22593. Adulteration   and misbranding of   oil   of   lavender   and    sodium
bipbospbate. U. S. v. James Good, Inc., Thomas F. Meehan and 
Jobn James Cram. Pleas of nolo contendere. Judgment of 
guilty.    Fines, $50.     (F. & D. no. 31327.    Sample nos. 37487-A, 37527-A.)
This case was based on shipments of drugs that were represented to be of 
pharmacopoeial standard but which were found to be below the standard estab- 
lished by the United States Pharmacopoeia.
On May 4, 1934, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of 
Pennsylvania, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the 
district court an information against James Good, Inc., a corporation trading 
at Philadelphia, Pa., and Thomas Meehan and John James Cram, of Phila- 
delphia, Pa., alleging shipment by said defendants, in violation of the Food 
and Drugs Act, on or about April 20, 1933, from the State of Pennsylvania 
into the State of Maryland, of quantities of oil of lavender and sodium be- 
phosphate which were adulterated and misbranded. The articles were labeled 
in part: "Oil of Lavender [or "Sodium Diphosphate"] U. S. P. * * * 
James Good, Inc. Philadelphia."
It was alleged in the information that the articles were adulterated in that 
they were sold under names recognized in the United States Pharmacopoeia 
and differed from the standard of strength, quality, and purity as determined 
by the test laid down in the said pharmacopoeia official at the time of in- 
vestigation in the following respects:   The oil of lavender yielded less than I
30 percent of esters calculated as linalyl acetate, namely, not more than 5.88 
percent of esters calculated as linalyl acetate; the odor of said article was 
not characteristic of lavender flowers and said article was not soluble in 
three volumes of 70 percent alcohol; the specific gravity of the article at 25° 
C. was more than 0.888, namely, not less than 0.898; the refruitive index of 
said article at 20? was more than 1.4640, namely, not less than 1.4726, and! 
said article, when tested by the method prescribed by the pharmacopoeia for 
acetins, required less than 4.7 cc of half-normal hydrochloric acid for neutrali- 
zation, namely, not more than 4.45 cc of half-normal hydrochloric acid for 
neutralization, whereas the pharmacopoeia provides that oil of lavender shall. 
yield not less than 30 percent of esters calculated as linalyl acetate; that it 
shall have the characteristic odor of lavender flowers and shall be soluble 
in three volumes of 70 percent alcohol; that its specific gravity shall not be 
more than 0.888 at 25°; that the refruitive index shall not be more than 
1.4640 at 20°, and that when tested for acetins not less than 4.7 cc of half- 
normal hydrochloric acid shall be required for neutralization; and in that 
the sodium biphosphate when dried to constant weight contained not more 
than 93 percent NaHaPO* (sodium dihydrogen phosphate) ; 0.4 percent water 
insoluble matter and chloride, per gram, equivalent to 1.5 cc of fiftieth-normal 
hydrochloric acid; whereas the said pharmacopoeia provides that sodium bi- 
phosphate when dried to constant weight shall contain not less than 98 
percent of NaHJPO*; that It is freely soluble in water, and that it shall con- 
tain, per gram, chloride corresponding to not more than 0.2 cc of fiftieth-normal 
hydrochloric acid; and the standard of strength, quality, and purity of the 
articles was not declared on the containers thereof. Adulteration was alleged 
for the further reason that the strength and purity of the articles fell below 
the professed standard and quality under which they were sold.
Misbranding was alleged for the reason that the statements on the labels, 
M Oil of Lavender U. S. P." and " Sodium Diphosphate U. S. P.", were false 
and misleading. Misbranding of the oil of lavender was alleged for the 
further reason that it was a product that contained little, if any, oil of lavender, 
prepared in imitation of oil of lavender, U. S. P., and was offered for sale and 
sold under the name of another article, " Oil of Lavender U. S. P."
On May 22, 1934, the defendants entered pleas of nolo contendere and were 
adjudged guilty and the following fines were imposed: James Good, Inc., $30, 
T. F. Meehan, $10, and John J. Cram, $10
M. L. WILSON, Acting Secretary of Agriculture.