INSECT POWDER. 19 
1905, mentioned turmeric and chrome alum as adulterants, and gave 
methods for their detection. Three years later Grieb (107) found 
a sample adulterated with borax. 
In 1912 Linke (173) mentioned the following: Pyre thrum stems, 
flowers of other species of Chrysanthemum, calendula flowers, 
curcuma, lead chromate, barium chromate, euphorbium, and quillaja 
bark. He stated that the last two are added to increase the aroma 
of a powder. In the same year Sattler (238) reported lead chro- 
mate as an adulterant. 
Juttner (150), who visited the insect-powder-producing regions 
of Dalmatia and Montenegro in 1912, calls attention to the extensive 
grinding of Pyrethrum stems in those countries. In order to make 
this stem powder correspond in color to the genuine insect powder, 
lead chromate is used, and, to increase the odor, from 1 to 2 per cent 
of pepper powder is sometimes added. 
Siedler (150) mentions another substance used to color insect 
powder, namely, yellow wood, or the heartwood of Chlorophora 
tinctoria. He mentions also Pyrethrum indicum, Bellis perennis, 
Tanacetum vulgare, chamomile, quassia powder, pepper, powdered 
aloes, euphorbium powder, senna leaves, and flowers of "Margherita 
silvatica" as adulterants. The last name is unknown in botanical 
nomenclature, and Siedler considers it to be a fantastic designation 
for an unknown adulterant. Marguerite, however, is a common 
name for C. frutescens, which may be the flower meant. In a later 
article Siedler (257) stated that, compared to adulteration with 
stem powder, adulteration with foreign flowers is insignificant. 
Slaus-Kantschieder (261), in 1913, stated that in Dalmatia the 
most usual form of adulteration of insect powder consists in grinding 
with the flowers a part of the flower stems called "stecco." Lead 
chromate, barium chromate, powdered bricks, starch, curcuma, and 
powdered almond shells are also mentioned by him as adulterants. 
Benjamin F. Chase, United States consul at Fiume, under date of 
December 15, 1915, reported that in Dalmatia it is customary to add 
5 per cent of borax to the inferior grades of insect powder. 
In addition to the powdered stems of the Pyrethrum plant, which 
have been the most extensive means of adulteration, other adulterants 
detected in the Insecticide and Fungicide Laboratory during the past 
6 years have been lead chromate, potassium chromate, barium chro- 
mate, curcuma, sand, leaves of the Pyrethrum plant, and oxeye 
daisy flowers (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum). 
Roark and Keenan * have made a special study of the adulteration 
of insect powder with powdered oxeye daisy flowers, and have de- 
scribed means for its detection. 
i U.S.Dept. Agr. Bull. 795, issued July 28, 1919. 
