Am.  Tour.  Pharm. 
July,  19 1 9. 
Editorial. 
407 
Wines  have  been*  used  as  solvents  or  vehicles  for  medicines  from 
time  immemorial  and  for  some  years  past  the  Federal  Departments, 
for  economic  reasons,  have  encouraged  the  use  of  native  wines  in  the 
preparation  of  medicines  and  other  manufactured  products.  As  a 
result  of  established  custom  and  stimulated  consumption  there  are 
in  use  many  formulas  in  which  wine  is  an  essential  ingredient  and 
nearly  a  score  of  such  formulas  are  officially  recognized  in  the  Na- 
tional Formulary. 
So  it  became  a  question  of  importance  to  pharmacists  as  to  how 
they  are  to  secure  supplies  of  non-beverage  distilled  spirits  and 
wines  for  dispensing  on  legitimate  prescriptions  and  likewise  that 
needed  for  manufacturing  the  formulas  of  the  X.  F.  as  well  as  those 
of  foreign  pharmacapceias  and  formularies  in  which  wine  is  directed. 
The  Internal  Revenue  Department  has  a  difficult  task  to  perform  in 
the  framing  of  regulations  that  will  permit  of  the  use  of  alcohol, 
potable  distilled  spirits,  and  wines  for  purely  medicinal  uses  and  ex- 
clusively non-beverage  purposes  and  at  the  same  time  protect  against 
fraud  and  violation  of  the  acts  and  in  this  they  should  have  the  most 
cordial  support  and  cooperation  of  pharmacists. 
Our  sense  of  duty  in  this  matter,  we  believe,  justified  the  taking 
up  of  various  phases  of  this  question  with  the  officials  of  the  Depart- 
ment by  interview  and  correspondence  and  the  offering  of  sugges- 
tions by  which  pharmacists  who  have  given  bond  and  have  permit  to 
withdraw  non-beverage  alcohol  for  use  and  sale  may  have  such  bond 
and  permit  extended  to  cover  likewise  the  withdrawal  of  non- 
beverage  potable  distilled  spirits  and  wines  for  purely  medicinal  and 
pharmaceutical  purposes. 
The  following  copies  of  portions  of  the  correspondence  relating 
to  the  pharmaceutical  uses  of  wines  are  published  for  the  advice  of 
pharmacists. 
June  6.  1 919. 
Hox.  H.  M.  Gaylokd, 
Deputy  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue, 
Treasury  Department, 
Washington.  D.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 
Pursuant  to  your  request  in  our  recent  interview.  I  have  decided 
to  address  two  distinct  letters  to  you,  this  one  relating  to  the  prob- 
