FEDERAL LAWS. 17 



The enforcement of the Federal law of 1848 relative to the impor- 

 tation of inferior and fraudulent drugs, medicines, and chemicals did 

 not appear to satisfy the leading members of the pharmaceutical pro- 

 fession. The lack of standards and methods for their determination 

 made it difficult for the customs officials to enforce the law judiciously 

 and satisfactorily. To assist in removing these difficulties a conven- 

 tion of the colleges of pharmacy was called by the New York College 

 of Pharmacy in 1851. It was the sense of this convention that the 

 existing law made ample general provisions for regulating the admis- 

 sion of drugs and medicinal preparations, and it was therefore unnec- 

 essary to petition Congress to make changes. The delegates, how- 

 ever, discussed ways and means for arriving at standards, with the 

 result that standards for ten different preparations were drawn up 

 and forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury, with the recommen- 

 dation that they be used by the drug inspectors at the different ports, 

 so that their actions would be rendered more uniform and satisfactory. 



The results of this meeting appeared to be so satisfactory that it 

 led to the organization of the American Pharmaceutical Association 

 the following year. The first object of this association, as stated in 

 the constitution, is " To improve and regulate the drug market, by 

 preventing the importation of inferior, adulterated, or deteriorated 

 drugs, and by detecting and exposing home adulterations." 



INSPECTION OF IMPORTED DRUGS, ETC. 



2933. Examination of imported medicinal remedies. All drugs, medicines, 

 medicinal preparations, including medicinal essential oils and chemical prepara- 

 tions, used wholly or in part as medicine, imported from abroad, shall, before 

 passing the custom-house, be examined and appraised, as well in reference 

 to their quality, purity, and fitness for medicinal purposes, as to their value 

 and identity specified in the invoice. 



2934. \anic of manufacturer to be affixed to medicines. All medicinal prepa- 

 rations, whether chemical or otherwise, usually imported with the name of the 

 manufacturer, shall have the true name of the manufacturer and the place 

 where they are prepared, permanently and legibly affixed to each parcel by 

 stamp, label, or otherwise ; and all medicinal preparations imported without 

 such names so affixed shall be adjudged to be forfeited. 



2935. Return upon examination. If, on examination, any drugs, medicines, 

 medicinal preparations, whether chemical or otherwise, including medicinal 

 essential oils, are found, in the opinion of the examiner, to be so far adulterated, 

 or in any manner deteriorated, as to render them inferior in strength and purity 

 to the standard established by the United States, Edinburgh, London, French, 

 and German pharmacopoeias and dispensatories, and thereby improper, unsafe, 

 or dangerous to be used for medicinal purposes, a return to that effect shall 

 be made upon the invoice, and the articles so noted shall not pass the custom- 

 house, unless, on a re-examination of a strictly analytical character, called for 

 by the owner or consignee, the return of the examiner shall be found erroneous, 

 and it is declared as the result of such analysis, that the articles may properly, 

 safely, and without danger, be used for medicinal purposes. 



27587 No. 9806 2 



