52 AXXUAL REPoltTS OF DErAKTMKNT OF ACKICULTURE. 



intended for scientific purposes should be permitted under properly 

 contix)lled conditions; and the acceptance of any money or gift by 

 an inspector connected with the enforcement of the act, or the giving 

 or offering of anything of value to an inspector by a licensee, should 

 be made a criminal offense, punishable by fine or imprisonment. 



THE FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. 



In order to secure the more effective and efficient enforcement of 

 the food and drugs act, the department should be specifically author- 

 ized to establish standards of strength, quality, and purity for the 

 articles subject to its provisions, and ample power should be given 

 it to enforce compliance with these standards. The term " drugs," 

 as defined in the act, should be broadened to include specifically 

 all cosmetics, toilet preparations, face creams, hair dyes, and antifat 

 and antilean remedies ; and all drugs containing methyl alcohol, for 

 internal or external use, should be deemed to be adulterated, although 

 the use of methyl alcohol in their preparation should be permitted, 

 provided it is completely eliminated from the finished products. 

 The list of habit-forming drugs set forth in the second paragraph 

 of section 8 is incomplete and should be extended to include, by name, 

 a number of dangerous substances commonly found in drug prepara- 

 tions; or, as an alternative, a definite requirement should be incor- 

 porated in the law that all habit-forming or poisonous drugs, or 

 their derivatives, must be declared on the labels or packages. Viru- 

 lent poisons should be brought within the scope of the act, and au- 

 thority should be given to determine, from time to time, what sub- 

 stances shall be regarded as virulent poisons. The department should 

 have power to inspect establishments in which foods or drugs are pre- 

 pared for interstate or foreign commerce, or for sale in the District of 

 Columbia or the Territories, in order to ascertain whether the articles 

 are adulterated or misbranded ; and the misbranding provisions of the 

 act should be extended to food containers so made or shaped as to 

 be likely to deceive or mislead the purchaser as to the quantity, 

 quality, size, or origin of their contents. » 



THE INSECTICIDE AND FUNGICIDE ACT. 



The insecticide and fungicide act should be amended in several 

 particulars. A substantial minimum fine should be provided, be- 

 cause, in the absence of any stated minimum, fines are some- 

 times so small that offenders consider prosecution as a matter 

 of small moment. Certain inconsistencies in the definitions of the 

 two words " fungicide " and " insecticide " should be cleared up, and 

 the doubt as to whether " fungicide " was intended to include disin- 

 fectants and antiseptics should be removed. The term " misbranded " 



