30958. Adulteration and misbranding of paregoric and Bateman's Drops. U. S. 
v. Harry B. Meal (Kent Drug Co.). Plea of guilty. Fine, 840 and 
costs.     (F. & D. No. 42735.    Sample Nos. 34685-D, 35011-D.)
The paregoric contained a smaller amount of morphia than that declared on its 
label and was short of the declared volume. Bateman's Drops contained a 
smaller amount of laudanum than that declared on the label.
On September 18, 1939, the United States attorney for the District of Mary- 
land, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the district 
court an information against Harry B. Meal, trading as the Kent Drug Co., 
Baltimore, Md., alleging shipment by said defendant in violation of the Food 
and Drugs Act, within the period from on or about August 19, 1938, to on or 
about January 25, 1939, of quantities of paregoric and Bateman's Drops that 
were adulterated and misbranded. The articles were labeled in part: "McNeal's 
Standard * * * Uniform Brand Paregoric"; and "Bateman's Pectoral 
Drops."
The paregoric was alleged to be adulterated in that its strength fell below 
the professed standard and quality under which it was sold since each fluid 
ounce of the article was represented to contain % grain of morphia; whereas 
each fluid ounce contained less than the amount represented, namely, not more 
than 0.18 grain of morphia. It was alleged to be misbranded in that the state- 
ments on the label, "Morphia % gr. to all. oz." and "Each Fluid Ounce Con- 
tains % gr. Morphia—Contains 6 fld. drams or over," were false and misleading, 
since it contained less than % grain of morphia per fluid ounce and the bot- 
tles contained less than 6 fluid drams of the said article.
Bateman's Drops were alleged to be adulterated in that their strength fell 
below the professed standard and quality under which they were sold in that 
each fluid ounce was represented to contain 20 minims of laudanum; whereas 
each fluid ounce contained less than the amount represented, namely, not more 
than 13.1 minims of laudanum. Misbranding was alleged in that the state- 
ments, "Each Fluidounce represents Gran. Opium to grs." and "Each Fluid- 
ounce contains 20 Minims Laudanum," appearing in the label, were false and 
misleading, since the said article contained less than 20 minims of laudanum 
per fluid ounce and each fluid ounce of said article represented less than to 
grains, namely, not more than 1.18 grains of granulated opium.
On November 9, 1939, a plea of guilty was entered by the defendant and the 
court imposed a fine of $40 and costs.
GROVES B. HILL, Acting Secretary of Agriculture.