574 ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



As in previous years, a number of proprietary medicines have been 

 found in violation of the hiw in lliat drugs reciuired to be declared 

 ^vere either not dechuvd or else improperly stated. In some in- 

 stances products intended for external use and represented to be 

 harmless contained poisonous mercury compounds. The quality of 

 the hydrogen dioxid upon the market has materially improved, but 

 in many instances the retail packages were found to be below the 

 strength specified in the United States Pharmacopoeia. Care in 

 manufacturing, bottling, shipping, and storing no doubt has a marked 

 influence upon the quality of this commodity. A number of pepsin 

 preparations were essentially without proteolytic activity. 



IMPORTED DKUGS. 



The inspection at the ports of entry during the past year has been 

 more efficient, and the quality of crude drugs permitted entry has 

 been superior to that of previous years. 



The importations of ergot, as a whole, offered for entry during 

 the last year were of inferior grade. Many shipments have been 

 found to contain small, shriveled, worm-eaten, and deteriorated 

 ergot. Portions of these shipments were rendered satisfactory by 

 cleaning. A number of shipments of senna siftings were found to 

 contain excessive quantities of sand, dirt, and other foreign mate- 

 rial. In some instances it has been found practicable to reduce the 

 ash from about 18 to 9 per cent by subjecting the drug to a process 

 of cleaning. It is of interest to note that the market price of senna 

 siftings is 7| to SI cents per pound, whereas the whole senna leaf 

 (Alexandrian senna) is quoted at 21 to 25 cents a pound. 



A number of importations of anise, cardamom, fennel, and cori- 

 ander have been detained owing to the excess of small gravel, sand, 

 dirt, or foreign seed contained in such products, and a special inves- 

 tigation of the methods of analysis of these products is being con- 

 ducted in connection with the branch laboratories and the micro- 

 chemical laboratory. Consignments of uva ursi, buchu, and cubebs 

 containing an excess of stems have been less frequent during the last 

 fiscal year than previously. A number of importations of asafetida 

 have been found adulterated with comparatively cheap foreign 

 gums. As a whole, however, the quality of asafetida has improved 

 materially. Many importations have been found to contain alcohol, 

 soluble matter in excess of the requirements of the United States 

 Pharmacopoeia. 



Many importations of proprietary medicines have been detained 

 because of the lack of declaration or the incorrect declaration of 

 drugs required to be declared, or misrepresentations regarding con- 

 stituents and properties of the preparations. Importations of prod- 

 ucts containing opium, morphin, or codein prepared in the form of 

 confections have been denied entry. The basis for this action is 

 that there is nothing to prevent these attractively flavored products 

 being used as confectionery, and the presence of such drugs as opium, 

 morphin, and codein would render them dangerous to health and in 

 violation of section 11 of the law. 



