compelled to leave it to some other more fitted member of our association to erect to him a memorial worthy of his great value and which will be a universal recognition of his immense services to our association. to the memory of one whom I considered it a privilege to know as I did.. Mr. Ebert did not quite round out the Biblical three score years and ten, but he brought to a close a life of J. H. Beal, Scio, Ohio, (President, A. Ph. A., 1904-5). activity far greater than the average person would live It would be difficult for one who knew Albert E. Ebert not to speak of him with kindness. Even when most inclined to differ with him, one realized his intense earnestness and seriousness of purpose. He was a man who never played a part: mistaken he might be, but never insincere. Whatever his opinion, it was expressed without equivocation. In temperament he was an idealist, and invariably advocated the policy which in his judgment tended towards the realization of his ideals, rather than that which was a compromise with the hard facts of practical every-day existence. To me the most salient feature of his character was his serious mindedness. It was not his disposition to be jolly in the common sense of the word. A joke told simply as a joke had no attraction for him. He never told trivial stories, and never listened to them patiently. When the conversation of the group of which he happened to be a member took a frivolous turn he was visibly ill at ease, and took early opportunity to direct it toward more serious topics. Altogether he was a man far out of the common: frequently more earnest than politic; sometimes more enthusiastic than judicious, but always honest, and always sincere. His regard for the A. Ph. A., was deep and unqualified. His personal affairs were never so important that he would not put them aside to talk of his beloved association, and the possibility of increasing its dignity and usefulness. Every member of that association must feel a deep sense of personal bereavement in his death. in centuries of time. Although he refused to accommodate himself to the present methods of conducting the retail drug trade, he realized the inevitable and knew that the finger of fate was upon him. In his last letter to me, he said, "I find that I am not in harmony with the present methods of attaining commercial success in pharmacy. This, with my failing health, causes me to feel that I must soon give up the struggle." Jos. P. Remington, Philadelphia, Pa. (President, A. Ph. A. 1892-3). When the news was flashed over the wire that Albert E. Ebert had passed away on November 20, 1906, the thought must have impressed each one of his friends "What a loss to American Pharmacy!" He was born in Germany on December 23, 1840, coming with his parents to this country in 1841. Educated in the public schools of Chicago, he was advised to study pharmacy, and he served an apprenticeship of four years with F. Scammon & Co. He entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and graduated at the head of his class in 1864. His intense desire for knowledge and his capacity for study caused him to attend medical lectures in the University of Pennsylvania, during his stay in Philadelphia, and he also assisted Prof. Edward Parrish in his school of pharmacy, for the training in pharmacy and medicine of applicants for positions in the army and navy. He afterwards became a pupil of Profs. Liebig and Wittstein, in whose laboratories he completed his studies. strong in his convictions, he was a power that had to be reckoned with. Albert E. Ebert was well equipped for the important role that he has played in American pharmacy. As editor of the Chicago Pharmacist he was outspoken and fearless in condemning what he believed to be wrong. Henry M. Whelpley, St. Louis, Mo. (President, A. His forty-two years' membership in the American PharPh. A., 1901-2). I knew Albert E. Ebert intimately maceutical Association gave him an experience which since 1884 and saw him frequently during that time. he utilized to the utmost. Frank, almost to brusqueI found him in private life as he appeared to the pub-ness, picturesque in appearance, earnest in debate, lic, determined to live a life of usefulness to the cause of pharmacy. He was easily the most widely known, eminent, influential and indefatigable worker for the betterment of pharmacy to be found among actual retail druggists of America. His success in every move he took in pharmaceutical affairs was due to this singleness of purpose, backed by intellectual power, industry and the ability of quickly judging human nature in organizations and public affairs. Although in no sense an office seeker, he has for a generation past exerted greater influence than any other single member in dictating the officers of pharmaceutical organizations in which he was interested. A review of the past will show that this power was wielded without fear of foe or favor for friend and always as he thought for the betterment of pharmacy. The history of his life and many traits of his character are given by other contributors to the December issue of the MEYER BROTHERS DRUGGIST, SO I will not extend the length of this tribute Nothing so delighted him as to stand forth as the champion of the oppressed or the weak. A life of inaction and supineness was hateful to him, and no matter how slender the hopes of victory when he entered the arena, he had the remarkable faculty of attracting friends to his cause and winning over enemies. Schemers and