Opinion ID: 1476714
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Deficient Pluri-B

Text: As stipulated, a number of vials that form the basis of Counts III and IV were shipped by the appellants to Dr. Clement Swaim, Reno, Nevada, on July 16, 1945. Inspector Frank A. Griebling, of the Administration, picked up two of these vials, which contained Pluri-B, from Dr. Swaim, on August 30, 1945. The inspector sealed the vials and contents with official seals, and forwarded them by mail to the Vitamin Division of the Administration at Washington. Hubert H. Capps, a chemist of the Administration, examined one of the vials on September 24, 1945. Although the label on the vial sets forth that this Sterile Solution of Pluri-B contains 50 milligrams of Thiamine Hydrochloride, per cubic centimeter, Capps testified that he found it contained approximately only 33 milligrams per cc. The Government chemist also stated that at the time he received the vial, it had the same cap that it had at the time when he was testifying, or one very similar to it, adding that since this does not appear to be broken, I think that it did have that identical cap. He also said, however, that he did not make any examination of the cap to determine whether or not it was punctured in any way, other than just looking at it. During the direct examination of Capps, he was asked the following hypothetical question, which the appellants contend was improper because it assumed facts none of which are supported by any evidence whatever: Now, assuming that the product received ordinary and reasonable care, and was not exposed to excessive heats, such as heats any more than would be normal from shipping and the weather, and basing upon what you found on September 24, 1945, the amount of the B-1 or thiamine chloride that you found, have you an opinion as to what percentage or what amount that product, substance, or solution had on or about July 16, 1945, the date it was originally shipped? Capps replied that he believed that it did not contain more than 33 milligrams of thiamine hydrochloride per cubic centimeter.