BUKEAU OF CHEMISTRY. • 6G7 



Volume of Work, 



During the year 1,120 samples were received for analysis, some 

 requiring only a single determination, but many a complete exami- 

 nation. Besides these, about 500 samples were analyzed in the field 

 in the environment work on the muskmelon. 



DRUG INVESTIGATIONS. 

 OUTLINE OF WORK. 



The dmg division has been engaged in studj'ing the composition, 

 adulteration, and misbranding of drugs and chemicals, including 

 those products imported into the United States or shipped into inter- 

 state commerce and found on our markets. 



This work requires a careful study of the methods of analysis, the 

 character and quality of normal material, and the standards at pres- 

 ent official for certain commodities, with a view to either confirming 

 existing standards or providing the necessary data for future effective 

 work. For example, in order to determine the reliability of existing 

 methods for testing the quality of hydrogen peroxid and the charac- 

 terized purity of the articles supplied to the trade, an extended 

 investigation was made upon the various brands available on the 

 market. The results were published in Bulletin 150, entitled " Tech- 

 nical Drug Studies." A similar study was made of U. S. P. tincture 

 of ginger, prepared according to a prescribed formula. 'No data are 

 given as to the amount of alcohol, nonvolatile matter, etc.. the finished 

 product should contain. The results will be found in Bulletin 152 

 of this bureau. Similar studies are now in progress on tincture of 

 iodin. nitroglycerin tablets, tablets in general, alkaloidal mixtures, etc. 



The total number of samples examined during the year is 1,544. 



Cooperation with the Post Office Department has been rather re- 

 stricted during the past year. Several samples containing poisons 

 shipped through the mails were examined, resulting in drastic action 

 by the courts. An interesting brief review of the '' TTabitina " case 

 will be found on pages 203-312 of the Hearings on Amendments to 

 the Pure Food and Drugs Act. 



SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS. 



During the past fiscal year the synthetic ]iroducts laboratory ex- 

 amined 294 samples, of which 241) were interstate, 8 import, and the 

 remainder either unofficial or for other departments. As the result 

 of such examination 58 cases were recommended to the chief of the 

 bureau for prosecution. Nearly two-thirds of the samples investi- 

 gated were representative tablet and pill preparations as ordinarily 

 su])plied to the jobbing and retail trade or the physicians direct. In 

 addition to the excipients, lubricants, and more or less indeterminate 

 plant extractives and tissues, each tablet or ]iill contained one or 

 several such active principles as caffein, acetanilid, acet[)henetidin, 

 antipyrin, sodium salicylate, aspirin, salol, sulfonal, trional, veronal, 

 hexamethyleneamin, quinin, strychnin, mori)hin, codein, heroin, etc. 

 In addition to the work performed for other departments, numerous 