plotters, actuated by sordid ambitions were always his aversion, and no matter what the consequences might be to him personally, he would fight them to the end. But his voice is hushed, and we have but his memory and the recollection of his bravery and self-sacrifice left to us. Kind-hearted and tender to his old friends and always a good companion, his memory will always be cherished, and American pharmacy has lost one of its most valiant defenders. (Also see page 392.) THE DRUG MARKET. BY EDGAR L. PATCH, CHAIRMAN, BOSTON, MASS. Report of the Commitee on Drug Adulterations, presented at the fifty-fourth annual meeting of the A. Ph. A., at Indianapolis, September 3 to 7, 1906. Personally, your chairman has objected to the above caption, much preferring the old title of Committee on the Drug Market. Adulteration as such, with intent, is quite rare; deficiency in strength, accidental variation from standard and deterioration are more common. It creates a wrong and unfavorable impression in the public mind to have each slight impairment, or deficiency or wrong labeling, advertised as an adulteration. I am aware that the pure food laws including the national law, so rule and declare adulteration to include error in labeling, whether accidental or intentional, deterioration and impairment; but the committee on publicity should embrace every opportunity in conjunction with the proper committee of the N. A. R. D. to educate the public to the true facts in the case. The adoption of the last edition of both the U. S. P. and National Formulary as legal standards will greatly enlarge the possibility of technical adulteration, for after exercising all care possible innumerable occasions will arise where an over-zealous, prejudiced or injudicious official can cause serious harm to pharmacy and the pharmacist. EDGAR L. PATCH There are many cases where such an official might argue upon the absolute inviolability of the text and some cases where the analyst would not be experienced enough in the standard method to be a reliable witness for the prosecution. A very few illustrations out of many that occur to your committee may not be out of place. Glycerite of the phoshates of iron, quinine and strychnine is assumed to be a liquid by the U. S. P. We have yet to find a sample that remains liquid. It has been repeatedly made with the use of market products which carefully tested met the U. S. P. requirements, and has been made with freshly prepared soluble ferric phosphate, U. S. P., and an equivalent of freshly prepared monohydrated quinine. On standing all solidify. Only a slight increase of temperature is required to liquefy it, but every lot of solid sold, made with the exact ingredients, differs in appearance from the officially described product and would be classed as an adulteration. The formula for the syrup of Phosphates of Iron, Quinine and Strychnine calls for the mixture of one volume of this glycerite and three volumes of syrup. out. In the directions to "mix and strain if necessary” we have an intimation that something may be strained If the glycerite is freshly made and before it solidifies is mixed with the syrup, on standing a short time there is a decided precipitate in the syrup and if the pharmacist strained it, as he might assume he should by the U. S. P. directions, the product would be impaired in strength, enough to make another adulteration. It is possible that the pharmacist does not note that the soluble ferric phosphate is the sodium salt of U. S. P., seventh revision, and not the ammonium salt frequently sold as U. S. P. Should he use the latter and secure a more permanent product, the discovery of ammonia in the product brands it as adulterated. The quinine called for is the trihydrated alkaloid. Market salts may contain from 12% to 22% excess of water and should the pharmacist not estimate the relation of his purchase to the U. S. P. standard his glycerite would not yield the full amount of alkaloid and be branded as adulterated. P. A physician prescribes Suppositoria Glycerini U. S. What will he get? How much are they to weigh? The standard size of rectal suppositories is about 2 gms. One would conclude that the material ordered made into ten suppositories would weigh about 2 gms. A good object lesson is to give this formula to ten different operators and note results, giving to each man the same material all previously tested and found to be U. S. P. in quality. They read: "Heat the mixture carefully until CO2 ceases to be evolved and the liquid is clear." One decides that fifteen minutes meets these requirements; others prolong the heating. Giving each operator 1125 gms. of material to make 300 suppositories, by the different degrees of heating and methods of manipulation the mass shrinks anywhere from 125 to 400 gms, in weight and the products all vary in density and opacity. Poured into a mould that makes a cacao butter suppository weighing about 2 gms. the glycerin suppositories weigh about 2.7 gms. Which of these ten products must be used to pronounce all the others adulterations ? Submit a sample of belladonna leaf to five men for assay by the U. S. P. 1900 process and try to harmonize the results. You learn that in using hematoxylin indicator it makes a difference whether a fresh or old solution is used. Using this or iodeosin, the carefulness in reading the end reaction varies. If this variation is to be impressed on our attention it might be well to authorize our Scientific Section to send samples of the same belladonna