Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
January,  1902.  j 
Adulteration  of  Drugs. 
21 
tion  showed,  however,  there  was  a  decided  difference  in  physical 
appearance  to  begin  with  between  this  powdered  article  and  that  of 
the  genuine  product;  the  color  was  considerably  brighter,  and  only 
about  one-sixth  as  pungent  as  genuine  red  pepper.  A  tincture  pre- 
pared from  it  also  presented  an  abnormal  reddish  cast.  On  sub- 
mitting the  paprika  to  a  quantitative  examination  it  was  found  that 
there  is  practically  little  difference  between  the  data  obtained  for 
this  article  and  the  usually  accepted  constants  for  capsicum.  A  mi- 
croscopic examination  did  not  offer  any  assistance. 
It  can  thus  readily  be  seen  that  with  such  an  article  as  this  the 
adulterator  has  in  his  hands  a  most  efficient  diluent  of  red  pepper. 
That  paprika  (C.  annuum  L.)  should  be  substituted  for  Capsicum 
fastigiatum,  Blume,  is  really  not  new,  for  Fluckiger  and  Hanbury, 
Pharmacographia,  2d  ed.,  page  452,  says :  "  It  furnishes  the  largest 
kind  of  pod  pepper  and,  as  we  believe,  much  of  the  cayenne  pepper 
which  is  imported  in  the  powdered  form."  In  the  "  American  Dis- 
pensatory," 1898,  page  434,  we  find:  "  It  (C.  annuum)  undoubtedly 
forms  a  large  part  of  ground  red  pepper." 
Cochineal  {silver  and  black). — Pure  (black)  cochineal  is  of  a  pur. 
plish-gray  or  purplish-black  color,  and  it  is  surprising  how  few 
druggists  know  or  have  even  seen  the  pure  article.  It  is  the  general 
custom  to  add  some  white  material  to  the  pure  cochineal  in  order 
to  bring  out  the  silvery  appearance  (sic !)  which  is  so  characteristic 
of  the  commercial  cochineal.  The  kind  and  amount  of  added 
material  varies  quite  considerable,  being,  as  the  writer  has  found, 
sometimes  barium  sulphate  to  the  extent  of  30  per  cent.,  talcum, 
calcium  sulphate,  calcium  carbonate,  and  magnesium  carbonate. 
Elm  Barky  Powdered. — It  is  a  common  occurrence  to  find  this 
article  adulterated  with  wheat  flour.  As  much  as  30  per  cent,  has 
been  met.    The  microscope  will  reveal  this  diluent. 
Jaborandi  Leaves  mixed  with  Twigs,  Stems  and  Sticks ',  to  the  ex- 
tent of  20  per  cent.  While  this  probably  does  not  come  directly 
under  the  heading  of  adulteration,  as  it  is  usually  understood,  yet 
there  can  be  no  doubt  in  any  one's  mind  present,  that  an  undue 
amount  of  such  substances  must  have  been  added  with  a  purpose, 
for  it  is  well  known  that  the  addition  of  such  products  must  neces- 
sarily impair  the  medicinal  efficiency  of  the  drug  to  which  they  have 
been  added.  In  the  liberal  sense  of  the  word,  they  must  be  con- 
sidered adulterants.    This  is  simply  an  example  of  many  drugs  that 
