13917. Adulteration and misbranding of strychnine sulphate tablets caf- 
feine tablets, heroin hydrochloride tablets, atropine sulphate 
tablets, and diacetylmorphine hydrochloride tablets. TJ. S. v. 
George  M.   Beringer,   Inc.     Plea   of   non   vult.    Fine, $350.     (F. & D,
No.  19643.    I.  S. Nos. 2173-v, 2174-v,  12565-v,  12566-v,  12569-v,  16244-vr 
16245-v.)
On August 4, 1925, the United States attorney for the District of New 
Jersey, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the 
District Court of the United  States for said district an information against 
George M. Beringer, Inc., acorporation, Camden, N. J., alleging shipment 
by said company, in violation of the food and drugs act, in various consign- 
ments, namely, on or about January 25, 1924, from the State of New Jersey 
into the State of New York, of quantities of strychnine sulphate tablets and 
caffeine tablets, respectively, on or about January 25, 1924, from the State of 
New Jersey into the State of Maryland, of quantities of heroin hydrochloride 
tablets, caffeine tablets, and atropine sulphate tablets, respectively, and on 
or about November 12, 1924, from the State of New Jersey into the State 
of Pennsylvania, of quantities of caffeine tablets and diacetylmorphine 
hydrochloride tablets, respectively, all of which were adulterated and mis- 
branded. The articles were labeled in part: " George M. Beringer," " George 
M. Beringer, Camden, N. J.," or " George M. Beringer Inc., Manf'g Pharmacists 
Camden, N. J."
Analysis by the Bureau of Chemistry of this department of samples of 
the articles showed that: The strychnine sulphate tablets, labeled 1/50 gr., 
contained 1/75 grain of strychnine sulphate each; the caffeine tablets, labeled 
1/2 gr., contained 3/7 grain of caffeine each; the heroin hydrochloride tablets, 
labeled 1/24 gr., contained 1/48 grain of heroin hydrochloride each ; the atropine 
sulphate tablets, labeled 1/100 gr., contained 1/124 grain of atropine sulphate 
each; and the diacetylmorphine hydrochloride tablets, labeled 1/24 gr., con- 
tained 1/46 grain of diacetylmorphine hydrochloride each.
Adulteration of the articles was alleged in substance in the information 
for the reason that their strength and purity fell below the professed stand- 
ard and quality under which they were sold, in that the labels represented 
the said tablets to contain 1/50 grain of strychnine sulphate, 1/2 grain of 
caffeine, 1/24 grain of heroin hydrochloride, 1/100 grain of atropine sul- 
phate, or 1/24 grain of diacetylmorphine hydrochloride, as the case might be, 
whereas each of said tablets contained less of the product than represented on 
the label thereof.
Misbranding was alleged in substance for the reason that the statements,. 
"Tablet * * * Strychnine Sulphate 1-50 gr.," "Tablet * * * Caf- 
feine 1/2 gr.," "Tablet * * * Heroin Hcl 1-24 gr.," "Tablets * * * 
Atropine Sulphate, 1-100 gr.," and "Tablet * * * Diacetyl Morphine Hcl 
1/24 gr.," as the case might be, borne on the labels of the respective products, 
were false and misleading, in that the said statements represented that each 
of said tablets contained the amount of the product declared on the label 
thereof, whereas the said tablets contained less than so declared.
On October 26, 1925, a plea of non vult to the information was entered on 
behalf of the defendant company, and the court imposed a fine of $350.
R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary of Agriculture.