The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-16
TO LOOK UP "TONICS"
DR.. Wiley Will Take Up Soda
Fountain Dope"
COCAINE AND CAFFEINE USED
Investigation to Determine Whether
Refreshing and InvigOrating Bev-
eraGes Make Drug Habit Victims.
Can BE Reached by District Laws.
Painted Food for "POisOn squad"

Soda fountain tones" whose virtues
as Misunderstanding. harmless. and re-
freshing beverages are attractively pla-
carded in many drug stores, are TO become
the subject Of future Investigations by
the United States Bureau Of Chemistry.
Under the direction of DIR. Harvey w.
Wiley. chief chemist Of the Agricultural
Department, the nature of the ingredients
of these alleged harmless beverages is
to be determined, and. If it is found that
caffeine. cocaine. and other drugs are
used in sufficient quantities TO make the
compounds insidiously dangerous to the
consumer, action will be taken to prevent
the manufacture and sale of the articles
in their present form.
Owed Virtue ia Cocaine.
That one of the leading "tonics," the
forermner. in fact, of many others more
or less initiative in character, owed its
efficacy almost entirely to the caffeine
and cocaine in its composition. became
known some time ago when the manufac-
turers of the article were forced to pro-
duce their formula in a court Of law.
Since that time the makers Of this tonic
have claimed that cocaine is no longer
included in the compound
II is held by those DESTROYS Of seeing a
governmental investigation along these
lines, that there is reason 10 believe
that many OF the sO-calIed "tonics'
dispensed in great quantities at all soda
fountains owe there stimulating and re-
freshing effects to deleterious drugs.
In discussing the matter DIT. Wiley
said yesterday that it has been for some
time the intention Of his department 10
take up this matter, but that other and
weightier questions remained to be dis
posed of before an investigation of this
nature could be instituted.
Can be Reached by District Law.
we viii undoubtedly come to it in
time" said Dr. Wiley. and when we
start. the Investigation will be as thor
ough as possible. There seems little rea-
son to doubt that many of these drinks
are deleterious in character and need the
attention Of this department.
Il have heard of many cases where a
habit for these mixtures has been ac-
quired, but none has come under my per
sonal observation. There is a law in the
District which can prevent the sale OF
! these compounds. should they be found
TO contain dangerous drugs like cocaine.
The manufacturers of one of these
/ drinks have become enormously wealthy
and established buildings bearing the
name of their product in many of the
| big cities throughout the country. This
drink was at one time shown 90 contain
caffeine and cocaine. The caffeine acted
as a stimulant and the cocaine gave a
peculiar soothing effect. The use of such
a drink cannot help but be harmful in
/ the end. The makers OF this drink say
/ that cocaine has been dropped from thC
/ formula, put We have not looked int
/ the matter as yet"
New Poison squad Starts.
After a period of rest DR.. Wiley.
/ Poison Squad" is about to enter upon
/ a new line Of experiments. Within day
or two the little band OF eight men vii
begin to eat regularly at the Bureau OF
Chemistry, where foods impregnated with
/ preservatives or cOloring matter vii
form the principal articles of diet i
/ has not been decided as vet whether the
new experiments viii be upon the effects
/ Of preservatves or coloring matter, bu
/ the investigation viii be conducted along
one Of these two lines. The squad viii
( be under the direct supervision Of F. G
/ Weber, DR.. Wiley's lieutenant, but the
chief will give the experiments as muCf
I Of his personal attention as possible Tn,
experiments viii be concluded about the
I first of Juiv