19 



From J. H. Hood, M. D. ; and A. J. Hassler, of Haywards: 



Some time ago we noticed an advertisement in a newspaper wherein a certain 

 store offered for sale, among other drugs, a 3-ounce bottle of spirit of camphor for 

 10 cents. This low price somewhat surprised us, and we therefore bought a bottle 

 with the view of determining where this store made its profit. The 3-ounce bottle 

 turned out to be a 2-ounce short flint glass Blake, and its contents measured 15 

 iluid drachms. But as even 2 ounces of good spirit of camphor in a flint glass bottle 

 does not allow much, if any, profit if sold at 10 cents, we decided to examine into 

 the equality of this bargain of ours. Wo found the stuff to be rather less than half 

 the standard strength in camphor, and made with as weak an alcohol as possible. 

 We made an analysis with the following result, as compared with the spirit of 

 camphor of the United States Pharmacopoeia : 



This rather opened our eyes as to the manner in which these stores make their 

 profits, for, as may be plainly seen, the cost of this preparation is very much less 

 than that of a standard article. 



The result of this experiment led us to make further purchases of drugs, etc., from 

 various grocery and other similar establishments in San Francisco and Alameda 

 County. 



Asafvctida yum. We bought 1 pound of asafoetida from a retail grocer, and paid 35 

 cents for it, which was a great deal more than it was worth. The sample is about 

 as poor a lot of asafcctida as we ever saw, and must have been refuse from some lot 

 rejected by druggists, for no reputable druggist would sell such rubbish. 



Senna leaves. With the exception of two lots, all the senna leaves we got were of 

 fair average quality of East India senna, at prices ranging from 2 cents to 5 cents 

 an ounce. Two samples, sold and labeled as " Alexandrian senna," were moldy 

 and worm-eaten. 



Glycerin. WQ examined six samples of glycerin and found only one that was of 

 the required specific gravity. In one sample glucose was present to the extent of 

 21 per cent; the others being only reduced with water, to the average amount of 10 

 per cent. The price was in each case 10 cents for a 2-ounce bottle. 



Seidlitz powders. Seidlitz powders, as purchased by us at grocery stores, were 

 uniformly of short weight. The heaviest was 40 grains short, and the lightest 48 

 grains of the seidlitz mixture. The tartaric acid averaged 30 grains, instead of 35 

 grains. Two lots had Epsom salts and one lot Glauber salts added, to increase the 

 active property. 



Ammonia water. Two samples examined were both of the same strength, contain- 

 ing 7.5 per cent of ammonia, and were sold at 15 cents a pint. Strength thus being 

 sacrificed for an apparently low price. 



The most of the other articles bought were of fair average quality, with the excep- 

 tion of tincture of arnica, which in every case was about half the pharmacopceial 

 strength, as compared with a standard tincture prepared by us. 



From Mr. Searley, of the California Pharmaceutical Association: 



English glucose is almost free of sulphuric acid. Some American glucose is also 

 good, but most of it is contaminated. 



