32 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



that the Department of Agriculture should be disintegrated in tho 

 manner proposed. There seems to be an ample field for public health 

 activities without encroaching upon the field of agriculture and with- 

 out taking away work which is already being satisfactorily performed 

 by the Department of Agriculture, and which, in my judgment, it can 

 perform better and more economically than any other agency. 



ENFORCEMENT OF THE FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. 



The Food and Drugs Act operates in two ways: First, it deals with 

 food and drugs which are shipped into interstate commerce or which 

 are manufactured or ofTered for sale in the District of Columbia or the 

 Territories; second, it prevents adulterated and misbranded foods 

 and drugs from entering the country. 



During the fiscal year 1910, 990 interstate cases based upon the 

 Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, were reported to the Attorney- 

 General, 766 cases as the basis for criminal action, and 224 cases 

 as the basis for seizure proceedings. Of the 766 criminal cases, 246 

 resulted in convictions. Verdicts for the defendants were rendered 

 in 3 cases; 96 cases were dismissed on the recommendation or with 

 the concurrence of the Attorney-General or the United States attor- 

 ney in charge; 152 cases were pending in the courts at the close of the 

 year, while 252 cases remained in the hands of the Attorney-General 

 or the United States attorneys for consideration and presentation to 

 the courts. In no case was leniency shown in cases involving foods 

 unfit for consumption or deleterious to health, or involving drugs 

 containing dangerous and habit-forming ingredients. Fines were 

 collected in the sum of S7,858 in cases reported during the year. In 

 addition, 60 criminal cases reported in previous years terminated, 

 fines being assessed in the sum of $2,701.31, making the total of 

 fines collected under this act during the year $11,049.31. Of the 

 224 seizures of adulterated and misbranded foods and drugs, 132 re- 

 sulted in decrees of condemnation and forfeiture, while 50 cases were 

 pending at the close of the year. In addition, 43 shipments were 

 forfeited under seizures effected during the previous fiscal years. 



Twent3^-one of the ports of entry in the United States are provided 

 with well-equipped laboratories, and during the past year there has 

 been great activity in examining foods and drugs to prevent any mis 

 branded or adulterated ones from being put on the American market. 

 During the past year 95,482 samples were examined. Of this number, 

 approximately 3,000 were found to be illegal and were either alto- 

 gether refused admittance to the country or else admitted only after 

 they had been properl}^ branded or the objectionable features removed 

 or obliterated. Of the grand total above given, 5,130 samples were 

 submitted to careful examination in the laboratory, the remainder to 



