Drug legislation in the United States : Rev. to July 15, 1908 / by Lyman F. Kebler.

  • Kebler, Lyman F. (Lyman Frederic), 1863-
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Drug legislation in the United States : Rev. to July 15, 1908 / by Lyman F. Kebler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    that proportion of its medicinal property having been extracted for the manu- facture of morphine. Opium is found to be adulterated with Spanish licorice paste, combined with a small quantity of some bitter extract, and when but moderately deteriorated in this way the fraud is not easily detected at first view; but it has been passed from Smyrna by the way of some of the European markets so freely adulterated that the fraud was readily detected merely by the smell, no analysis being necessary. The so-called opium of this description is often found infested with living worms. Of course this decaying mass is not sold to the retailer or jobber in this condition, but is previously worked over and combined with a better quality of opium. Your committee embrace with pleasure this opportunity to present the name and services of Dr. M. J. Bailey, examiner of drugs, etc., at the New York custom-house, as one to w^hom ^he country, and especially the medical profes- sion, are deeply indebted for the firm and faithful stand he has taken in expos- ing these frauds. Enjoying the advantage of a thorough medical education, together with a ready and able pen, he has been industrious and successful through the various journals of medicine and pharmacy in calling the attention of both physicians and importers to these nefarious impositions. His communi- cations with us have been frequent and important. Without awaiting a regular summons Doctor Bailey repaired, at our suggestion, to meet us, and we will subjoin the result of his examination before the committee. The activity and frankness of this gentleman deserves the highest commenda- tion. We give an extract of a letter received from him, dated April 29, in which he says: I am sure such action (referring to a memorial of the National Medical Con- vention) will have great weight with the members of Congress generally, and cause them to act with more promptness than they otherwise would, w^hile at the same time it will be exceedingly gratifying to me, as I have from the first, in aiding the college of pharmacy and my profession in their appeal, used the knowledge acquired in my present position with a single desire to advance the general good. Motives of self or pecuniary interest (had I listened to the prayers of those interested) would have prompted me to withhold from the pub- lic the facts 1 have willingly disseminated, in order that permanent benefit might result therefrom. Many an argument have I held with those who pro- fessed to think it no moral wrong, while it was more profitable to themselves to impose such worthless and dangerous trash upon the community as we com- plain of. For many years a considerable proportion of the foreign chemical prepara- tions, medicinal extracts, etc., have come to us more or less adulterated, but the base fraud is no longer confined to that class of medicines. Opium is now adul- terated to a most fearful extent, and so adroitly as to almost defy detection by the unsuspecting and confiding purchaser. I have lately passed three invoices of opium from London, which, on opening the cases, seemed to all external appearance to be as it should, but a closer examination proved it a base com- pound of that drug with various vegetable extracts—the mass not affording more than about one-third part of pure opium. When I questioned the con- signee (and to the credit of our regular importers, most of these adulterated and deteriorated drugs and medicines are consignments from speculators abroad), they admitted their private advices gave them to understand that the article ' was not quite pure,' yet as the law now is, I must pass all such dangerous and rascally imitations if they are found to be charged at their full value, and, in conunercial language, to be the articles specified in the invoice. In fact, I have no authority to examine into the purity, etc., of any article further than to enable me to judge as to the correctness of the value expressed in the invoice. We subjoin also a quotation from the Boston Traveller of last week entitled Frauds in opium. About twenty cases of opium were sold at auction yesterday by John Tyler. It was imported from Smyrna and Liverpool in various vessels, and to all appearances was of equally good quality. Notwithstanding this, however, its price varied from $3.45 to $1.35—6 cents to 3 cents per pound. An exposition of the fraud was made at the sale. It is said to consist in the extraction of the morphine, or vital principle of the drug, before exportation. This fraudulent opium was invoiced at a lower price than that of the first quality, but still greatly above its real value. Genuine scammony, another important drug, is now but seldom imported. Not a single pound of pure Aleppo scammony has passed the New York custom- house during the last twelve months. The so-called scammony now imported