Am'Aprnr;So7!rm*}       Well  Known  Synthetic  Chemicals.  161 
result  in  the  formation  of  definite  chemicals.  The  manufacture  of 
acetanilide  from  benzol,  or  antipyrine  from  aniline,  affords  good  illus- 
trations, inasmuch  as  in  the  manufacture  of  both  several  operations 
are  necessary.  The  word  u  synthetic,"  however,  has  acquired  an 
entirely  different  meaning  which  has  been  used  to  a  considerable 
extent  in  the  past,  usually  in  an  honorable  manner,  but  often  for 
the  purpose  of  deceiving  not  only  the  public,  but  also  the  doctor  as 
well.  This  feature  has  been  claiming  recognition  in  no  unmistak- 
able terms  during  the  past  few  months.  It  is  held  by  some  that 
the  mixing  together  of  the  various  cinchona  alkaloidal  salts,  in 
proportion  as  found  by  analysis  of  the  cinchona  barks,  the  same 
dissolved  in  simple  elixir  and  colored  with  caramel,  is  a  "  synthetic 
elixir  of  cinchona  bark."  Other  illustrations  are  the  common  head- 
ache mixtures,  which  consisted  in  the  past,  and  at  present  to  a  lesser 
extent,  chiefly  of  acetanilide,  sodium  bicarbonate,  or  ammonium 
carbonate,  and  caffeine.  These  mixtures  are  at  times  so  named  as 
to  lead  to  the  belief  that  they  are  synthetic  chemicals.  In  some 
cases  even  a  hypothetical  chemical  name,  together  with  a  structural 
formula,  are  attached  to  make  the  deception  even  more  complete. 
Since  the  passage  of  the  act,  the  acetanilide  has  been  replaced  in 
many  instances  by  para  acetphenetidin  (commonly  known  as  phe- 
nacetine)  and  antipyrine.  This  subject  will  be  considered  in  a  sub- 
sequent portion  of  this  paper.  It  is  also  claimed  that  a  so-called 
"raspberry  extract"  made  up  with  various  esters  dissolved  in 
alcohol  (grain  or  wood)  and  colored  with  cudbear  is  a  "  synthetic  rasp- 
berry extract."  There  are  undoubtedly  different  views  as  to  whether 
or  not  the  latter  claims  are  justifiable,  but  in  the  speaker's  opinion, 
the  first  definition,  or  a  similar  one,  is  the  only  one  that  should 
receive  any  recognition  in  the  chemical  world.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  latter  is  simply  used  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  public  and 
has  no  basis  for  existence  whatever. 
The  Pure  Food  and  Drugs  Act  specifies  that  an  article  is  mis- 
branded  if  it  fails  to  bear  a  statement  on  the  label  of  the  package 
"  of  the  quantity  or  proportion  of  any  alcohol,  morphine,  opium, 
cocaine,  heroin,  alpha  or  beta  eucaine,  chloroform,  cannabis  indica, 
chloral  hydrate,  or  acetanilide,  or  any  derivative  or  preparation  of 
any  such  substances  contained  therein."  The  act  also  forbids  the 
use  of  any  poisonous  or  deleterious  ingredient  in  the  manufacture  of 
food  products,  or  any  agent  which  misleads  or  deceives  in  any  par- 
