126  REPORT  ON  HOME  ADULTERATIONS. 
soda.  It  has  been  found  by  experiment  that  the  proportions 
most  convenient  are — 
Sulphate  of  soda,  .  .  .  125  kilograms. 
Peroxyd  of  iron,  proceeding  from  the  sulphuret,   140  " 
Carbon,     .  .         .  .  .  70  to  75" 
and  these  proportions  should  be  preserved  for  the  subsequent 
operations,  as  long  as  the  rotation  of  the  same  oxyd  and  same 
sulphuret  of  iron  continues. 
The  same  process  may  be  used  with  the  oxyds  of  manganese 
and  zinc,  but  with  greater  difficulties,  as  the  "  dentation  "  and 
"  carbonation  "  in  these  cases  are  more  complicated. 
Paris,  Oct.  SOth,  1855.  SilUmaris  Joum.,  Jan.,  1856. 
REPORT  OF  A  COMMITTEE  TO  CONSIDER  AND  REPORT  ON  THE 
SUBJECT  OF  HOME  ADULTERATIONS. 
The  subject  of  home  adulterations  of  drugs  naturally  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  community,  and  especially  of  pharmaciens 
and  physicians,  in  connexion  with  that  of  the  foreign,  to  which 
we  have  applied  so  stringent  a  law. 
No  doubt  the  sophistication  of  drugs  is  as  well  understood  in 
this  country  as  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  that  if  we 
could  apply  a  remedy  as  general  in  its  application,  we  should 
detect  an  amount  equally  astonishing.  This  is  one  of  the  argu- 
ments used  by  the  opponents  of  the  drug  law,  that  medicines  can 
be  as  readily  adulterated  here  as  abroad ;  but  we  contend  that 
this  is  no  argument  against  shutting  out  foreign  adulteration, 
and  we  hope  some  of  these  days  to  put  a  stop  to  the  evil  at  home. 
The  precise  method  of  doing  this  is  not  yet  apparent,  neither  is 
it  within  the  scope  of  the  duties  of  this  Committee  to  suggest  a 
remedy.  One  of  the  results  of  the  different  reports  from  time 
to  time  upon  this  subject,  will  be  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
community  to  the  subject,  and  create  a  public  sentiment  that 
shall  demand  purer  and  better  medicines  when  needed,  thus 
drawing  the  necessary  discrimination  between  the  qualities  of 
them  when  offered  either  in  packages  or  at  retail. 
The  Committee  do  not  design,  at  present,  a  full  report,  as  there 
are  still  under  their  observation  and  that  of  others  who  have 
aided  them  in  this  matter,  such  articles  as  are  usually  met  with. 
