4 
Editorial. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
January,  1920. 
been  cited  to  appear  before  the  Commission  and  given  forty  days  to 
file  an  answer,  after  which  the  case  may  be  tried  upon  its  merits. 
The  Federal  Trade  Commission  allege  that  the  published  adver- 
tisements of  this  company  imply  that  the  word  "aspirin"  is  only 
properly  used  to  designate  the  product  of  the  respondent,  and  that 
its  product  is  the  only  genuine,  unadulterated  and  safe  aspirin  to  be 
used,  and  that  the  products  of  other  manufacturers,  sold  in 
competition  as  aspirin,  are  spurious  and  adulterated  and  composed 
of  other  materials,  such  as  talcum  powder  and  the  like.  By  these 
actions  it  is  alleged  that  The  Bayer  Company  misleads  the  public 
into  giving  undue  preference  to  Bayer  aspirin,  thereby  causing  loss 
and  damage  to  competitors. 
The  action  taken  by  the  Federal  Trade  Commission  raises  an 
important  question  as  to  whether  such  advertisements  are  to  be 
included  in  unfair  trade  methods  and  come  within  the  control  of  this 
Commission.  We  await  the  outcome  with  the  hope  that  it  will  firmly 
establish  that  proper  methods  are  to  be  employed  in  advertising  that 
will  not  be  unfair  to  either  competitors  or  to  the  public  and  indicative 
of  a  code  of  ethics  worthy  of  fair-minded  business  men  and  maintain 
the  properties  of  advertising. 
There  is  still  another  question  involved  which  may  not  be  con- 
sidered at  all  in  the  cause  at  issue.  The  question  of  the  propriety 
of  permiscuously  advertising  and  encouraging  the  indiscriminate 
use  of  a  drug  which  has  at  times  a  deleterious  action  upon  the  human 
organism.  This  important  question  must  sooner  or  later  receive 
consideration  and  possibly  may  have  to  be  controlled  by  legislative 
enactments.  G.  M.  B. 
THE  REVISED  NARCOTIC  REGULATIONS. 
The  Treasury  Department,  through  the  Internal  Revenue,  has 
issued  Regulations  No.  35  relating  to  the  importation,  manufacture, 
production,  compounding,  sale,  dispensing  and  giving  away  of 
Opium  or  Coca  Leaves  their  salts,  derivatives,  or  preparations 
thereof.  This  pamphlet  of  78  pages  is  a  comprehensive  exposition 
of  the  Act  of  December  17,  19 14,  commonly  called  the  Harrison  Act 
and  the  amendments  thereof  enacted  as  sections  of  the  Revenue 
Act  of  1918,  and  of  the  Regulations  extant  for  the  enforcement  of 
these  laws.  It  is  a  model  "Regulation"  for  the  thoroughness  and 
clarity  with  which  the  Department  has  dealt  with  a  difficult  and 
intricate  problem  and  presented  its  conclusions  and  instructions. 
