National Formulary and also in the 7th Edition of the U. S. P., the National and U. S. Dispensatories, and should contain about 57.34 per cent. of alcohol.

Concentrated preparations are put on the market by various pharmaceutical houses, with directions for its use in preparing Bay Rum with dilute alcohol. When thus made the finished product will be materially deficient in alcohol, and below the lawful standard.

It is therefore recommended that the Standard process be exclusively followed, by using a menstruum of 1220 c. c. of alcohol to 762 c. c. of water, instead of equal parts of alcohol and water. The department is instituting suits against parties who are selling Bay Rum with a low percentage of alcohol. The law was enacted for the protection of the public and the formulas for the guidance of the dispenser.

Solution of Hydrogen Dioxide.

It seems to be the custom of many dealers to buy this preparation in large containers for dispensing purposes. Investigations show that in too many instances it is sold in small quantities at a time, from the original container, until it is all disposed of. By thus exposing to the air and frequent agitation, deterioration is hastened. This is gross negligence and should be discontinued.

When the solution is purchased in large containers, it should be transferred to smaller (preferably dark) bottles and kept in a cool place.

Lime Water.

This is unstable when dispensed from large containers, which may require months to empty. By frequent opening and exposure to the air it absorbs carbon dioxide. The U. S. Dispensatory recommends the addition of an extra quantity of lime; but even if this is done and it is not carefully handled, it will deteriorate. A good plan is to put it up in glass stoppered bottles of not over one-half gallon capacity, keeping but one package on the dispensing shelf and the remainder in a cool place.

Use of Hydrant Water in Dispensing.

Pharmacists are frequently reported to be using hydrant or well water in cases where distilled water is required by the pharmacopoeia as one of the diluents. This practice is strongly condemned.

Alcohol.

Druggists, in former years, to some extent used wood alcohol, under such names as "Eagle Spirit" and "Columbia Spirit," being assured by the manufacturers and their agents that the same could be used in medicinal preparations intended for external application only. The Pharmacopoeia recognizes but one alcohol, Ethylic or Grain Alcohol, for use in its preparations.

While speaking of this, attention is directed to the fact that the alcohol of the present Pharmacopoeia is practically identical with the "Cologne Spirit" of the old Pharmacopoeia, and is the product which the pharmacist is required to use in preparing pharmacopoeial products.

The Ohio law prohibits the use of wood or methyl alcohol in any medicinal preparation, whether it is a U. S. P. or National Formulary preparation, or any patent or proprietary preparation, whether for man or beast, or for internal or external use.

Ammonia Water.

This solution is frequently purchased in large carboys, and druggists fill their shelf or dispensing bottles from this as needed, taking no precaution to seal the carboy, in consequence of which there is a rapid deterioration. It would be much better to transfer the contents of the carboy to either glass or rubber stoppered bottles (glass stoppered preferred), the capacity of which should not be greater than one gallon, and kept in a cool place.

Misbranding of Patents or Proprietaries.

A number of preparations on the market are misbranded within the meaning of the Ohio law. This is due largely to the dealers' negligence. Many dealers have gone over their stock in a thorough and systematic inanner, secured the necessary information and affixed to packages requiring it the necessary stickers or labeling. All dealers having any of these goods on hand should see to it that the labeling is corrected, in accordance with the requirements given below.

Retail Packages.

The principal labeling required on preparations (other than U. S. P., N. F., and physicians' prescriptions) is that requiring:

1st. The quantity or proportion of alcohol, morphine, opium, cocaine, alpha or beta eucaine, heroine, chloroform, cannabis indica, chlora hydrate, acetanilide, or any derivative or preparation of any such substance contained therein, to be plainly stated on the label.

2d. That no statement, design, or device regarding it or its ingredients. or the substances contained therein, which is false or misleading in any particular, shall be stated on the label or package.

These features of the law are intended to and do cover all packages, whether sold at wholesale or retail, and dealers selling goods in packages smaller than the original packages in which they are received should see that the law is complied with as to such retail packages, so that the purchaser who is to use the preparation may have the labeling required by law before him, and have the information the law contemplated he should have. The amended law requires all drugs containing alcohol, morphine, etc., to have the quantity or proportion therein stated on the label. Many labels have been found which read as follows: "Contains not more than 50 per cent. alcohol." Such labeling is incorrect. The label should state a definite

amount.

dent that, in obtaining the necessary legislation for the protection of life, it is the force of public sentiment that counts most. It is up to you and the ordinary, average citizen, who seldom takes any interest in public affairs. A Congressman will often pay more attention to a small man at home, who votes in his district, than to a bigger man in Washington, who does not; and if there happen to be a good many men at home, all thinking the same. way and letting their thoughts be

known, the wise Congressman gives a great deal of attention to what they think is right or necessary for he usually has known some colleague who failed to go back to Washington just because his hearing was bad on some such occasion.

So let us all make a stand against drugged food. Let us all back Dr. Wiley in his fight for food purity, and thus be relieved of many of the ills that flesh has always been presumed to be heir to.

