586 
Appointment  of  Examiner  of  Drugs. 
f  Am  Jour.  Piiarm, 
t       Nov.,  1885. 
2.  The  examination  to  be  in  writing  ;  the  same  questions  to  be  submitted 
to  each. 
3.  Specimens  of  imported  drugs,  of  various  qualities,  to  be  submitted  for 
recognition,  and  detection  of  adulterations. 
4.  The  questions  to  be  confined  to  materia  medica  and  pharmaceutical 
chemistry,  so  far  as  was  necessary  to  test  the  quality  and  purity  of  drugs 
and  ofHcinal  preparations  which  are  imported  into  this  port. 
It  was  deemed  best  to  adhere  to  this  outline,  the  original  purpose  of  the 
ofHce  of  drug  inspector  being  to  prevent  the  importation  of  damaged,  adul- 
terated, soj^histicated,  or  worthless  drugs  and  medicinal  chemicals. 
Altl]ough  the  drug  examiner  has  been  frequently  employed  as  an  ap- 
praiser in  classification  of  products  for  duty,  the  committee  did  not  deem 
it  within  their  jDrovince  to  take  cognizance  of  his  duties  in  this  position, 
bat  to  regard  him  in  his  place  as  defined  by  the  law  creating  the  office. 
The  questions  were  so  arranged  that  a  numerical  value,  varying  from  2 
to  4,  according  to  its  importance,  was  attached  to  each  subdivision.  A  cor- 
rect determination  of  each  specimen  was  marked  1.  The  relative  nume- 
rical proportion  to  the  questions  and  specimens  was  accordingly  85  to  15. 
In  valuing  the  answers,  the  first  three  were  examined  and  rated  by  one 
member,  the  next  three  by  another  member,  the  remaining  four  by  a  third 
member,  and  the  determination  of  the  specimens  by  the  remaining  mem- 
ber of  the  committee.  Ofiicinal  names  were  not  required,  nor  were  errors 
in  spelling  taken  into  account.  The  plan  gave  uniformity  in  opportunity 
to  the  applicants,  and  equity  in  judgment  upon  their  answers. 
The  examination  was  held  at  the  U.  S.  Appraiser's  Stores,  Second  and 
Gold  streets,  Saturday,  October  12,  at  10  A.M. 
Two  hours  and  a  half  were  allowed  for  answers  to  the  questions,  and  fif- 
teen minutes  for  examination  of  the  specimens.  The  committee  deter- 
mined upon  an  average  of  at  least  50  per  cent,  as  in  their  opinion 
necessary  for  making  an  applicant  suitable  for  the  position ;  at  the  same 
time  they  agreed  to  report  the  averages  of  all  the  applicants  examined, 
without  recommendation  of  any.  Nine  applicants  were  selected  by  the 
appraiser.  One  retired  on  account  of  sickness.  The  result  of  the  exami- 
nation was  as  follows,  the  averages  being  given  in  the  numerical  order  of 
the  ai3plicants : 
Applicant  No.  1  made  an  average  of  51*25  ;  No.  2,  54,-  No.  3,  33;  No.  4, 
44-75  ;  No.  5,  42;  No.  6,  55-5;  No.  7,  60-5  ;  No.  8,  41*5. 
The  questions  and  a  list  of  the  specimens  are  annexed  : 
Ansivers  from  any  recognized  authority  will  be  received  to  these  questions^, 
though  they  are  based  on  the  authority  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopceia. 
No.  1.  Opium. — 1.  In  what  countries  is  opium  largely  produced?  2. 
What  variety  is  chiefly  imported  into  the  United  States?  3.  What  per- 
centage of  morphine  should  opium  in  its  moist  condition  contain?  4. 
Give  a  process  for  the  assay  of  opium.  5.  Name  a  test  for  the  purity  of 
morphine. 
No.  2.  Cinchona.— 1.  What  countries  produce  the  barks  of  commerce? 
2.  What  varieties  are  officinal  in  the  U.  S.  PharmacoiDoeia  ?  3.  What  alka- 
loids are  contained  in  the  bark?   4.  What  is  the  minimum  percentage  of 
