A January  MoT1'}  Draft  °f  a  Proposed  Importation  Act.  31 
DRAFT  OF  A  PROPOSED  ACT  TO  PREVENT  THE  IMPOR- 
TATION OF  ADULTERATED,  SPURIOUS  OR 
MISBRANDED  DRUGS. 
By  George  M.  Beringer. 
The  agitation  for  the  correction  of  the  evils  resulting  from  the 
customs  authorities  endeavoring  to  perform  their  duties  under  two 
distinct  national  congressional  acts,  both  still  in  force,  and  the  annoy- 
ance to  importers  of  drugs  resulting  therefrom,  has  received  con- 
siderable impetus  and  renewed  interest  therein  has  resulted  from 
the  discussions  at  the  recent  meeting  of  the  National  Wholesale 
Druggists'  Association. 
We  can  appreciate  the  unfortunate  position  of  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment and  the  Customs  officials  who  are  endeavoring  to  obey  two 
different  laws  with  conflicting  works  given  as  authorities.  On  the 
other  hand  the  manufacturer  and  importer  is  entirely  correct  in 
demanding  that  he  should  not  be  subjected  to  the  annoyance  and 
expense  of  importing  goods  under  two  different  standards,  which 
upon  arrival  may  be  rejected  and  he  put  to  the  additional  expense 
of  re-exportation.  He  certainly  should  know  when  placing*  his 
orders  abroad  whether  the  goods  will  meet  the  requirements  of 
Customs  Regulations. 
The  example  of  two  departments  of  the  government  conflicting 
in  decisions,  the  Department  of  Agriculture  deciding  that  an  im- 
ported drug  comes  within  the  requirements  of  the  law  on  which  the 
Agricultural  Department  works  and  is  admissible,  and  the  Treasury 
Department  deciding  that  the  same  importation  does  not  comply  with 
the  law  and  the  regulations  under  which  it  is  operating  and  cannot 
be  admitted,  is  certainly  not  calculated  to  inspire  confidence  on  the 
part  of  the  importer  that  he  is  receiving  proper  consideration,  and 
under  such  conditions  his  business  interests  must  assuredly  suffer. 
A  careful  perusal  of  the  law  of  June  26,  1848,  convinces  one  that 
it  is  essentially  a  revenue  law,  framed  to  supply  the  necessary  author- 
ity to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  the  proper  examination  and 
appraisement  of  drugs,  medicines,  medicinal  preparations  including 
medicinal  essential  oils  and  chemical  preparations  used  wholly  or  in 
part  as  medicine  imported  into  the  United  States.  This  probably  still 
remains  the  authority  of  the  Treasury  Department  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  special  examiners  of  drugs  at  the  various  ports  of  entry.  It  is 
