THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
SECOND SERIES. 
VOL. X.—No. XI.—MAY, 1869. 
THE ADULTERATION OF DRUGS. 
The Bill now before Parliament u To Amend the Adulteration of Articles of 
Food or Drink Act, 1860, and to Extend its Provisions to Drugs,” demands the 
serious consideration of Chemists and Druggists. It will be found in another 
part of this Journal, in the form in which it was introduced by Mr. Dixon, and 
ordered to be printed on the 13th of April. 
It is admitted on all hands that the adulteration of articles of food and drink 
and also of drugs, is practised to a considerable extent, and that existing laws 
are practically inoperative as efficient remedies for the evil. 
It is generally admitted that this is a fit subject for legislation, the interests 
of all classes of the community being involved in the suppression of adultera¬ 
tion, and especially when it affects the health or the pockets of the public. 
That it is a difficult subject on which to legislate may be inferred from the 
small success of the attempts that have been made in that direction. 
According to the Act of 1860, “ every person who shall sell any article of 
food or drink with which, to the knowledge of such person, any ingredient or 
material injurious to the health of persons eating or drinking such article has 
been mixed, and every person who shall sell, expressly warranted as pure or 
unadulterated, any article of food or drink which is adulterated or not pure,” 
shall be subject, for a first offence, to a penalty not exceeding five pounds nor 
less than five shillings, and for any subsequent offence may have his name ad¬ 
vertised. 
Parochial and other local authorities are authorized, if they think proper, to 
appoint analysts in tlieir respective districts, and may pay to such analysts 
such salaries or allowances as they may think fit; and it is the duty of these 
analysts to examine any articles of food or drink that may be taken to them 
for that purpose, and to report thereon, for a fee of not less than two shillings 
and sixpence, nor more than ten shillings and sixpence. 
Persons who have reason to believe that articles which they have purchased 
are adulterated in either of the ways specified, may have them examined by the 
analysts, on payment of the fees named, and finding their suspicions to be sub¬ 
stantiated, may make complaint before justices, etc., with a view to the 
infliction of the penalties. 
The Act of 1860, when passed, was not made to apply to drugs, but by the 
24th section of the Pharmacy Act of 1868, it is provided that “the Act for 
Preventing the Adulteration of Articles of Food or Drink, shall extend to all 
articles usually taken or sold as medicines, and every adulteration of any such 
article shall be deemed an admixture injurious to health ; and any person 
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