Am\nJS  5o9rm'}       National  Food  and  Drugs  Act.  371 
beauty  of  childhood,  and  preserve  the  morning  of  life  indefinitely. 
The  analysis  showed  that  it  consisted  of  56.15  per  cent,  of  volatile 
matter  (6.30  per  cent,  of  alcohol  and  49.85  per  cent,  of  water, 
colored  with  a  coal-tar  dye  and  perfumed),  and  about  43.85' per 
cent,  of  glycerin.  It  needs  no  further  evidence  than  the  foregoing 
analyses  to  convince  you  that  these  several  preparations  were 
flagrantly  misbranded.  The  goods  were  seized  and  confiscated  by 
the  Government,  and  the  labels  have  since  been  reformed. 
Only  a  short  time  ago  the  Department  had  occasion  to  report 
a  case  against  a  company  in  New  Jersey  which  had  shipped  from 
that  State  to  Illinois  ten  barrels  of  saltpetre.  The  saltpetre  was 
adulterated,  since  it  differed  from  the  Pharmacopceial  standard, 
which  is  99  per  cent,  pure,  while  it  contained  a  little  more  than  7 
per  cent,  of  sodium  chloride.  It  was  also  misbranded  because 
labelled  "  saltpetre,"  when  in  fact  it  was  not  saltpetre  within  the 
definition  of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  The  manufacturers  were  con- 
victed and  fined. 
Although  not  strictly  a  drug,  it  is  doubtless  true  that  mineral 
waters  are  sold  by  most  druggists.  The  Department  of  Agriculture 
has  had  occasion  to  examine  a  number  of  mineral  waters,  and  in 
two  instances,  which  I  will  mention,  has  found  it  necessary  to  in- 
stitute proceedings  against  them. 
One  case  involved  a  water  sold  extensively  in  the  District 
of  Columbia  under  the  name  of  "  Great  Bear  Spring  Water." 
Samples  of  this  water  were  collected  by  the  Department  and  their 
analysis  showed  that  the  water  was  adulterated  because  it  contained 
the  colon  group  of  organisms.  A  large  quantity  of  the  water  was 
seized,  condemned,  and  destroyed. 
Samples  of  another  water  sold  in  and  around  the  District  of 
Columbia  under  the  name  of  "  Basic  Lithia  Water  "  were  procured 
and  analyzed.  The  bottles  containing  this  water  were  labelled, 
among  other  things,  "  Uric  acid  solvent.  A  pure,  light,  freestone, 
lithia  water.  Invaluable  as  a  constant  and  exclusive  drinking  water, 
and  in  the  prevention  and  cure  of  rheumatism,  gout,  malaria,  typhoid 
fever,  and  diseases  of  the  kidneys,  liver,  blood,  and  nerves." 
Analysis  showed  that  there  was  practically  no  lithium  carbonate 
in  the  water  nor  any  other  substance  which  would  warrant  the 
statements  as  to  medicinal  virtues  made  on  the  label,  and  further 
that  it  contained  the  colon  group  of  organisms,  and  was,  therefore, 
unfit  for  human  consumption.  Ninety-six  bottles  of  this  water  were 
seized,  confiscated,  and  destroved. 
