18454. Adulteration    and    Misbranding of    corrosive    sublimate    tablets, 
nitroglycerin tablets, pepsin and nux tablets, cinchophen tablets, 
and strychnine sulphate tablets.    U. S. v. Elmira Drug: & Chemi- 
cal Co.    Plea of grullty.    Fine, S300.     (F. & D. No. 23726.    I. S. Nos. 
14746-x, 14747-x, 20305-x, 20306-x, 20307-x.)
Examination of the various drug tablets involved in the shipments herein 
described having shown that the corrosive sublimate tablets, the nitroglycerin 
tablets, and the cinchophen tablets contained smaller amounts of the respective 
agents than declared on the labels, that the pepsin and nux tablets contained 
less extract of nux vomica than labeled, and that the strychnine sulphate 
tablets contained more strychnine sulphate than labeled, the Secretary of 
Agriculture reported the matter to the United States attorney for the Western 
District of New York.
On June 24, 1929, the United" States attorney filed in the District Court of 
the United States for the district aforesaid an information against the Elmira 
Drug & Chemical Co., a corporation, Elmira, N. Y., alleging shipment by said 
company, from the State of New York into the State of Pennsylvania, in viola- 
tion of the food and drugs act, of quantities of corrosive sublimate tablets, 
nitroglycerin tablets, and pepsin and nux tablets shipped on or about March 
8, 1928, and of quantities of cinchophen tablets and strychnine sulphate tablets 
shipped on or about March 17, 1928, which said products were adulterated and 
misbranded. The articles were contained in bottles labeled in part, variously: 
"Tablet * * * Corrosive Sublimate 1/100 Grain Elmira Drug & Chemical 
Co., Elmira, New York;" "Tablets Nitroglycerin. Each tablet represents 1/50 
grains * * * Manufactured by The Elmira Drug & Chem. Co. Elmira, 
N. Y.;" " Tablets Pepsin & Nux * * * Ex Nux 1/10 gr. Plain. Elmira Drug 
& Chemical Co. Elmira, New York;" "Tablets Cinchophen 5 gr. Elmira Drug 
and Chemical Co. Elmira, New York;" " Tablets Strychnine Sulphate Each 
tablet represents 1/60 Grains * * * Elmira Drug & Chemical Company, 
Elmira, New York."
It was alleged in the information that the articles were adulterated in that 
their strength and purity fell below the professed standard and quality under 
which they were sold, as follows: Each of the said corrosive sublimate tablets 
was represented to contain 1/100 grain of corrosive sublimate, whereas each 
of said tablets contained not more than 0.00838 grain of mercuric chloride, i. e., 
1/130 grain of corrosive sublimate. Each of the said nitroglycerin tablets was 
represented to contain 1/50 grain of nitroglycerin, whereas each of said tablets 
contained not more than 0.00261 grain, i. e., 1/383 grain of nitroglycerin. Bach 
of the pepsin and nux tablets was represented to contain 1/10 grain of extract 
of nux vomica, whereas each of the said tablets contained not more than 0.076 
grain, i. e., 1/13 grain of extract of nux vomica. Each of the cinchophen tablets 
was represented to contain 5 grains of cinchophen, whereas each of said tab- 
lets contained not more than 4.409 grains of cinchophen. Each of the strych- 
nine sulphate tablets was represented to contain 1/60 grain of strychnine sul- 
phate, whereas each of the said tablets contained more than so represented, 
namely, not less than 0.0201, i. e., about 1/50 grain of strychnine sulphate.
Misbranding was alleged for the reason that the following statements, to 
wit, " Tablets * * * Corrosive Sublimate 1/100 grain," with respect to the 
corrosive sublimate tablets, "Each tablet represents 1/50 grain," with respect 
to the nitroglycerin tablets, " Tablets * * * Ex Nux 1/10," with respect to 
the pepsin and nux tablets, "Tablets Cinchophen 5 gr.," with respect to the 
cinchophen tablets, and "Strychnine Sulphate, Bach tablet represents 1/60 
grains," with respect to the strychnine sulphate tablets, borne on the labels, 
were false and misleading in that the said statements represented that the 
tablets each contained the amount ot corrosive sublimate, nitroglycerin, nux 
vomica, cinchophen, or strychnine sulphate (as the case might be), declared 
on the label, whereas the.said tablets, with the exception of the strychnine sul- 
phate tablets, contained less than so declared, and the strychnine sulphate 
?tablets contained more strychnine sulphate than declared.
On May 26, 1931, a plea of guilty to the information was entered on behalf 
of the defendant company, and the court imposed a fine of $300.
ATPTTTTTR M. HTBE, Secretary of Agriculture.