338 
Importation  of  Drugs. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1909. 
Numerous  importations  of  this  product  have  been  examined  and 
in  some  instances  there  has  been  revealed  upwards  of  40  per  cent, 
of  mineral  matter,  usually  potassium  or  sodium  nitrate  or  calcium 
sulphate.  Other  shipments  invoiced  as  saffron  were  found  to  consist 
chiefly  and  in  some  instances  entirely  of  calendula  florets  colored 
with  aniline  dye.  Upon  the  suppression  of  this  practice  it  was  not 
long  until  calendula  florets  colored  with  coal-tar  dye,  invoiced  calen- 
dula, appeared  for  entrance  into  the  United  States;  this  product 
was  also  refused  entry  owing  to  its  improper  importation  and  the 
obvious  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended  to  be  used. 
The  violations  met  under  the  misbranding  feature  of  the  law 
are  not  uncommon.  In  many  instances  the  proscribed  drugs  such  as 
morphine,  cocaine,  phenacetin,  acetanilid,  and  especially  alcohol, 
are  not  declared.  This  violation  is  prevalent  always,  and  notably 
in  case  of  the  alcoholic  preparations  unwarranted  claims  are  often 
made  relative  to  the  remedial  virtue  of  the  products.  These  prepa- 
rations are  found  usually  to  contain  from  15  to  45  per  cent,  alcohol, 
with  small  amounts  of  aromatics,  and  occasionally  such  constituents 
as  cinchona,  gentian,  etc.,  in  sufficient  quantity  to  impart  a  slightly 
bitter  taste,  and  often  colored  with  caramel  or  a  coal-tar  dye.  Evi- 
dence is  usually  introduced  to  the  effect  that  the  product  is  sold  as 
a  beverage,  or  else  false  and  misleading  statements  are  held  to  be 
proper  by  the  importers ;  in  other  instances  the  consignee  is  a  rail- 
road, express,  or  telegraph  company,  and  the  ultimate  consignee 
cannot  be  located.  Others  request  permission  for  relabelling  so  that 
same  will  be  in  harmony  with  the  law. 
Again,  some  manufacturers  cling  to  misrepresentative  names 
with  great  tenacity.  One  example  is  a  product  sold  extensively 
throughout  the  United  States  and,  according  to  the  company's  own 
literature,  throughout  the  world,  which  was  being  imported  into  the 
United  States  under  the  name  of  et  Fruit  Salt."  The  product  was 
found  to  consist  virtually  of  equal  parts  of  tartaric  acid  and  sodium 
bicarbonate.  Such  importation  was  justly  deemed  misbranded  under 
the  law,  and  it  was  only  after  many  months  that  this  question  was 
finally  adjusted  which  resulted  in  the  manufacturers  labelling  their 
product  "  Fruit  Salt  Derivative  Compound,  containing  48  per  cent, 
of  fruit  derivative  together  with  about  52  per  cent,  of  alkaline  salt 
for  producing  effervescence."  This  serves  only  as  a  striking  illus- 
tration of  the  time  required  and  manner  of  concluding  some  of  the 
questions  that  are  constantly  arising. 
