Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-03-04
Bill Would
Tighten Food,
Drug Statute
Daily Dispatch Bureau,
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
Rv LYNN NISBET

Raleigh, March 4-When the OPP
pOnentS of the bill requiring head
ache powders to be marked poison
appeared before the committee some
days ago, they asked that the State
keep its drug laws in conformity
with Federal statutes Senator DR..
Long has taken them at their word
and has put into the Senate law mill
a measure rewriting the entire State
pure food, drugs and cosmetic acts
and bringing them into harmony
with the latest federal legislation on
the subject.
In some respects DR.. Longs bill
goes a little further than federal law
but for the most part he strings
along with Washington as to require
ments for marking upon bottles and
packages in understandable language
a statement of the contents and eff
fects of the package, as leading ad-
| VertiSing, and fixing penalties Tor
violation of any provisions.
The main responsibility for en-
| fOrcement of the new law is placed
upon the commissioner and board of
agriculture, but provision is made for
cooperation of the boards of health
and pharmacy in conducting inves-
LEGATIONS and in fixing standards OF
purity and quality.
The Long bill goes much further
than any previous state law has gone
in regulating cosmetics. The state
has for years had pure food and drug
acts, and the department Of agricul-
ture through its division of chemis-
try has been charged with enforce
ment of these laws Enforcement ma
chinery is strengthened by imposing
obligation upon solicitors of county
courts and superior courts to bring
indictments upon report by the COM
missioner of agriculture that the law
was being violated.
Inspectors of the enforcement
agency are given permission to enter
the premises of dealers or manufac-
turers and take samples of any food
or drug or cosmetic articles, by pay
ing the established price therefor.
The bill however does not get into
the price fixing field and does mott
change existing requirments for the
operation of food or drug stores,
practicing medicine, etc.
If enacted it would become effec- |
tive Immediately with respect to adj
ministratiOn and regulations. The eff !
fective date for foods would be June
25, 1899, and for drugs and cosmetics
January l, 1910. This, according to
DR.. Long, gives ample notice to ali
dealers and vendors so that they need !
suffer no unusual loss or embarrass-
ment.
Some provisions of the act would |
tend to curb radio and newspaper |
advertising Of products claimed to |
be "cure-alls" and would possibly
put some advertisers off the air and |
off the printed page
DR.. Long confesses that he isn't |
quite sure just how far reaching |
some of the provisions may be but
he is definitely sure that the State !
Medical Society, the Pharmaceutical |
association and the department Of
health will support the general pur-
pose of the measure.
Introduction of this bill revived
talk of the need for a state bureau |
of standards which would consolidate
work Of the weights and measures !
division, gasoline testing, fertilizer,
feed, food and drug analysis, etc., I'M
der one head. 1t is not expected that
any attempt will be made to set up
such a department this year, but
number of state leaders are interest
ed in it. For the immediate purposes
of the proposed new drug act, the
facilities of the chemical division OF
the department of agriculture are
believed to be reasonably adequate.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa ought
IL 1nt- |