The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-16
BROOKLYN Eagle.

Investigation Of alleged drug adultera-
ton has given the New York health de-
partment something to think about. Analy
sis has proved that the evil exists to a far
greater extent than would have been be-
lieved possible; that supposedly reputable
druggists really do adulterate their chemi-
cals-Or sell adulterated che1nicals-to
startling extent. In some instances it has
been found that it is not merely case of
the adulteration of the drug asked for, but
of the substitution of an entirely different
and far cheaper substance for the one
asked for. And while in the main the
chemicals used as adulterants are in them
selves harmless, it has been proved that
in at least one compound well-known
poison has been widely substituted for a
more expensive chemical.
The investigation has been in the hands
of DR.. Joseph A. Deghuee, head of the
health departments chemical laboratory.
The most startling results that DR.. De-
ghuee has obtained bear on the substitu-
ton of methyl for ethyl alcohol in certain
standard compounds. Methyl or wood al
cohol is we'll known as a poison, and is en-
tirely different in it's effects from ethyl or
grain alcohol. 1t is a product of the dis.
tillatiOn of wood, and all commercial
grades contain impurities, of which the
principal is acetone. Numerous instances
of serious and sudden blindness have been
traced to it's use In medicinal preparations.
Less than half an ounce produced total and
permanent blindness and three ounces
have caused death.
Blindness has also been caused by exter-
nal use Of wood alcohol, when it's pathway
of entrance was merely thru the lungs and
the skin of the hands and forearm DR..
Reid Hunt Of Johns Hopkins says:
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 for any length Of time.
Having reason to believe that druggists
We're using it in certain compounds into
which ethyl alcohol entered largely, DR..
|Deghuee analysed a number of samples
of Jamaica ginger and Of spirits of cam
phor; both Of them common household
remedies; both Of them freely sold and
freely administered without physician 8
order.
The preparations Of ginger, he found,
were all properly compounded, but in a
number Of Instances methyl alcohol had
been used in compounding spirits OF cam
phor alcohol, and is nearly always pre-
pared by the retailer. OF 215 samples ex-
amined, DR.. Deghuee found 175 made with
ethyl alcohol, while 40 contained methyl.
That is, admitting that the samples were
fairly representa- tive. almost 20 per cent
tate to use a poison in com pounding an
ordinary household remedy that any per-
son of average discretion would consider
himself Justified in administering exter-
nally as he saw fit. That is rather a
startling showing Tor an enlightened COM
munity
OF the forty samples that contained
wood alcohol, thirty contained wood all
cohol pure and simple, while ten contained
mixture of both sorts. Five Of the adul-
terated samples were marked For extern
use only Not one of them was marked
plainly and emphatically Poison, 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 $50 apiece in the court Of
special sessions.
The whole investigation was started
early in the year, when DR.. Lederle, having
received numerous complaints Of the quail