New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-16
RAID ON IMPURE DRUGS
INVOLVES BIG CONCERNS.
Health Board Finds Many Cases
WdrrGnting Prosecution.

That there is ample. need for the vigorous
prosecution of unprincipled drug manufacturers
is believed 10 be shown by an investigation
which has been I'm progress by the Department
Of Health for the last eleven months. Last Oc-
tober DR.. Darlington became convinced that
there were grave abuses TO be remedied. and he
set a force OF chemists 20 work 10 make assays
and analyses Of samples OF drugs collected all
over the city. The result was astonishing II
was shown that OF the ten thousand samples col
,eCted and tested there We're fewer than 30 per
sent hat came up TO the standard OF the
Pharmscooo.a- over Is per cent called for
warn.Cg - -he manufacturer and more than 80
:,er 60 invited prosecutions. In other words.
more shsa hslf OF the samples analyzed. which
'h- whole fairly represented the general
chezGc:or OF drugs sold over the counters of
drug stores in this city, were fraudulent.
Dr. Darlington said yesterday that he had
sound wholesale druggists doing business in this
city perfectly willing do all they could TO cor
-ect abuses and that when the Pure Food law
goes into effect next January there will be little
10 criticse in the quality of the goods offered for
sale by druggists here
DARLr0GTON'S LETTER TO DRUGGISTS.
AS result OF his Investigations, It was
learned. DR.. Darlington caused letter 20 be
sent 20 the wholesale drug trade telling them Of
the findings Of his chemists and inviting ex-
plantations before legal proceedings were taken.
From a firm that received the letter a copy was
obtained. It read:
pecently representatives Of the Department OF
Health purchased at your store various drugs
manufactured by you: These drugs were mum m
manufacturer removed from the containers.
Thev were divided. one part being forwarded TO
The chemical laboratory Of this department. ana
the other 10 the Lederle Laboratories Tor exam
nation. The results Of these examinations were
given 10 DR. Rusby for proper lnIeIpFesaIloh, @ non
dy7,gp and those obtained from other manu-
featuring druggists shows that only ABOUT y Per
cent can be considered good, 10 per cent cdIieu
Cor warning 10 be given 10 the manufacturer; %
per cent are bad as TO justify Legal action.
In the drugs examined oniclai slaI9a. I t as ale m
suits OF these examinations show variations from
the standard which. 10 say the least give eNl-
tfon ~ The drugs: in many there was an excess
in active principles which made them positively
dangerous, while others were SO weak as 10 be
perfectly inert.
Before taking UP legal proceedings in this mat
ter the department gives You the opportunity
90 explain why this condition exists ana on @ tils
explanation the future action OF the department
Will be based
The -xnlosfon Of this bomb caused great con-
.ternation in the ranks Of the wholesalers 1t
was generally known that the market was
flooded with impure drugs, manufactured py
interruptions persons whose sole object was I'd
underbid the legitimate manufacturers. But that
there was such widespread rascality aston'sheo
even the oldest men in the business
COMMITTEE VISITS COMMISSIONER
few days after the letter sent out one
Of the dinners OF the Metropolitan Drugeisus
| Club was held. Every man present had eilher
received a oopv of the letter or had heard OF II.
II was recognized that the Department OF HesI'h
had put on its hghting clothes and meant war
so committee was appointed. consisting OF Dr.
| WILLIAM Jaw Schierelin, president Of Schienehh
4 A. Co one OF the oldest firms In the country
| Otto l. Amend. Of the well known Arm of Elmer
| a. Amend. Albert Plaut OF Lehn a Fink; J. ROD
| bins OF McKesson g. Robbins. and representa-
| tive of the largest Western firm OF Parke. Davis
g. Co. 20 wait on Dr. Darlington Al the confer
| ence which resulted the Health Commissioner
| made his position perfectly plain 10 the commit
| tee He admitted. I'm response 10 the criticisms
| OF some members Of the committee. that there
| might be minor errors IN the conclusions reached
bv his experts but he said emphatically that
/ even making ali allowances. IL had been demon
| strated without csvil that n condition existed
| that endangered the lives Of hundreds. even
thousands OF New York citizens who used drugs
10 relieve them or sickness. DIR. Darlington added
that he and his advisers had reached the concIu-
sion that there WAS only way In which the
eva could be met, and that that all drugs
sold should be properly lsbelled with the name OF
the manufacture. analysis of the contents
and the date OF manufacture.
II was told yesterday 10y who was pres
emt that a member of the committee did not like
the attitude OF the Commissioner: that he was
inclined 10 refuse 20 accede 10 the demands Of
Dr. Darlington; that he lost his temper and only
came O. his senses when he WAS told in unmis-
taxable language that II he did not agree q
what all the other members of the COMMITTEES
recognized as a just demand. no time would be
lost but that ne would be arrested before lesv-
ing the building upon the analyses Of his drugs
as made by the departments chemists.
DRUGGISTS BEGIN HoUsECLEANING.
Before the meeting broke up, however. q
working basis had been reached. and the WORK
I Of cleaning house was begun in an the firms
Eanilnn,i rlghth