The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-17
0DOCTORED" CHEMICALS
Detected in New York Stores by the
Board OF Health.


alton has given the New York health
department something to think about
Analysis has proved that the evil exists
to far greater extent than would have
been believed possible: that supposedly
reputa bic druggists really do adulteraJe
their chemicals-or sell adulterated
chemicals-tO a startling extent. In
some instances it has been found that
it is not merely a case of the adultera-
ton OF the drug asked for, but of the
substitution of an entirely different ana
far cheaper subs tance for the one asked
Tor. And While in the main the cEem-
icals used as adulterantS are in thenl-
selves harmless, it has been proved
that in at least one compound a well
known poison has been widely substi-
tuted for a more expensive chemical.
The investigation has been in the
hands of DIR. Joseph A Deghuee. head
of the health departments chemical
labora tory. The most startling results
that DIR. Deghuee has obtained bear on
the substitution of methyl for ethyl
alcohol in certain standard compounds.
Methyl or wood alcohol is well known
as poison, and is entirely different il
It's effects from ethyl or grain alcohol.
It Is product Of the distillation Of
wood, and all commercial grades con
tain impurities of which the principal
IS acetOne- Numerous instances of Sc
rlous and sudden blindness have been
traced TO Its use in medicinal prepare
tions Less than half an ounce pro-
duced total and permanent blindness
Blindness has also been caused by ex-
ternal use of wood alcohol when It's
pathway of entrance was merely
through the lungs, and the skin of the
hands and forearm. DR.. Reid Hunt Of
Johns Hopkins saws:
Experiments show conclusively that
however pure the preparation may be it
(methyl alcOhoD is totally unfit for use
as substitute for grain alcohol in any
preparation which is to be taken inter-
nally, and especially in preparations /
Which are to be taken~Aor any length of
time%
Having reason to believe that drug
gists were using it in certain compounds
into which ethyl alcohol entered largely 7
Dr. Deghuee analyZed a number OF t
samples Of Jamaiea ginger and of spfr-
its of camphor; both of them common
household remedies; both of them free
~ sold and freely administered without
a physicians order.
The preparation of ginger, he found, 1
were all properly compounded, but in a
number Of instances methyl alcohol had +
been used in compromising spirits Of
camphor- This should be 10 per cent (
solution of camphor in alcohol, and is
nearly always prepared by the retailer.
OF 215 samples examined DR.. Deghuee
found 175 made with ethyl alcohol while /
40 contained methyl That is, admitting
that the samples s7ere fairly representa- !
tive, almost 20 per cent of the druggists /
Of New York do rot hesitate to use
DOlSOn III COlnpOQI01IS All ordinary
household remedy that any person of
average discretion would consider him
self justified in administering external
ly or internally as he saw fit That is
rather a startling showing for an en-
ightened community
OF the 40 samples that contained wood
alcohol 80 contained wood alcohol pure
and simple, while ten contained mix
ture of both sorts. Five of the adulter-
ated samples were marked For exter-
.,1 " lot faf
marked plainly and emphaticaliy '-Pois
on" And three of them had directions
for internal dose printed on the label.
In these three methyl alcohol was used
exclusively. The others were simply
labeled Spirits of Camphor"
Two of the druggists were arrested. con-
victed and fined 500 apiece in the court Of
special sessions.
The whole investigation was started
early in the year. when Dr. Iederle. nav
ing received numerous complaints of the
quality of phenacetin that was being sold
throughout the city, decided that it was
time for tie health department 70 take
hand. Acting under his instr lcti0nS. DR.
Deghuee caused samples Of phenacetn te
be brought from S69 drug stores throughout
was neglected. Samples were bought in
Richmond and out Flushing way ana IN
the Bronx. though of course by Iaf the
greater number came from Manhattan or
Brooklyn. And no district came throHsil
the subsequent examination With honor
Dr. Deshuee' $ report shows tlat OF tha 5oJ
samples bought there were OF
Pure phenacetin .-------.---.--- o
Pure acetanilid ...--.-..-. --.-.----,---...- *
Phenacetin and acetanilid ..-.---.-.-..--- -5i
Phenacet and sugar Observation-Disclosures
Phenacetin and starch ...-.----..--.-.----
Phe cetin and milk sugar ..----.-------
Acetanild and starch OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Antipyrin .....- ...--.......--. .------..--
Sulphate of quinine ..-......-.....-...--.-
To+si .............. 3se
Phenacetin costs at wholesale about 81 IN
ounces. Acetanihd costs I've and hall
cents an ounce. Phenacef1n is propfie-
farv compound which may be safely taken
in large quantities Aeeta'iilid, even IN ~
small quantities may prove dangerous O:l
German phenacetin at the usual retail
rates a druggist may ma ke proils of
something like 200 per cent II ne suDsu-
tutes acefanilid for it his profit runs up e
$3.50 Der cent-more than any get-rleh-
n1iclz syndicate ever dreamed OF IN ITS
rosie st prospectus. And when the acetaln-
lid is itself adulterated with starch me
profit becomes even greater--BrooEtSA
Eagle
The ~DuH Season"