INFERIOR DRUGS AND METHODS <>F DECEPTION. 15 



deuce pointed strongly to the conclusion that this dealer had Dimply 

 marked the English brand with the classical abbreviation k 'C. 1*." and 

 delivered it as such. Again, the writer has known of carloads of 

 C. P. glycerin, shipped in iron drums, that contained a sediment 

 consisting of iron scales, fibrous material, and other debris. These 

 goods were also delivered on contract, awarded on sample submitted 

 and competitive bid. If these consignments had not l>een examined 

 on delivery they would have been accepted without question, but after 

 their true nature became known they were promptly rejected. Honest 

 dealers handling goods of prime quality can not successfully compete 

 with articles of this character unless each consignment is examined. 



A few more cases will be sufficient to show the quality of some of 

 the C. P. chemicals frequently delivered. C. P. glycerin often con- 

 tains arsenic and certain bodies that reduce an alkaline copper solution, 

 and invariably contains volatile fatty acids. One sample of potassium 

 iodid, C. P., was found to be contaminated with sulphates, iodat<--. 

 and sodium compounds. It also contained 1.5 per cent of chlorid, 

 and r> grams required 3 cc of decinormal acid to neutralize the alka- 

 linity. A sample of potassium bisulphate C. P. contained only 3tt per 

 cent of the acid sulphate. Some calcium oxid C. P. was found to 

 contain iron, aluminum, magnesium, sulphate, and siliceous matter, 

 being virtually no better than ordinary commercial quicklime. A 

 sample of calcium chlorid C. P. was found to be contaminated with 

 iron, aluminum, and magnesium, and was highh r alkaline to litmus 

 paper. Such articles would certainly be objectionable for analytical 

 work. 



Certain dealers, laboring under the delusion of hypercritical stand- 

 ards, have sought shelter behind the very elastic term "pure" and are 

 supplying the market with chemicals which they think are sufficiently 

 pure for ail practical purposes. The term "pure" conveys distinctly 

 different meanings to the artisan, assayer, broker, chemist, manufac- 

 turer, photographer, physician, and toxicologist. As a rule, these 

 consumers do not call for chemicals free from all conceivable impurities, 

 but demand the absence of certain specified contaminations which are 

 detrimental in special work. The toxicologist must have his zinc free 

 from arsenic, phosphorus, antimony, and sulphur, while traces of 

 copper, carbon, or lead may not be objectionable. 



There are a number of other terms used which at present convey 

 very little information; they are Purum, Purissimum, Purified, 

 Twice Purified, and Absolutely Chemically Pure; and even U. S. P., 

 Br. P., and Ph. Ger. IV, are indifferently employed. Within recent 

 years manufacturers have adopted a custom of marking some of their 

 chemically pure chemicals "Free from manganese," "Free from 

 sulphur," "Free from iron," "Arsenic free," "Free from silver," 



