AMERICAN    PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION. 
485 
The  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Progress  of  Pharmacy 
not  being  present,  the  Report  was  deferred  until  to-morrow. 
The  Report  of  the  Committee  on  Home  Adulterations  was 
read  by  the  Chairman,  Charles  T.  Carney,  and  was,  on  motion, 
unanimously  adopted,  and  referred  to  the  Executive  Committee 
for  publication. 
[This  Report  extends  to  thirty-six  manuscript  pages,  and  is  chiefly 
occupied  in  the  discussion  of  adulterations  of  substances  directly  or 
indirectly  to  be  considered  articles  of  food, — deeming  such  within 
their  province  as  a  committee  on  "  Home  Adulterations."  They  begin 
with  drinking-water  in  its  relation  with  the  use  of  lead  pipe  ns  a  cause 
of  danger  to  the  public  health  ;  and  instance  cases  where  disease  has 
resulted.  W<i  cannot  agree  that  the  force  of  the  arguments  adduced  are 
of  universal  application.  Much  depends  on  the  character  of  the  water  used, 
and  isolated  circumstances  favorable  to  the  oxidation  of  the  pipes.  Ir. 
Philadelphia,  the  universal  employment  of  lead  pipes  is  sufficient  evidence 
that  so  far  as  relates  to  Schuylkill  water  the  objection  does  not  hold. 
Milk  is  next  considered,  and  a  series  of  analyses  given  to  show  the  large 
proportion  of  water  employed  to  adulterate  this  important  item  of  food. 
Yeast  substitutes  next  come  in  for  a  notice,  especially  that  now  sold  a.s 
a  substitute  for  cream-of-tartar,  owing  its  acidity  to  super-phosphate  of 
lime. 
Wines,  brandies  and  liquors  are  next  considered.  The  fable  of 
"strychnine  in  whisky"  is  exploded;  but  the  Committee  find  great 
cause  to  believe  that  extensive  practice  of  adulteration  and  substitution  in 
this  class  of  articles  of  consumption  exists. 
Among  the  drug  adulterations  noticed  in  the  Report  we  observe  that  of 
opium  by  leaden  shot,  nitrate  of  silver  by  nitrate  of  potassa,  and 
chloroform  by  alcohol.  The  Report  concludes  with  some  general  remarks 
on  the  importance  of  the  reforms  needed,  and  the  necessity  of  the 
Association  keeping  the  subject  under  its  active  supervision/] 
In  the  absence  of  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Act 
of  Incorporation,  no  Report  was  received.    ( See  page  488.) 
Mr.  Meakim,  of  New  York,  offered  the  following  resolu- 
tion : — 
Resolved,  That  a  Business  Committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  take  charge 
of  any  recommendations  or  unfinished  business,  and  the  offering  of  suitable 
resolutions  for  the  action  of  the  Association. 
The  resolution  was  adopted,  and  the  Chair  appointed  Messrs. 
Squibb,  Procter  and  Carney,  to  constitute  the  Committee. 
