Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-13
Companies Complain That Eight
Per Cent of Alcohol Is Not
Poison
BILL CALLS FOR THE FORMULA
Every Medicine Must Have ingredients
and Proportions of Each Printed on
Labels, and Must Be Labeled "Poi-
son" if 1t Contains Per Cent of
Ethyl Alcohol.
specIal to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Feb 13.-The patent
medicine bill introduced in the lower
house by a doctor member from south
ern Iowa has stirred up a commouoh
and all the proprietary medicine houses
will be represented here in the COM
mittee hearings. The bill provides that
every patent medicine sold in Iowa
shall have on the bottle and on the
wrapper a label showing a complete
schedule of all ingredients and the ex-
act proportion of each" and that when
ever such medicine contains more than
eight per cent of ethyl alcohol, one
twenty-fifth per cent of morphine,
heroin, alpha, eucaine or cocaine, one
fourth per cent of choral hydrate, or
any quantity of bella-donna, 1t shall
be labeled Poison" The law, If en-
acted, empowers the food and dairy
commissioner to analyze all patent
medicines and prosecute companies or
dealers who violate the law under
penalty clause providing for fines from
$50 to $500 and Imprisonment from one
to six months.
The patent medicine houses complain
that the proposed law is unreasonable.
They contend that the federal govern
ment has just passed law drastic
enough and that Iowa should do no more
than follow the federal law. They
also insist that it is nothing short OF
ridiculous to label as Poison" medi-
cine containing eight per cent of al
cohol. Eight per cent alcohol If taken
in quantities as a beverage might
prove intoxicating but 1t would be a
falsehood to label it poison"
One of the leading advertising
agencies placing medicine contracts
writes in letter:
"1'he idea of placing a poison label
on all preparations that contain per
cent of alcohol is so absurd that it
proves the ignorance of those who in
tro6luce such bills, and the selfish and
malicious motives of those persons or
organizations that produce them. Such
a bill is intended to entirely destroy the
three branches of the drug business
and to brighten the people into consult
ing physician for every simple all
ment.
"The skillful pharmacist who puts
out preparation of his own would be
forced to disclose the results Of his
knowledge and skill to his competi-
tors.
1.-The reputable proprietary manufac-
turer is greatly in favor of any reason
able law which may be considered
necessary to regulate the sale of So
called patent medicines, but such
sweeping measures as these are usually
introduced for selfish purposes by agi-
tators and country doctors who have
no conception of the amount of harm
that will result if such bills are
passed. The thousands of imitators
that such a law would bring forth
would assume no responsibility what
soever, and their sole aim would be
to make a medicine of the same form
ula without knowing the process OF
manufacture, and make 1t as cheaply
as possible If the imitation failed to
do good or happened to do harm, the
manufacturer of the original article is
Obliged to suffer the consequences, as
it is supposed to be made from his
formula -