leaf and of the same lot of fluid extract of hyoscyamus to the various state boards and the drug laboratory at Washington, after first having them. assayed by each individual member of the sub-committee of the U. S. P. Committee of Revision. Tincture of arnica is now to be made by the crude method of maceration and expression with no alternative. Is it an adulteration if made by percolation and thoroughly exhausted? What is the standard? If the drug varies in yielding from fifteen to twenty five per cent of extract to diluted alcohol, how shall we deter mine whether the products are correct without examining each lot of drug used? 229 samples were examined by the New York Committee of Adulteration and nine found deficient. What was their standard ? In view of the wide variation of drugs in extractive, determined by locality, character of season, time of collection, percentage of moisture present, etc., can we establish a practical standard? We know that the percentage of alkaloid in alkaloidal drugs bears no relation to extractive. A drug high in extractive may be low in alkaloid and one high in alkaloid low in extractive. May it not be true that a non-alkaloidal drug low in extractive may be much more active than one high in extractive? May not the proportion of inert soluble starches, sugars, coloring principles, salts, etc., be preponderating in some samples? What is the pharmacist to do with petrolatum? The Standard Oil Co. states that it does not make a product that will meet the sulphuric acid test. Only the water white Russian product meets this test and we have not found a sample of this product of U. S. P. melting point. There is much variance of opinion as to the relative value of the light colored Para copaiba and the darker Central American varieties. Some physicians insist on having the Para dispensed. Twenty-three samples from different sources ranged in resin from thirty to forty-eight per cent and all met all other U.S. P. tests. The U. S. P. requires fifty per cent resin Must we conclude that every pharmacist dispensing Para copaiba is an adulterator liable to $500 fine and one year's imprisonment? E. H. Gane reports a lot of Para copaiba testing as pure by all tests, but yielding only sixteen per cent of resin, hard, brittle and having all the properties of genuine copaiba resin. Many retail pharmacists have been arrested, fined, branded as adulterators and their business injured for supplying distilled water below the standard. Under the U. S. P. 1890 it was adulterated if it gave any residue. By the U: S. P. 1900 it may have 0.075 residue per liter and not be adulterated. If the water supply of any city or town does not meet the requirements of the U. S. P. under "aqua" must the pharmacist use distilled water only in all cases? Your committee believe the enactment of the pure food and drug laws should prove very beneficial to the public, the pharmacist and the physician. It has been a great annoyance for the pharmacist and physician and a direct injury to the public to have such a wide variation in products under the same name. bottom of the bottle, or is imperfectly suspended, dependent upon the proportion of alcohol and glycerin. The market fluidextracts of viburnum purnifolium range from twenty to sixty per cent. Fluidextract aromatic powder from forty-six to ninety-one per cent A druggist purchases a forty-six per cent product from one maker, add it to a ninety-one per cent product from another and spoils both by precipitation. He is as liable to blame the ninety-one per cent man for the fault as the forty-six per cent man. Sixty per cent of the fluidextracts from one source contained glycerin, although it is well known that it has no solvent value in the majority of cases. It replaced alcohol, gave products of greater density, gave larger and misleading amounts of extractive by evaporation and pleased many buyers. Under the new law all this will be stopped. If a fluidextract or elixir contains a proportion of alcohol varying from the U. S. P. or National Formulary standard and being manufactured after January 1, 1907, does not have this variation stated on the label, the manufacturer is liable. All this legislation is along the lines of a higher civilization and a greater public safety, but means should be adopted to prevent injustice to the pharmacist through thoughtless, arbitrary or finical interpretation of the law. Those having the matter in hand should realize that there are limits of variation uncontrolable by the pharmacist. To illustrate in the case of a fluidextract: "A" purchases a percolation drug that when he uses it contains fifteen per cent of mechanical moisture and yields twenty-five per cent of extractive. He uses a ninety-one per cent alcohol. His finished product yields 54.6% alcohol by distillation. "B" purchases a drug of the same name, stores it in a dry location and when he percolates the drug has five per cent of water and gives fifteen per cent of extractive. He uses ninety-one per cent alcohol. His product yields 72.8% alcohol by distillation. Which of the two is the adulterator? The published report of the New York City Health Department condemns aconite root for varying in extractive contents from twenty-eight to thirty-four and one-half per cent. What menstruum did they use? The U. S. P. 1890 menstruum was ninety-one per cent for the extract and about sixty-five per cent weight strength for fluidextract. We believe the majority of investigators would give the range for ninety-one per