THIRD SITTING, October 7th, 4 o’clock, P. M.
President in the chair.
On the roll being called, the delegates generally were present. {339}
The minutes of the preceding sitting were read and adopted.
The President informed the Convention, that the Business Committee not being ready to report, it was understood that Dr. Stewart, Examiner of Drugs, &c., at the port of Baltimore, had some statements to offer in regard to the working of the Drug Law at that port, and the Convention assenting, requested him to proceed.
Dr. Stewart stated, that as there had been some difference of opinion among the Drug Examiners, as to the intention of the law in certain cases, he desired the opinion of the Convention regarding the inferior class of Cinchona Barks that came from Maracaibo, Carthagena, &c., and other articles about which there is difference of opinion among druggists. In illustration of the difficulties of the subject, he remarked that one invoice of bark, that in a commercial point of view was not esteemed, and which came invoiced at ten cents per pound, had yielded, on analysis, two and a half per cent of cinchonine; whilst Loxa bark, invoiced at thirty cents per pound, had afforded but a fraction of one per cent. He considered the admission of the barks in question as quite different from deteriorated or adulterated drugs, in as much as they possessed a range of power which, though inferior to the best Peruvian barks, was yet useful, and capable of application in medicine.
He therefore offered the following resolution:
“Resolved, that it is the opinion of this Convention, that all varieties of drugs, that are good of their kind, should be admitted by the Special Examiners of drugs and medicines.”
Pending the consideration of this resolution, Mr. Coggeshall informed the Convention that Dr. Bailey, the Special Examiner of Drugs for the port of New York, had furnished, at his request, a report on the character of imported drugs, coming under his supervision, and on the general working of the laws, which, by request, was read. (Published in our last.)
A similar report from Mr. Edward Hamilton, late Drug Examiner at the port of Boston, communicated to Mr. S. M. Colcord, at his request, with a view to its being presented to {340} this Convention, was also read. (To be published in our next.)