AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION. 
487 
special  examiners,"  is  correct ;  and  that  it  forms  the  only  safe  and  just  basis  on 
which  to  found  a  rule  whereby  the  Examiner  should  be  governed.  If  an  article 
is  to  be  condemned  on  the  ground  that  it  will  or  may  be  used  for  adulterating 
purposes  after  it  is  imported,  it  is  difficult  to  see  where  will  be  the  limit  to  these 
stoppages." 
(t  The  question  naturally  arises,  What  constitutes  (  good  of  their  kind  V  a  ques- 
tion much  more  readily  asked  than  answered.  To  define  precisely  what  drugs 
are  so,  involves  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  materia  medica,  of  ihe  properties 
and  appearances  of  the  articles  composing  it,  of  their  deteriorations  by  age, 
moisture,  and  other  causes,  together  with  the  adulterations  they  are  liable  to, 
and  the  means  of  detecting  them. 
"The  Committee  have  thought  that  this  can  be  most  readily  and  effectually 
settled  by  the  method  they  are  about  to  propose.  We  have  prepared  and  here- 
with present  two  lists,  embracing  all  the  articles  recognized  by  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia  as  constituting  the  materia  medica,  together  with  the  preparations 
that  are  officinal  in  that  work.  The  first  list  comprises  chemical  preparations 
and  such  other  articles  as  we  think  it  practicable  to  devise  standards  for ;  whilst 
the  second  list  is  composed  of  herbs,  roots,  flowers,  &c.  which  cannot  so  well 
be  judged  of  by  their  chemical  constituents  as  by  their  physical  and  apparent 
properties.  It  will  be  seen  that  we  have  also  included  in  this  second  list  the 
essential  oils,  tinctures,  extracts,  &c,  articles  that  unfortunately  are  often 
adulterated  or  deteriorated,  but  many  of  wThich.  we  must  confess,  we  are  at  a 
loss  how  to  test,  even  when  we  suspect  them  to  be  so. 
"  We  propose  that  these  lists  be  considered  by  the  Association,  article  by  arti- 
cle, so  that  we  may  have  the  opinion  of  the  Association  as  to  what  articles  they 
may  consider  it  practicable  to  have  standards  for."        *  *  * 
<£  When  the  list  is  arranged,  let  it  be  apportioned  off  amongst  the  different  Phar- 
maceutical Associations  present;  whose  duty  it  shall  be  carefully  to  examine 
the  articles  assigned  to  them,  especially  as  regards  their  deterioration  and  adul- 
teration, and  to  devise  tests  for  the  detection  of  such  adulterations,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  arrange  standards  of  purity,  whereby  they  may  be  judged,  not  only 
by  the  drug  examiners,  but  also  by  druggists  and  physicians:  the  whole  to  be 
reported  to  the  Association  next  annual  session." 
The  Committe  then  enter  into  a  discussion  of  the  late  circular  of  instructions 
issued  by  the  Treasury  Department,  and  take  exceptions  to  several  parts  of  it. 
The  direction  that  all  articles  of  merchandise  used  partly  in  medicine  shall  be 
submitted  to  examination  by  the  Special  Examiner  before  passing  the  Custom- 
house, they  considered  unjust,  as  bearing  oppressively  on  manufacturers,  who 
consume  of  many  of  these  articles  in  by  far  the  larger  proportion,  as  white  lead, 
arsenic,  litharge,  mastic,  galls,  &c. 
They  think  a  wide  discrimination  should  be  made  in  favor  of  the  manufacturer, 
when  bonds  are  given  for  the  legitimate  use  of  articles  required  by  them. 
They  think  European  rhubarb  should  be  admitted. 
They  believe  some  of  the  standards  adopted  are  too  high  for  practical  pur- 
poses. The  standard  for  opium,  for  instance,  16  nine  per  cent,  of  pure  morphia," 
which  is  equal  to  11.89  per  cent,  of  the  crystallized  sulphate,  is  above  the  ave- 
rage yield  of  good  commercial  opium. 
They  consider  the  standard  for  elaterium  (30  per.  cent,  of  elaterin)  too  high. 
They  regard  the  amount  of  soluble  matter  in  rhubarb  and  senna,  as  a  bad  cri- 
terion of  their  quality. 
In  relation  to  secret  or  patent  medicines,  they  believe  the  law  gives  the  Exa- 
miner no  right  to  exclude  them,  unless  they  fall  under  its  condemnation.  They 
wish  it  understood  that  they  are  in  favor  of  excluding  these  medicines,  if  legally 
done,  but  do  not  believe  the  present  law  gives  the  power. 
They  C£  think  the  construction  recently  put  by  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Trea- 
sury upon  the  fourth  section  of  the  law,  as  passed  by  Congress,  26th  June,  1848, 
is  erroneous  and  illegal;"  because  it  prevents  the  report  of  the  analytical  che- 
mist from  being  final,  as  positively  asserted  by  the  law. 
The  Committee  conclude  their  report  by  declaring  that  "  the  best  devised 
system  of  standards  and  tests  will  be  of  no  avail  unless  the  officers  to  whom  is 