cent alcoholic extractive from eleven to fifteen per cent and of sixty-five per cent alcoholic extractive from eighteen to twenty-five per cent. When fluidextractum convallariae is ordered what shall the pharmacist dispense? Under this title the U. S. P. calls for a preparation from the rhizome and roots with a fifty-five per cent weight menstruum; the National Formulary one made from flowers with diluted alcohol. Both authorities are recognized. Must he follow the medicine chest scheme and mix them? Manufacturers who have made their products for For thirty years the menstruum for fluidextract of cimicifuga has been strong alcohol. As supplied by various manufacturing houses it has ranged from fifty to ninety-one per cent and in some cases contained glycerin. A physician prescribes oil of gaultheria in fluidextract of cimicifuga and expects the proportion he orders will dissolve in the ninety-one per cent alcohol to a clear solution and it should. The phar-years by formulæ other than those now recognized in the macist dispenses a product with a fifty per cent menstruum and possibly glycerin and the oil settles at the standard authorities adopted, have educated their pa trons to their use as made and will probably continue the use of many of their own standard formulæ, but the necessity of showing on the label how the prod-❘ ucts differ from the official standards should save many annoyances to the buyer and enable him to avoid transgression of the laws in many cases. The manufacturer cannot control his goods after they leave his premises. We have known a product made with sixteen per cent weight alcohol to be placed in the window by a pharmacist. The alcohol expanded, loosened the corks and allowed the alcohol to evaporate. Some time later examination demonstrated that all but one per cent of the alcohol had evaporated and the product had spoiled. It was sent from a large lot made and all the rest of the lot was satisfactory, yet, the manufacturer might be held for improper labeling while he was truthful and innocent. As adulteration is interpreted there has been marked improvement in some localities during the past year. The New York Board of Health reports samples examined in 1904 were 12.63% deficient and wood alcohol was used in 5.51% cases. In 1905 there were 2,655 samples examined, of which 10.74% were deficient and 2.97 % employed wood alcohol. We append the detailed report of our year's work which not only gives a few cases of adulteration, but also gives much data upon the condition of the drug market. Mr. Gane, of the committee, approved the introductory as presented by the chairman, and suggested in addition that arrangements be made to test from time to time, over a long interval, standard samples of the assayed alkaloidal preparations of the U. S. P. to learn what impairment they are subject to. Also that solution of nitroglycerin one per cent and the ordinary tablets into which it enters be assayed from time to time of a long interval to determine their impairment.. He also recommended that this committee through the association, make an effort to discourage the use of powdered extract of cannabis indica, as it is usually practically inert. Mr. Kebler, of the committee, did not wish to endorse all the subject matter of the chairman's introductory. He takes exception to the statement that "Adulteration as such, with intent, is rare," citing the fact that 125 instances given by the report do not sustain this claim; while the chairman is of the opinion that the 125 instances bear a very small ratio to the vast amount of material sold and dispensed. He does not endorse the expression "over-zealous, prejudiced or injudicious officials" nor the suggestion that "means should be adopted to prevent injustice to the pharmacist through thoughtless arbitrary or finical interpretations of the law," considering them as in a measure reflecting upon the workings of the Bureau of Chemistry, while the chairman in using these expressions was taking the broad view of the whole field of adulteration as handled by State and City Boards of Health and by committees of various medical and pharmaceutical associations. Mr. Kebler believes accidental wrong labeling is rare. The chairman believes the pharmacist frequently labels Dr. Rusby dissents from the six introductory lines "A large minority of American pharmaceutical manufacturers, including some of the largest, make no provision for ascertaining the alkaloidal strength of after they are made. Most of the others do so in so the drugs which they employ, or of the preparations fragmentary and careless a way that they cannot truly claim to attempt to meet the official requirements. Of these two classes, a majority purchase the cheaper ditions render it highly improbable that the drugs so drug, closing their eyes to the fact that the price conbought are of standard quality. This fact is established by the uniform experience of drug dealers that they have difficulty in finding a market for their better grades of goods. Moreover, this is so well known as to be notorious. course. "In defense of these manufacturers it can be truly said that the following two reasons determine their First-the results of pharmaceutical assaying are irregular and uncertain, as set forth by the chairman, to a degree that is discouraging. Second-there has been no serious attempt to check the degrading competition of those few who systematically pursue a course of fraud. "I have personal knowledge of cases where very large and