723. Adulteration and misbranding of Russian mineral oil.    TJ. S. v. 477 Bottles,
113 Dozen Bottles, 487 Dozen Bottles, and 17 Drums of Russian Mineral
Oil. Consent decree of condemnation. Product ordered released under
bond to be relabeled.    (F. D. C. No. 4817.    Sample Nos. 56027-E, 56054-E.)
This product had been shipped in interstate commerce in drums and had been
in part bottled and labeled by the consignee.
On or about May 26, 1941, the United States attorney for the District of Con-
necticut filed a libel against the above-named product at Bridgeport, Conn.,
in possession of McKesson & Bobbins, Inc., alleging that it had been shipped on
or about May 2 and 3, 1940, by Kuhne-Libby Co. from New York, N. Y.; 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, i. e., white mineral oil, but its quality fell below the standard
set forth in the pharmacopoeia with respect to viscosity, and the difference in
quality from such standard was not plainly stated on the label since the des-
ignation appearing on the bottles, "Light Russian Mineral Oil" and that on the
drums, "Bussian Mineral Oil U. S. P. Light," did not serve to warn the pur-
chaser that it was not white mineral oil as that term is defined in the
pharmacopoeia.
It was alleged to be misbranded in that the designation "light" (in compara-
tively small type) and "Russian Mineral Oil" (in comparatively large type)
on the bottle labels, and the designation "Russian Mineral Oil U. S. P. Light"
on the drums, were misleading since the term "Russian Mineral Oil" is asso-
ciated in the minds of purchasers with an oil having a kinematic viscosity which
is substantially higher than that of said article.
On April 9,1942, McKesson & Robbins, Inc., New York, N. Y., claimant, having
admitted the allegations of the libel, judgment of condemnation was entered
and the product was ordered released under bond to be relabeled under the
supervision of the Food and Drug Administration.