Culinary Department.

By Louise Dainty Gilbert.

Home Suggestions.

J

ULY the month of patriotism and preserves is upon us and wise is the woman who begins "putting up" early. The day of impurely canned goods would be short indeed if homemade preserves, pickles and jams were to be found in every household. Of course it is a great convenience to be able to buy all sorts of canned "stuff" without the necessary trouble of preparation. And in the case of a reliable firm the finished product is clean, pure and without preservatives or coloring matter. But be certain the firm is reliable, Madame Housewife. How do you know that the corn advertised for sale at six cents the can is put up under sanitary conditions? Or that the tomatoes "which don't seem to taste just like the real ones" are not almost as poisonous as so much prussic acid? It is appalling to consider the conditions under which some of these vegetables are prepared for market. Packers in the last stages of tuberculosis; dust laden cans, innumerable flies, poisonous coloring matter and unlimited quantities of benzoate of soda are to be unearthed in many a canning establishment. Goods are packed in so unsanitary a fashion that it is truly marvelous wholesale epidemics do not result. The somewhat cynical observation familiar to most of us "That if you want a thing done well do it yourself" is particularly applicable to the case of homemade preserves. Try it and see. To put up enough fruit and vegetables for an ordinary family is not an Herculean labor by any means. For one thing it is more economical (an advantage to most) and then consider the inestimable satisfaction of having pure food. And one more vast advantage is, if the preserve closet is well stocked there need be no domestic panics for the "unexpected guest."

Preserves.

Although preserves are too rich for daily use, many prefer them to canned fruit. The former being prepared with equal weights of fruits and sugar, the latter with little or no sweetening. The following recipes are thoroughly tested.

Peach Preserves.

Pare the peaches or remove the skins by plunging into boiling water in which a tablespoonful of lye has been dissolved. If you use lye, rinse in several waters to prevent any possible taste. Weigh and add one pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. Halve or leave them whole as you prefer, if you halve them use several of the pits as they improve the flavor. Make a syrup by adding as little water as will moisten the sugar, (about a cupful to the pound is sufficient). Boil until the peaches are transparent, skimming

carefully. Many think that peach preserves are much improved by using maple sugar, much less sugar being required. Seal when at the boiling point in air tight jars.

Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Currants or Cherry Preserves. Use fruit and sugar in equal quantities and place in layers in a preserving kettle over night. In the morning cook slowly until fruit is soft and the liquid clear. Skim carefully before sealing. Cherries should be stoned. Another method. Use only large and carefully selected fruit. Allow one cup of sugar to one pint of fruit. Place fruit in jars and cover with the sugar. Place jars in boiling water and allow to remain ten minutes. Have a little boiling syrup at hand, pour over the fruit and seal. This method while very easy is not to be recommended, as oftentimes the jars burst with the heat pressure. Many prefer to use it tho, claiming that the fruit retains a much better flavor.

Jams are made of small fruit or large fruit cut fine and an equal amount of sugar. They are nice for tart filling, puddings, sauces, etc.

Currant, Raspberry, Blackberry or Strawberry Jam.

Pick over fruit and wash carefully. Allow one pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Put the fruit and one-fourth of the sugar in the preserving kettle and allow to boil slowly. When boiling add another fourth of the sugar. Boil again adding more sugar until all is used. Cooking in only a little of the sugar at a time prevents the fruit hardening. When thoroughly soft, place in glasses or small jars and cover with paper.

Grape Jam. Wash the grapes and squeeze the pulp from the skins. Boil the pulp till it separates from the seeds and drain through a sieve. Add equal weight in sugar and the juice of one lemon. Boil, drain again and put in small jars or glasses, covering with paper.

Canning. To most people canned fruit is preferable to preserved. It is not so sweet and to many the flavor of the fruit is better. Many modern cooks claim that fruit may be canned without sugar at all but generally fruit requiring sugar in its natural state requires it when canned. Others have a theory that if fresh fruit be placed in glass jars covered with cold water and sealed at once it is far better than when sealed hot. However, when the following simple directions are carefully followed there is little chance of failure, and in the other method much depends upon the absolute perfection of the fruit.

The secret of success in canning lies in having fruit and jars at the boiling point and the instant sealing. Make the syrup in the proportion one cup of water, three-fourths of a cup of sugar to the jar if the fruit is juicy. Allow fruit and syrup to boil five minutes, then fill and seal. A good scheme is to fill jars with boiling water about five minutes before needed. Place them in a dripping pan of boiling water and empty as soon as your syrup comes to a boil. Fill to overflowing running a knife down into the fruit so as to be certain that the syrup completely surrounds the fruit. Fill with boiling water if short of syrup. Fasten tops as tightly as possible giving an additional twist every fifteen minutes until the fruit is cold. Stand jars on their heads in a dark place and there is hardly one chance in hundred of failure. Much has been said against the putting of fruit in tin cans, though if the cans are emptied immediately on opening, chemists declare no harm is