Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-11-13
g.

n@ g.
THE PATENT MEDICINE CRUSADE.
The New York evening Post has an
interesting editorial on the patent
medicine situation which should be
read widely. Attention is called to
that part of the article relating to
North Dakota's action in this matter,
this state being the only one in the
Union requiring the publication of the
formulate on all articles or proprietary
remedies. The Post says:
In order to reduce the patent. pro-
prietary medicine business to it's legiti-
mate field, it is necessary to accom-
plish only two things: First, the pub
lie must be made to understand what
these remedies" are in themselves,
and, second, Legislators and we'll
meaning citizens generally must be
brought to realize that the "demonstra-
tions Of popular sentiment in favor Of
these nostrums are purely fictitious,
being inspired solely. by the manu-
facturers themselves and those who
profit by the sales. The past year
the most harassing, perhaps, that the
proprietors of the celebrated cure-alls
have ever passed through has seen
so much accomplished by educational
work along both Of these lines that
one might almost declare the whole
face of the question to be changed.
The initial difficulty in dealing with
this whole subject is, of course, that
the vast majority OF socalled patent
medicines" are not patented. If they
were, their formulate would be matters
Of public record. AS it is, those en-
gagged in the fight may easily discredit
their cause by such mistakes as that
of the editor who some months since
described one popular mixture on the
basis Of an old analysis, and was com
PEELED to retract by the demonstration
that the composition as now on sale
was something quite different. Con-
cea1ment Of the facts regarding a
medicine, combined with the widest
publicity for its claims, has been the
requisite for success in this business.
The Evening Post has been long en-
listed in the fight for publicity, and it's
readers are familiar with the results
OF analyses Of the better-known pre-
parations. The facts have long been
accessible to any one with but little
trouble. Yet when some of the ten
cent monthlies and weeklies, circulat-
ing largely among what may be called
without disrespect the patent edicine-
taking classes, began to publish these
same data. more genuine consterna-
ton and horror was never aroused.
Loyal members of temperance socie-
ties learned for the first time that the
healing fluids they had been taking
with such confidence and In such
quantities contained percentages Of
alcohol varying from twice that Of
lager beer to that contained In the
most fiery whiskey, brandy, or gil.
Many, If not most, Of the "tonics" and
'.bitters", advertised are, what the sec.
retary Of the Massachusetts board 81
health called s'Peruna" cheap cock
tails" without the agitation 81 Just
such publications as the Ladies' Home
ouThai, LesaIe,s Monthly, and Golfers
weekly, II would have taken 4 very
much longer time to hammer home
this fundamental fact. r. ; r;
Onicfa1 agencies have been more
than usually active. too, in the past
year. The commissioners Of internal
revenues recent ruling, requiring tie
payment Of d retail liquor dealers taT
for the sale OF the highly alcoholic
preparations, IL important as also tie
action OF the postofice department in
Withholding the use of the mails from
actually fraudulent medicine concerns.
Finally, one state has at last enacted
the law requiring the publication u
formulate on all packages or bottles
OF proprietary remedies. This law,
which ought to be in force throughout
the country, has thus far been fought
successfully BY TIE apatent-medicine"
4