The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-07-15
THE CUTICURA REMEDIES

Some Facts regarding Them-Who Makes
Them and what is thought of Them by
the Drug Trade-Interview of a Times
Reporter with Peter Van Setback, Esq.
From The chicago Times.
To enable the TIMES to furnish its readers
with some reliable information rearding the
Cuticura remedies, which are now attracting
SO much public attention, a reporter called yes
terday upon Mr.. Peter Van Setback, of Van
Setback, Stevenson & Co., wholesale and re-
tail druggists, corner Lake and Dearborn
Streets, when the following facts were eliei-
ted
R-Will you oblige the readers of the TIMES
by answering few questions regarding the
Cuticura remedies?
Mr.. Van S.-Certainly; fire away.
R.-Do they sell well?
Mr.. Van S.-The sale of the Cuticura, Cuti-
cura Resolvent, and Cuticura Soap, have been
unprecedented.
R.-What reason do you give for so large a
sale?
Mr.. Van 81 give four reasons. First
they are original and revolutionary in theiI
composition and mode Of treatment. Second
they undoubtedly possess great curative prop.
critics. Third, there are thousands upon thous.
ands of sick and suffering who have tried and
found wanting the usual remedies and modes
OF treatment, and who are ready to welcome a
really great and successful medicine. Fourth,
the price of them is within the means of every
invalid.
R.-Are your large sales of these medicines
through your agens?
MIR. Van S.-No; they are legitimate mail or
derS We employ no travellers on the road
are fundamentally opposed to that way of sell
ing goods-the retailer has to stand such expen-
SEES, and such staple goods as these require nc
one to force them Off
R.-Do you class them as patent medicines?
Mr. Van 81 do not They are proprietary
no1lnc on cd tl,nce
being held as trademarks;
firm?
Mr. Van S.-Weeks & Potter are importers
wholesale druggists and chemists, and for
twenty-five years have been the foremost house
in the trade in New England
R.-lt is popularity supposed that advertising
will sell most anything, regardless of merit. Is
it true?
Mr.. Van S.-No A remedy falsely claiming
to possess virtues of which it is in fact destitute
will surely fail. No reputable firm-and drug
gists are the most competent iudges-would
think of risking fame and fortune on any med
icine unless it had, under the most trying Cir
cumstances, proved itself to possess extraordi-
nary medicinal value. The expense attending
the introduction of such remedies is enormous.
A fortune must be spent before any return can
be expected. If, after wide distribution, they
are found to possess the virtues claimed for
them, those who have been cured will recon-
mend them one to another, and thus make
them remunerative. When a man backs his
statements with his own money, you may gen.
orally rely on them This Weeks & Potter are
doing.
R.-Have they ever before prepared rem
edies for popular use?
Mr.. Van 81 believe not. They are, like
ourselves, agents for a great many, but we
think these are the first that they prepare
themselves. 1t is but once in a lifetime that a
discovery is made of a remedy that such a
firm as Weeks & Potter are willing to stake
reputation and fortune on
R.-Are their prospects flattering, or other
wise?
Mr.. Van S.-Very fattering AS said be-
fore, the remedies undoubtedly possess great
merit. And, besides, they treat blood and skin
diseases according to new and thoroughly
the confidence of those who s9ffer from chron-
ic diseases of the blood, skin, and scalp.