Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-05-21
Abolish Guaranty Legend
And Serial Number On Food
And Drugs.

Anu Drugs.
The legend Guaranteed Under the
Food and Drugs Act" is held to be mis-
leading and deceptive, and the use of a
serial number on food ard drugs is pro-
hbited after May l, 1915, by food in
spection decision signed May 9Th by the
Secretaries of the Treasury. Agriculture
and Commerce. The taking effect of the
new regulation is postponed until May l.,
1915, in order to give manufacturers an
opportunity to use up their present stock
of labels.
After May /, 1915, guarantees of COM
pliance with the law should be given by
manufacturers directly to dealers and
should be incorporated in the invoice or
bill of sale specifying the goods covered.
This guaranty should not appear on the
label or package of the product.
The reasons for the action of the three
Secretaries, as given in the decision, are
as follows:
|. 1t having been determined that the
legends Guaranteed under the Food and
Drugs Act, June 80, 1906, and Guar
anteed by O. under the Food and
Drug Act, June 80, 1906" borne on the
labels or packages of food and drugs,
accompanied by serial numbers given by
the Secretary of Agriculture, are each
misleading and deceptive, in that the
public is induced by such legends and
serial numbers to believe that the arti-
cles to which they relate have been ex-
amined and approved by the Government
and that the Government guarantees that
they comply with the law, the use of Ell
Their legend, or any similar legend, on
labels or packages, should be discontinue
ed
Inasmuch as the acceptance by the
Secretary of Agriculture for filing of the
guarantees of manufacturers and dealers
and the giving by him of serial numbers
thereto contribute to the deceptive char
4cter of legends on labels and packages,
10 guaranty in any form shall hereafter
be filed with and no serial number shall
hereafter be given to any guaranty by
he Secretary of Agriculture. All guar
antics now on file with the Secretary of
Agriculture shall be stricken from the
files, and the serial numbers assigned to
such guarantees shall be cancelled.
Many reputable manufacturers have
used the legend and serial number in good
faith solely as convenient way of noti-
flying dealer that they assumed full le-
gal responsibility for their goods. Other
manufacturers have employed this legend
in such way as to lead the public to be-
lieve that their product had been passed
upon and certified by the Department of
Agriculture. The widespread deception
of the public resulting necessitated abol-
ishing the departments practice of ac
cepting guarantees for filing and issuing
serial numbers.
The only mention Of a guaranty in the
Food and Drugs Act is section 8, which
provides that where dealer can show a
guaranty from the maker of goods that
they comply with the law, the manufac
turer, and not the dealer, shall be amen
able to prosecution.
The only guaranty approved by the
new regulation foruse after May |, 1915,
is the individual guaranty identifying the
goods sold by the manufacturer to the
dealer.
No dealer in food or drug products will
be liable to prosecution if he can estab
ish that the articles were sold under a
guaranty given in compliance with this
regulation.
The above article is taken from the
Weekly News Letter to Crop Cores
pondents' u. S. Dept. of Agriculture.