42 



That there does exist, to a very great and hurtful extent, systematic adulteration 

 and admixture in drugs, an attenuation and criminal dilution of many domestic 

 and household remedies in medicines, a willful compounding of inert substances 

 with spices, and a mean mingling of worthless stuff with articles of prepared food, 

 no observing or well-informed person can or will deny. Therefore, whatever may 

 be the merit or demerit of the Paddock bill, do let us have something in the way 

 of law that will protect against the mercenary avarice and greed of wicked and 

 unscrupulous persons. 



From Charles W. Hancock, druggist, Philadelphia, Pa.: 

 There seems to be an honest desire on the part of retail pharmacists to procure 

 and sell those preparations that are standard, and this desire is increasing, though 

 there have been a few instances lately where the officers of the State pharmaceu- 

 tical examining board had several parties arrested and bound over at court for selling 

 laudanum not up to the United States Pharmacopcria standard. 



SOUTH CAROLINA. 



From S. J. Duffie, druggist, Columbia, S. C.: 



The adulteration of food and drugs in this State is carried onto a considerable 

 extent, but there being no officers nor local laws to restrict same, I can not give any 

 reliable data bearing on the subject. However, I am convinced, from a little obser- 

 vation of a personal nature, that a law on the same would be a great remedy for the 

 worthless products which are now carried from place to place and sold in disguise. 

 A great many preparations, such as laudanum, paregoric, etc., instead of containing 

 the amount of opium prescribed by the pharmacopoeia, have in their composition 

 an amount insufficient to <l<> any good whatever. There are a great many prepara- 

 tions which are thus weakened, and J am sure they endanger the lives of the people 

 who take them. Such a case, if brought into court and proved, in all likelihood 

 would be thrown out on the cry of jealousy, but if \\e had a national law on the 

 subject and parties to enforce same, I am positive of good results. This is a subject 

 in which I have taken a great deal of interest, but having no law to back me, have 

 given up. 



VERMONT. 



From W. W. Cooke, director State Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 Burlington, Vt. : 



In Vermont there is no law concerning the adulteration of food and drugs, except 

 a single statute relating to watering or skimming milk delivered at creameries or 

 cheese factories, or retailed on the streets. This law has been quite rigidly 

 enforced during the last three or four years, and has very largely decreased the extent 

 to which this adulteration has been carried. There are no local laws in this State 

 bearing on this subject. I should be very much in favor of a national food and 

 drug law, provided one could be framed that would at all hit the necessities of the 

 case. 



MAPLE SUGAR. 



From Hon. II. M. Haynes, internal-revenue agent, Montpelier, Yt. : 

 Vermont lias a stringent law against adulteration of maple sugar, and as all such 

 adulterations must be done secretly and in fear of penalty, it is not a matter 

 admitting of statistical statement any more than illegal liquor selling or any other 

 statutory violation. In my special workhere in connection with maple-sugar bounty, 

 however, I have endeavored to gather information in regard to this practice, and 

 will summarize the results and my conclusions: 



(1) I do not think the practice of adulterating maple sugar is nearly as extensive 



