266 BACTERIOLOGICAL METHODS 



more remote drug stores which have exceeded the age limit or 

 which have become deteriorated in some manner, but even this 

 must be, in the very nature of things, rather a remote possibility. 

 It is therefore not likely that the drug bacteriologist will be 

 called upon to examine any of the standard products put up in 

 the Government inspected laboratories. There are, however, 

 numerous preparations placed on the market which are said to 

 have properties similar to the standard sera, etc., but which are 

 of a fraudulent character. It then becomes necessary to resort 

 to certain tests which will determine whether or not the article 

 under consideration possesses the properties claimed for it. Such 

 tests are both chemical and bacteriological. The chemical tests 

 are largely quahtative and include certain color reactions, pre- 

 cipitation reactions, etc. However, much remains yet to be done 

 in the way of devising methods which will prove practically useful, 

 Some of the very recent laboratory guides to the examination of 

 medicinal substances contain suggestions which will prove useful, 

 and these may be apphed in special cases. For example, a number 

 of chemical tests have been suggested for determining the presence 

 of ductless gland products and of various animal secretions. The 

 absolute merit of these tests is seriously questioned by some authori- 

 ties; however, their confirmatory significance is generally admitted. 



Biological products the activity of which depends upon the 

 presence of living germs are comparatively few and are not Hkely 

 to be brought to the attention of the drug bacteriologist. The bio- 

 logical products are intended for hypodermic, intravenous, intra- 

 muscular or some similar mode of use and must therefore conform 

 to certain specific requirements. They must be entirely free from 

 all undesirable foreign bacteria, dead or alive, and must not con- 

 tain undesirable foreign biological or toxicological products. 



The complete examination of biological products comprises 

 standardization and certain so-called safety tests, and is carried 

 out in all of the laboratories operating under Government super- 