reputable manufacturers habitually employ spurious drugs for such preparations as those of strophanthus, belladonna, henbane, conium, ipecac and jaborandi. To discuss whether this is done intentionally is not pertinent. Of powdered drugs and spices-that pharmacy, fully a third are intentionally adulteris, spices handled as drugs and getting into the retail ated or seriously degraded by systematic formulae. For this purpose they employ foreign substances, marcs or portions of drugs rejected by the better manufacturers-that is, garblings. "In my opinion the causes of the deplorable uncertainty in pharmaceutical assaying are not irremovable, nor more than temporarily serious. If they were, the practice of chemistry should be discontinued as fruitless. As a matter of fact, the most important lines of drug commerce are established and conducted on the basis of such assaying, and with the greatest success. I refer to cinchona and opium, where the entire commerce rests in assays, from plantation to manufacturer. It is only between the manufacturer and the patient that the baby act has to be pleaded. "But I do not deny a justification for this plea, at present. The chief responsibility rests with the institutions which profess to teach pharmaceutical chemistry. Many of these have been conducted on a system quite as dishonest as anything that has existed in commerce. The market has been flooded with spurious pharmaceutical chemists. Reform in this direction in the United States is now most active. "If the new pure food and drug law is enforced with sudden and undue severity, or in anyway except one in which the admistrators of the law become the zealous helpers of those who are to obey it, the results will be confusing. Every sign that we can see points to the most cautious, conservative and intelligent administration; but let us not start out by denying or minimizing the necessity for improvement." A. PH. A. A. Ph. A. Nominations for membership are offered as prizes in a number of colleges of pharmacy. Chairman J. H. Beal, of the council, has named Messrs. H. P. Hynson, S. A. D. Sheppard and Edward Kremers as a committee to submit a blank certificate to be filled out by colleges awarding such prizes, the certificates to be presented by the colleges to the prize winners. "Nostrums and Proprietaries vs. U. S. P. and N. F. Preparations," was the subject for the evening of the Baltimore Branch of the A. Ph. A., November 16. The Section on Clinical Medicine and Surgery of the Baltimore City Medical Society persisted in the discussion. Dr. H. W. Wiley, chief of the Bureau of Chemistry, Washington, D. C., opened the discussion. Just as Certainly as the citizen who holds himself aloof from political affairs will be punished for his neglect of the plain duties of citizenship by misgovernment and the evils resulting from political corruption, so will the pharmacist suffer loss of prestige and profit by neglecting to participate in the efforts of his fellow craftsman to elevate and reform the commercial and professional status of his calling.--[ExPRESIDENT J. H. BEAL. The New A. Ph. A. members from Indiana are not quite as numerous as anticipated. The list is as follows: Stewart, E. E., Indianapolis; Lilly, Eli, Indianapolis; Porter, W. H., Logansport; Buntin, Wm. Campbell, Terre Haute; Hoffmann, Geo. L., Logansport; Coons, Wm. I., Indianapolis; Mueller, J. Geo., Indianapolis; Veaco, Sidney Harold, E., Chicago; Francis, J. Richard, Indianapolis; Scopp, Otto, Indianapolis; Emanuel, Julia E., Fort Wayne; Schwartz, Maurice P., Indianapolis; Eichrodt, Mary E., Indianapolis; Lynn, Chas. Jackson, Indianapolis; Butsch, John L., Terre Haute; Baas, Geo. A., Batesville; Green, Robert Lee, Notre Dame; Stout, Alphon, Bluffton; Ferger, Edw., Indianapolis. Less Strenuous Meetings of the A. Ph. A. It is quite evident that the Indianapolis meeting reached the highest point in the upward curve of strenuous work. Scarcely a day passes but we hear some one who complains of the lack of time for individual conversation at the 1906 meeting. They usually close their comments by saying, "Let us see to it that we have a different order of affairs at New York in 1907." In the ordinary course of events, the program is originated by the general secretary, the local secretary and the secretary of the council. This year the matter is in the hands of a special committee of the council on permanent program. That committee is evidently charged with heavy responsibilities. The 1906 Meeting. It Was a very strenuous week with me.-[WILLIAM MITTELBACH. The Indianapolis A. Ph. A. meeting was very satisfactory in every way and a most happy ending was our trip and stop at French Lick Springs.-[JOHN F. PATTON, York, Pa. Ex-President John F. Patton, of York, Pa., wore the record breaking official gold badge at the Indianapolis meeting of the A. Ph. A. It contained twenty-one links representing the meetings which he has attended. His many friends trust that he will continue in service until the badge is doubled in length. The Indiana Membership of the A. Ph. A. does not date back as far as that of some other states. John Clarence Loomis, of Jeffersonville, joined in 1876 and was pleasantly remembered by those who visited the Pacific Coast in 1889. Herman Emanuel Frauer, of Indianapolis, joined in 1881. These two preceded Leo Eliel, of South Bend, who became a member in 1882. With these and two other exceptions, the Indiana members have joined since 1890. We look for a long list of new members in 1906. |