Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-16
WAR ON THE. QUACKS
Association in New York to
Fight Fake Doctors.
REPORTER TELLS HIS STORY
Guaranteed q Cure for Prostate
Nephritis" Price, IS.
WILL ENLIST AID OF PAPERS
Society Will Also Protect Children and
Look Into the Adulteration Of
Food Supplies
REPORTER TELLS HIS STORY
WILL ENLIST AID OF PAPERS

war on quack medicines, food adultera-
ton and child labor was declared at meet
ing in New York yesterday, according to a
dispatch from there which says more than
12o delegates representing organizations in
New York, Philadelphia and cities of the
south and middle west assembled in the
Hudson Theater in West 44th street yes
terday afternoon to form a national body to
fight against deleterious proprietary medi-
cines, quack medical Institutes and kindred
evils. Deputy State Attorney Eugene
ODunne Of Baltimore suggested that the
organization be called the public health de-
tense league and this name was adopted.
Austen g. Fox presided. President Nc
Gowan Of the board Of aldermen welcomed
the delegates to New York for Mayor Nc
Clellan, who was unable to be present, and
Mgr. Lavelle Of st. Patrick's Cathedral,
speaking for Archbishop Farley. said that
anything that the clergy and Iaity Of the
Catholic Church in America could do to
help on the crusade would gladly be done.
Many Of the delegates were women,
among whom were Mrs. Charles Evans
Hughes, wife Of the governor elect; Lillian
M N. Stevens, national president of the w.
T. c. u, Mrs. Elizabeth Grannis and Mrs
Martha M. Allen, head of the department
OF medical temperance Of the w. c. T. u,
who made an address.
The longest speech and the one that
caught the audience the most was made by
Charles F. Stuart, reporter for the Cleve-
land News. Mr.. Stuart told how his city
editor called him UP one day and told him
to get after the quacks of Cleveland, "re-
CARELESS OF expense"
A Reporters Experience.
First I went to two big physicians Of
Cleveland" began Mr.. Stuart, land told
them to go through me with a dark Ian
tern. They said there was nothing the mat
with mi al Off
ton, due to cigarettes. Then under an as
sumed name I visited every big advertising
quack in town. didn't give them list Of
rake symptoms, because even reputable
physician now present could be fooled that
way. Oaughter.)
First called on one with whiskers
They all have whiskers, y'know, but some
how or other this fellows whiskers didn't
gee with the whiskers in his pictures pub
lished with his advertisements. He said
could be cured Of stomach, liver, lung,
kidney and other dseases-all of which
he discovered I had-for $50. I jewed
q department with name on the door
yard long, stretched me on table, and
while he began to massage me he turned
on lot of fake machinery and colored
lights that had the aurora borealis faded.
but say, I never made a speech in my
life before, and 1 don't know whether I'm
making good Cries of you are-go on.
We'll, he next made me sit in static |
chair for three-quarters Of an hour. Sud- |
denly asked him for a guarantee that |
would be cured Of all me diseases he had |
found. |
Prostatic Nephritis.
a" You're almost half cured now said |
the DOCTOR but when I insisted that / |
must have written guarantee he handed
me one finally that said I would be cured |
Of, what do you think? Prostate nephri-
tis! Now, If any doctor here can tell me |
what the-what prostate nephritis' Is
I'd be glad to be interrupted. ILaughter) |
/ asked the quack what it was and he said,
That phrase covers all the other Diseases
Can you beat 1t? Also their private drug
stores are the greatest system Of graft in |
existence.
Of the city we scourged them right and
left and called them robbers cheats and
everything else by name. By that crusade
we put out of business at least SO far as
Cleveland was concerned, firms that had
been spending $4,000 year for postage
was over 100000"
1T is time the community begins to
realize the evil that threatens it," said
Chairman Austen Fox. Exposure of |
quacks and quack medicines may put one
or two out of business, but what we need
is laws that will make these offenses pun
ishable by fines and imprisonment And
as the Elglish say, It's doggedness as
does IT. We need to go at them doggedly,
well. l don't believe the enforcement of |
criminal law should be placed in the hands |
OF private organizations, but the organiza-
tons can wage the fight to bring the spon-
sors of these abuses to justice.
Our great power will be the press Here
tofore the press has been the most recreant |
to its duty. 1t is generally believed here
that you must make yourself solid with the
press, but now feel sure the newspapers |
are ashamed Of their part in these mat
ters"
Thomas w. Barlow of Philadelphia spoke |
principally of the work done by Anthony |
Comstock for the promotion of sweetness |
and light in New York, and later Mr. Com |
stock took the floor and spoke in the same |
strain.
No specific legislation was discussed yes |
terday. The sole purpose of the conference |
as embodied in the blanket resolutions |
that were adopted was to form a national |
body to fight not only quackery, fake medi- |
cines and allied evils, but to take up the |
cause of child labor, adulterated foods, ito |
work for the enlightenment of the public |
on all matters affecting these subjects.
To work for the enactment of laws
for the protection of and preservation of
the public health and morals"