The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1894-11-30
War Made Upon Medical and Hygisnic
Barbarism In Ohio

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Strange aud wonderful as it may
seem, the cause of medical civilization
is being upheld by Ohio: The State
cannot get Medical Practice Act
passed by the State Legislature out
there, but by some hook or crook it
seems that a law has been put on the
statute books prohibiting the adultera-
ton Of food, beverages and medicine.
We suppose the quack aristocracy that
suck their tongues into their checks
and roarcd derision at the medical pro-
lession never suspected that this law
couli be applied to their infamous cure
ails, ''patent medicines" "bi,,ers," and
whiskcys. But the Ohio Dairy and
Food Commission, with headquarters
at Cincinnati, discovered the applica-
bility of the general terms Of the law,
and also mTaJHc dicu-discovere
some moral courage, and putting both
to use they arc marching to the courts
OF justice the grocers and druggists
who are the distributing agents for tho
concocters of fraudulent drugs and arti-
cles Of food. 1t is noteworthy that
these local srocers and druggists, in
stead of throwing the blamo upon the
manufacturers, seem inclined to espouse
their cause and to fight the commis-
sioncrs. So far has corruption come
The law and its execution is plainly di-
rected against the manufacturer, and
only socondar;ly against the distributor,
and because in no other way can the
State reach the rascals. One Of the
commissioners is reported as saying
some time ago:
eve have brought about ninety cases,
and not enc Of them has been decided
against US. That is the records for the
last six months, but it is likely to be
eclipsed by the results of the next half
year. Oar work is only fairly begun"
The arrests have been for selling as
pure, or without proper notices, accord
ing to law, such articles as vinegar,
oleomarg arine, it-jcllies, preserves,
lemonade, milk, ape,juice, Vim Mari
ami, Paskoa. The Commissioners ex-
pert in chcmic analysis first buys these
articles, anylizes them, then prosecutcs
the clerk or proprietor Of the store who
sold thcm to him.
Massachusetts, We believe, has simi-
lar law, but we have not heard Of any
serious attempt to execute in the case
of such things as the vile compounds
toisted upon the gulibc public as the
great promoters Of health and curers of
all diseases. 1t is somewhat curious
psycologic puzzle to understand how it
is that in Massachusetts,, where a
learned (O professor in Harvard College
joins hands in upholding the quacks
and helps them to succeed in killing a
proposed medical practice act, and in
Ohio. where similar dclcctable set
rules the Legislaturc-in these two
States, there should be such laws
against the scoundrels, aud that in
Ohio they should, as CARLYLE would
say succeed in getting themselves exc
cuted. The rest of us are bound down
in abject slavery. The law Of libel, or
the absurd fear Of it, holds over tnc
heads Of publishers and editors a sword
that, it is said, would chop heads o!can
of with ncatncsS aud d!sratch," should
q word be whispered in objection to the
ring rule Of the patent medicine syndi-
Gates and the manufacturers Of secret
nostrums. If a suggestion Of the law of
libel were not sufficient to throw US into
"conniption Its" Of fright, the threat
of cessation Of advertisements quite
enough to make rs scuttlc to our holes
like frightened chipmunks Thank
heaven for one man aud one journal
that will speak out ica, lcssly and wei
come the threatened nwsu;ts We do
not always agree with tho brave editor
of the Cincinnati Lancet Cline, but in
this crusade we cry him GodSpced with
all our heart and with all our lungs -
MclicM Nc,cS