188 
EDITORIAL. 
or  ignorantly  represented  to  be  of  superior  quality,  and  be  sold  at  better 
profit.    The  effect  of  the  present  law  is  well  illustrated  in  the  canvass 
now  actively  going  on  in  the  drug  market  here  for  the  office  of  drug  in- 
spector at  this  port.    Several  candidates  are  in  the  field,  they  or  their 
friends  all  actively  engaged  in  getting  the  signatures  of  druggists  and 
importers  to  their  recommendations  and  claims  for  the  office  ;  and  the  ' 
canvass  is  carried  on  in  the  usual  spirit  whereby  each  strives  to  forestall 
the  other  in  private  and  political  influence,  and  to  bring  to  bear  the  va- 
rious interests  and  sympathies  that  can  be  made  available,  while  the  cbar- 
acter  of  each  is  freely  discussed.    One  name  has  been  mentioned  in  the 
canvass  which  at  once  excited  an  expression  of  active  opposition  from  a 
partner  in  one  of  the  best  drug  houses  in  this  or  any  other  city,  upon  the 
ground  that,  if  the  person  so  named  should  occupy  the  office  of  inspector, 
the  standard  of  quality  would  be  raised  so  high,  and  would  be  likely  to  be 
so  applied,  as  to  materially  injure  the  drue;  market  of  this  city,  and  force 
the  commerce  in  importation  of  drugs  into  other  cities  and  channels  where- 
in the  law  might  not  be  carried  out.    In  other  words,  that  the  policy  of 
New  York  is  to  place  such  a  person  in  the  office  as  would  not  be  likely 
to  interfere  with  importations,  by  carrying  the  law  into  effect — that  is,  to 
find  the  man  who  in  the  necessary  oath  prescribed  by  the  law,  will  "  sol- 
emnly, sincerely,  and  truly  swear,  diligently  and  faithfully  to  perform  the 
duties  of  the  office  as  prescribed  by  the  act,  to  prevent  the  importation 
of  adulterated  and  spurious  drugs  and  medicines,"  and  who  will  yet  be 
sure  not  to  do  what  he  solemnly  swears  he  will  do.    One  such  fact,  well 
established  as  this  is,  goes  far  to  show  that,  if  the  medical  and  pharma- 
ceutical professions,  through  want  of  due  thought  or  action  upon  this  sub- 
ject, leave  it  in  the  hands  into  which  it  naturally  falls,  namely,  the  politi- 
cal and  importing  intereits,  to  fill  these  offices  in  the  districts  in  which 
they  are  established  by  this  law,  these  professions  may  be  very  sure  that 
their  interests,  and  those  of  the  public,  will  be  destroyed,  or  so  pervert- 
ed as  to  render  this  important  and  excellent  law  not  only  useless  but 
absolutely  mischievous.     And  this   naturally   introduces   the  special 
object  of  this  article,  namely,  to  urge  upon  the  medical  organizations  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  six  collectoral  districts,  where  special 
examiners  are  authorized  by  this  law,  to  take  prompt  and  determined 
action  in  the  matter.    At  this  port  it  is  especially  incumbent  upon  the 
medical  and  pharmaceutical  bodies  to  make  an  early  and  energetic  move- 
ment, because  probably  two-thirds  of  all  the  imported  drugs  and  medicines 
used  in  the  United  States  are  entered  at  this  port.    The  new  adrainstra- 
tion  should  be  early  and  earnestly  apprised,  not  only  of  the  vital  impor- 
tance of  this  law,  but  also  of  the  difficulties  and  responsibilities  of  its 
proper  execution,  and  of  the  danger  which  attends  the  appointment  of 
its  officers  through  political  or  pecuniary  interests  and  considerations. 
The  law  requires  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  appoint  "  suitably 
qualified  persons"  to  carry  into  effect  its  provisions,  and,  as  in  cases  of 
appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  Examiner,  it  provides  that  the  Collector 
shall  procure  the  services  of  some  "  competent  analytical  chemist,  possess- 
ing the  confidence  of  the  medical  profession,  as  well  as  of  the  colleges  of 
medicine  and  pharmacy,  if  any  such  institutions  exist  in  the  State  in 
which  the  collective  district  is  situated,"  to  decide  such  questions  of  ap- 
peal, it  is  plain  that  the  law  does  in  itself  recognise  in  the  medical  and 
pharmaceutical  organization,  a  proper,  legitimate,  and  necessary  influ- 
ence in  its  execution  and  application.    And  it  is  not  probable  that  any 
adminstration  would  fail  to  be  convinced  of  this  importance,  and,  when 
so  convinced  by  proper  representations,  Avould  fail  to  exercise  due  care 
m  the  appointments,  or  give  due  and  respectful  weight  and  attention  to 
