VARIETIES. 
365 
From all the preceding, the author considers it fair to infer, 
that when the oxide of zinc, after being heated, acquires a yel- 
lowish tint, it proceeds from the presence of a slight trace of 
oxide of iron. Clearly, however, no explanation is hereby fur- 
nished of the cause of the citron-yellow color of oxide of zinc 
which attends its heated condition and disappears on cooling. 
This phenomenon is purely physical, and must be classed with 
numerous similar phenomena, e. g., the blackening of oxide of 
mercury by heat, and so forth. — Pharm. Jour. 1852, from 
Vierteljahresschrift fur praktisehe Pharmacie, 1852. 
Varieties* 
General Report upon the Results and Effects of the " Drug Law," made to 
the Secretary of the Treasury. By C. B. Guthrie, M. D. — The act of 
Congress, approved 26th of June, 1848, entitled " an Act to prevent the 
importation of spurious and adulterated drugs and medicines," having now 
been in existence and enforcement almost three years, the working of the 
law, and its effects, immediate and remote, have become necessarily 
matters of fact, and are no longer left to conjecture and speculation. 
At the time of the passage of this law by Congress, no inconsiderable 
fears were entertained by its friends, and great hopes by its enemies, that 
it would be found impracticable to carry out its requisite provisions without 
great injury to that portion of our citizens engaged in the importation of 
this class of merchandize, in which event its repeal would, of course, have 
been urgently solicited.* 
In entering upon the duties of the commission, which I had the honor to 
receive from the department, I was fully impressed with the importance of 
the information sought for, and the necessity of a candid, impartial and un- 
biassed examination of facts bearing upon the subject, and in making to 
the department this report, I have divided my results and facts into im- 
mediate and remote ; the reasons for which will appear in the detail. 
Under the general terms drugs and medicines, are embraced all articles in- 
tended for the treatment of the diseases of the human system, and though 
they admit of many subdivisions, these terms, included under the two heads 
* Strong prima facie evidence of the popularity of this law maybe found in 
this significant fact that not a petition tor its repeal has ever been presented to 
Congress. 
32 
t 
