of this office is a surgeon of the United States Public Health 

 Service detailed to this bureau for the purpose. All matters in- 

 volving the adulteration or misbranding of drug products are re- 

 viewed in this office, and evidence prepared to support the Govern- 

 ment charges in court action. Plans for the correction of such 

 adulteration and misbranding are formulated, and a general super- 

 vision maintained of all the work relating to the control of labeling 

 medicines under the food and drugs act. 



Work of the Food and Drug Inspection Districts. 



The field force of the bureau makes factory inspections, collects 

 and analyzes samples, holds hearings under the law. studies trade 

 practices and in general formulates plans of atttack, and carries 

 out the policies of the department and the orders of the courts. For 

 the purpose of maintaining a closer supervision under the food and 

 drugs act over interstate and foreign conmierce in foods and drugs it 

 is divided into eastern, central, and western food and drug inspection 

 districts, with headquarters, respectively, in New York, Chicago, 

 and San Francisco. The work of each of these districts is carried 

 on under the direction of a district chief, through stations strategi- 

 cally located in the leading trade centers. The stations of the east- 

 ern district are in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, Balti- 

 more, Savannah, and Porto Rico ; those of the central district in 

 Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, and New 

 Orleans ; and those in the western district in San Francisco, Seattle, 

 Los Angeles, and Denver, 



special features of year's work. 



The work under the food and drugs act during the year covered as 

 usual a great variety of foods and drugs. Much work was done on 

 a number of projects which seemed to require special attention be- 

 cause of conditions found to exist during the year. 



Vinegar. — Attention was given to the practice of some firms of 

 selling as cider vinegar or as apple vinegar a vinegar made from 

 dried-apple ])roducts. The department had previously announced 

 in food-inspection decision No. 140 that vinegar made from dried- 

 apple products should be plainly marked to show the material from 



