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Show oo CHIEF TALKS TO DRUG MEN W ants Aid in Reducing Sale of Narcotics to Minimum Point New- York, Feb 13 Dr. Carl L. Alsherg, chief of the bureau of chemistry chem-istry of the department of agriculture, agricul-ture, In his first public utterance since he was appointed to Bucce id Dr Harvey Wiley, told i h members of the Association of Manufacturers of Medicinal Products hero tonight that be Intended to enforce the pure food law as strictly as possible. He asked proprietary medicine manufacturers manufac-turers to aid him to reduce the sale of narcotics to the lowest possible point. "The eyes of the people," said Dr Alsberg, "have centered upon the department's de-partment's struggle for pure foods The work of the department has, I think vou will admit, been sucee-sful in improving the finality of our foods and preventing grave forms of fraud and adulteration. No backward step I will be taken " Patent Medicines. Tnst prior to th'3 statement fir. VUherg asked that the patent medicine medi-cine manufacturers com bin..- v. ith his bureau to bring about government control of the sale and regulation 111 the handling of all patent medicines and narcotics "Ulille the efforts of the department depart-ment of agriculture." continued Dl Alsberg. "in so far as the products o BT v. Inch It has jurisdiction are concerned, con-cerned, have been amended with con slderable success, this h.is been true with a Less degree with drugs and medicines. People Should Be Protected. Even if we succeed in protecting the people of quaf medicines, a greal task remains This is to prole, i ih. r.i I from habit forming drugs, ach as i opium and cocaine ' "S ithout the help of the federal government, no reforms can be Introduced In-troduced because the states by themselves them-selves cannot control the supply. Fortunately, For-tunately, virtually all out supply of these drugs is Imported. "It is. therefore, feasible for tho state and federal governments to co operate to keep an accurate record of the fate of each consignment Imported Im-ported through the wholesaler and Jobber down to the pharmacist, physician, phy-sician, dentist and veterinarian If the federal government does Its share, state officials by an examination of federal records will bo able to learn what quantities of narcotics are com- tng into the state and to whom they are consigned. Each state will then be in a position to control these Bcourges of our people." nn |