ON THE ADULTERATION OF DRUGS. 
137 
were I not also to express my perfect conviction, that the 
profession of chemist and druggist contains many highly 
respectable individuals, whose undeviating desire is that no 
medicines shall either enter or quit their establishments 
except what are of undoubted purity, and who exercise a 
degree of skill and care to secure that object which would 
scarcely be believed by those not conversant with the nature 
of their trade. Nor can I advert to this circumstance without 
being farther called on to acknowledge, that I have been in- 
debted for a great deal of valuable information, on the very 
subject of the adulteration of drugs, to several members of this 
profession. One gentleman, especially, in extensive trade in 
this city, whose name, for obvious reasons, cannot properly 
be mentioned, has, in a manner, thrown open his whole 
establishment to my most minute inspection, and obtained for 
me a great part of the opportunities of instruction I have 
enjoyed. It may be well, perhaps, to add, that I have thus 
become cognizant of two general facts of no mean consequence 
in the present inquiry : — that, on the one hand, in the present 
state of matters the most skilful and conscientious in the retail 
trade cannot always protect themselves against serious im- 
position, — and that, on the other hand, among its respectable 
members there is no want of inclination to co-operate in any 
steps that may be taken to enhance the respectability of the 
profession, and to render the unprincipled amenable to the 
public for their conduct. 
III. It now remains to consider the last head, under which 
it was proposed to discuss this subject, — namely, the measures 
by which it seems most practicable to accomplish the preven- 
tion, or at least the abatement, of the present practice of 
adulteration. If the Colleges move in the matter, it is right 
that they should not go before the public without being pre- 
pared to recommend the adoption of certain checks; and 
therefore the following hints are thrown out for their consi- 
deration. 
VOL. IV. — NO. II, 18 
