"Putrefactive Amines"

Last week the Journal of the American Medical Association reported the action of its Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry in striking from its list of "new and nonofficial remedies" a number of ergot preparations (important to women) believed to contain "putrefactive amines." Dr. Henry Hurd Rusby, Dean of Columbia University's College of Pharmacy, hailed this action as a step forward in his campaign against impure ergot, which he declares is now entering the U. S. from Russia and Poland (TIME, April 15). A scientist, Dr. Rusby resented and denounced any suggestion that his attack on Russian and Polish ergot might arise from any other cause than his wish to see only the purest ergot used in medicine. The fact that a friend of his, Howard W. Ambruster, Manhattan importer, controlled a large portion of the available supply of Spanish ergot, had no bearing on his attitude, he said. Not only might it injure the cause of pure ergot if such a suggestion got abroad, but he said that it would be triply unfortunate since: 1) He had been nominated for the Hanbury Medal to be awarded by the British Pharmaceutical Society on May 15; 2) He had submitted in the Hearst prohibition contest a carefully studied plan, the influence of which might be adversely affected; 3) At the Columbia Commencement he is to present five candidates for honorary degrees and it would be opposed to the University's welfare for him to appear before a suspicious and sneering audience.