1 2  A dulteration  of  Drugs.  { ^£™'/^m • 
THE  ADULTERATION  OF  DRUGS. 
By  Lyman  F.  Kebi,er. 
Many  of  the  reports  bearing  upon  the  adulteration  of  food-pro- 
ducts and  medicinal  preparations,  which  come  to  hand  from  time  to 
time,  are  of  such  a  character,  that  at  the  time  of  reading  we  are 
almost  overawed  by  the  number  of  sophisticated  or  adulterated 
articles  reported.  Tables  are  presented  which  would  indicate  that 
from  50  to  75  per  cent,  of  the  articles  examined  are  adulterated  or 
spurious.  If  this  is  really  a  correct  representation  of  the  facts  as 
they  exist  we  would  be  compelled  to  admit  that  this  country  must 
be  a  veritable  happy  hunting  ground  for  the  manipulator.  But 
upon  closer  examination  it  will  be  found  that  these  reports  are  "  re- 
ports of  adulterations  "  in  the  full  sense  of  the  word,  and  that,  when 
a  man  starts  out  to  find  adulterations,  he  is  usually  successful. 
Taking  the  whole  field  into  consideration,  the  author  does  not  be- 
lieve that  these  reports  present  the  actual  existing  condition  of 
affairs. 
In  the  course  of  some  of  the  writer's  notes  to  the  Pharmaceutical 
Era,  it  was  stated,  in  substance,  that  while  the  number  of  adulterated 
articles  reported  is  found  to  be  comparatively  lar^e,  the  proportion 
of  intentional  adulterations  actually  met  with  do  not  exceed  5  per 
cent.  Indeed,  extended  experience  in  examining  the  vast  number 
of  articles  that  come  up  for  investigation  in  the  actual  course  of 
business  shows  that  the  adulterations  practiced  are  actually  very 
much  less  than  this.  Such  a  statement  may  seem  somewhat  radical, 
but  it  is  based  upon  the  results  obtained  in  the  chemical  laboratory 
of  Smith,  Kline  &  French  Co.,  wholesale  druggists,  manufacturing 
chemists  and  pharmacists,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  which  firm  submits  to 
a  strict  examination  nearly  all  the  products  they  handle. 
The  subject  of  the  adulteration  of  foods  and  drugs  is  a  well-worn 
theme.  Many  able  reports  have  been  presented  time  and  again, 
and  the  writer  believes  that  such  reports  have  had  much  to  do  by 
way  of  educating  both  the  druggist  and  the  public,  and  that  adul- 
teration has  become  minimized  more  largely  as  the  result  of  these 
educational  efforts  than  through  legislation.  The  object  of  this 
report  is  precisely  along  the  former  line.  It  is  intended  to  be 
educational. 
The  articles  referred  to  are  shown  in  the  exhibit  given  in  connec- 
tion with  this  meeting.    Specimens  are  here  for  the  careful  exami- 
