7110.  Adulteration   and   Misbranding of   aspirin   tablets.     U.   S.   *    *    *    v. 
?     7,O0O Tablets of Alleg-ed Aspirin.    Default decree of condemnation, 
forfeiture, and destruction.     (F. & D. No. 9708.     I. S. No. 7517-r.     S. No. 
C-1074.)
On February 18, 1919, the United States attorney for the Northern District 
of Illinois, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the 
District Court of the United States for said district a libel for the seizure and 
condemnation of 7 packages, each containing 1,000 alleged aspirin tablets, 
at Harvey, Ill., alleging that the article had been shipped on September 27, 
1918, by the Verandah Chemical Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., and transported from.' 
the State of New York into the State of Illinois, and charging adulteration 
and misbranding in violation of the Food and Drugs Act. The article was 
labeled in part, "Acetylsalicylic Acid Tablets 'Aspirin.' "
Analysis of a sample of the article by the Bureau of Chemistry of this de- 
partment showed the tablets to consist essentially of starch, milk sugar, talc, 
calcium carbonate, salicylic acid, and a small amount of acetic acid. No 
acetylsalicylic acid was present.
Adulteration of the article was alleged in the libel for the reason that each 
package purported to contain an article. known as 5-grain acetylsalicylic 
acid tablets or aspirin tablets, whereas, in truth and in fact, the strength 
and purity of the article fell below the professed standard and quality under 
which it was sold, to wit, "(5 gr.) Acetylsalicylic Acid Tablets 'Aspirin,'" in 
that it contained no acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin.
Misbranding of the article was alleged for the reason that the statement 
appearing on the packages, to wit, "1,000 (5 gr.) Acetylsalicylic Acid Tablets 
'Aspirin,' " was false and misleading in that it represented to the purchaser 
that the tablets contained in each package consisted of 5 grains of acetylsali- 
cylic acid or aspirin, whereas, in truth and in fact, they contained no acetylsali- 
cylic acid or aspirin; and for the further reason that it was an imitation of, 
and was offered for sale under the name of, another article, to wit, genuine 5- 
grain acetylsalicylic acid tablets or aspirin, whereas, in truth and in fact, the 
tablets contained no acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin.   .
? On June 30, 1919, no claimant having appeared for the property, judgment 
of condemnation and forfeiture was entered, and it was ordered by the court 
that the product should be destroyed by the United States marshal.
E. D. BALL, 
Acting Secretary of Agriculture.