REPORT ON IMPORTED ADULTERATED DRUGS. 223 
long without a public expose, and some attempt being 
made at New York to arrest its progress ? 
Answer. Attempts have been made. The New York 
College of Pharmacy have for years been engaged in the 
endeavour, by force of reason, to put a stop to the trade in 
these adulterated articles, as far as facts came before them. 
The medical profession have been awake to the vital im- 
portance of the subject, but, until some eighteen months 
past, there has been no person in charge of that branch of 
trade in the custom-house who had a practical knowledge 
of drugs and medicines in their composition, &c., from 
whom any data could be obtained showing the extent of 
these frauds. 
The Hon. Jno. C. Spencer, when Secretary] of the 
Treasury, was appealed to, to remedy the deficiency the 
profession felt to exist in the customs. He replied most 
favorably, but as the request was made about the time he 
retired from that office, he could not carry these wishes into 
effect. The present Secretary of the Treasury was next 
appealed to, and promptly entertained the subject as one of 
great importance, and did not lose sight of it until effective 
measures were taken, at his request, to fathom the depth 
of the evil complained of.'' 
