22 MAINE AGRICULTl'RAL EXPERTMENT STATIOa. IC)!^,- 



Inspection oe Drug Stores and Analyses of Drugs. 



During the year 1912 practically all of the drug stores of 

 the state were visited and inspected. The reports of these in- 

 spections are on file in the office. Almost without exception 

 these reports show that first class sanitary conditions prevail in 

 the drug stores of the State, behind the prescription counters 

 and in the back stores as well as in the front, which is the only 

 part usually seen by the customer. There are, of course, condi- 

 tions which might be improved in some of these stores, for 

 example, the method of cleansing and washing the glasses at 

 soda fountains is not always the best. Occasionally a benzoate 

 of soda card is not displayed at the fountain, and sometinles 

 shelf bottles containing drugs are found without the percentage 

 of alcohol appearing upon them. 



A number of samples of various kinds of drugs w^ere col- 

 lected and the results of the examination of these samples will 

 be discussed in the following pages. 



Ammonia Water. 



Fourteen samples of Ammonia Water were collected during 

 the latter part of 19 12 in various towns of the State. The name 

 ''Ammonia Water" is recognized in the United States' Pharma- 

 copoeia as a synonym for Aqua Ammonias which should contain 

 10 per cent of gaseous ammonia. Another preparation of Am- 

 monia recognized in the United States Pharmacopceia is called 

 Stronger Ammonia A\"ater, which is a synonym for Aqua Am- 

 monite Fortior, and w^hich contains 28 per cent of gaseous am- 

 monia. A great deal of confusion seems to prevail in regard to 

 these two preparations. Some druggists write us that they have 

 practically no call for the weaker, or Ammonia Water, but that 

 nearly all of the ammonia sold is the Stronger Ammonia ^^'ater. 

 In some of the cases it develops, too, that not suffixient care 

 is observed in the keeping of Ammonia Water, and as a result 

 it deteriorates by losing Ammonia gas. Although in each- case 

 Ammonia AA'ater was called for, in a number of cases Stronger 

 Ammonia \A'ater or something approaching Stronger Ammonia 

 A^^ater was ('eliverer\ In two of the cases noted the sam]")le was 



