1038. Adulteration and misbranding of absorbent cotton.    U. S. v. 464 Packages
of Absorbent Cotton. Consent decree of condemnation. Product ordered
released under bond for processing. (F. D. C. No. 9156. Sample No.
6581-F.)
On January 9, 1943, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of
Arkansas filed a libel against 464 1-ounce packages of absorbent cotton at
Little Rock, Ark., alleging that the article had been shipped in interstate com-
merce on or about September 16 and November 13, 1942, from Cape Girardeau,
Mo., by the American White Cross Laboratories; and charging that it was
adulterated and misbranded.
The article was alleged to be adulterated in that it purported to be and was
represented as a drug the name of which is recognized in the United States
Pharmacopoeia, an official compendium, but its quality and purity fell below
the standard set forth therein since the article did not conform to the require-
ments of the test for sterility of solids prescribed in that compendium, but was
contaminated with gram-positive bacilli.
It was alleged to be misbranded in that the statements appearing upon its
label, "U. S. P. Absorbent Cotton * * * Sterilized After Packaging Best
Hospital Quality U. S. P. Absorbent Cotton means that this cotton conforms
to all requirements of the United States Pharmacopoeia. This cotton is steril-
ized twice-once during the process of manufacture and then again after pack-
aging. U. S. P. Absorbent Cotton meets government specifications in every
respect," were false and misleading since the article was not sterile and did
not comply with the specifications of the United States Pharmacopoeia.
On June 29, 1943, the American White Cross Laboratories, Inc., claimant,
having admitted the allegations of the libel, judgment of condemnation was
entered and the product was ordered released under bond, conditioned that it
be processed so as to comply with the law, under the supervision of the Food
and Drug Administration.