Free press., 1907-09-28


sent at the next meeting of that body
/ a report showing the number of acci-
dental deaths caused by patent medi-
cines in the two years ending June 80,
1907, as compared with deaths from
other causes.
Almost Immediately after the begin
ming of the latest crusade against
proprietary medicines this committee
was instructed to collect data. This
work was done through the clipping
bureaus, which furnished accounts OF
all deaths. exclusive of suicide, due to-
the misuse of medicines, drugs or
poisons. The result showed that only
three per cent. could be traced di-
rectly to the products made by the
members of the association.
The greatest care is said to have
been exercised in tabulating the fig
ures received. Whenever the cause
Of death was doubtful, special inves-
| tigation was made, no matter where.
the case might have occurred. The
work oe asserting and preparing the
record was done in Chicago, and the
| original clippings and correspondence
are in the possession of Erwin F.
Kemp, 1S4 La Sale street, that city,
l..
report says, in part:
"A large number of accidents. re-
sulting fatally or otherwise, were
caused by the carelessness of persons
who left drugs, medicines or poisons
within the reach of children. A large
number, also, We're caused by persons.
going to medicine cabinets in the dark
and taking down the wrong bottle.
Tv,1
patent or otherwise, held responsible
for injury or death except when left
within the reach of children or taken
or administered in gross overdose
The committee says that it is un--
likely that any cases of death from
the use of patent medicine escaped
the newspapers. but that it is prob
able that death from the causes tabu--
lated did occur without receiving pub
licity. Physicians, of course, report
the causes of death. The committee
says that they would be the last to
suppress the cause if due to the use
OF medicine not regularly prescribed.
A reeapitulation of the committees
findings show 4,295 eases of poisoning.
of which 1,753 were fatal The great
est number of cases, 1886, with 500
deaths. is attributed to medicines
other than proprietary remedies.
There are on the list so cases of sick
ness and 43 deaths due to patent medi--
cines.
AnaIyzing its statistics, the commit
tee finds 201 cases of sickness, with
143 deaths, due to strychnine tablets,
which are among physicians favorite
remedies and are often left within the.
reach of children.
Under the head of miscellaneous
prescriptions are grouped A cases
where, the report says, it has been i'm
possible after diligent Inquiry to as
certain the name or the character of
the drug or medicine which caused in
jury or death, beyond the fact that
the medicine or drug was prescribed
by a physician. Of these cases 18
were fatal. The committee says:
Under the head Of ALI Patent
Medicines are grouped all those rem
edies which are recognized as patent
medicines and which are advertiser
direct to the public for internal use.
Competent authorities say that at
least one-half of the medicines taken
IN the United States are of the kf1d
Known as patent medicine and vet
In two years among 80, 600, 600 people
there have been but ninety cases
(forty-three fataI) that have been re-.
ported IN the newspapers from the
use or misuse of these remedies,
Not in a single fully suDstantiated
case is it ever charged that any pat
ent medicine in recommended doses
was injurious. In this connection it
should be understood that in making
death certificates and in reporting
cases of injury to the newspapers
from which these cases were secured.
physician had the final word, and
in this connection is there any Prob
ability that the doctor will hide his
own carelessness or neglect or that of
a fellow practitioner whose support
he may want at some time, and is
there even a-possibility that he might
hide any responsibility that could be
thrown at patent medicine? Ask
yourself these questions Then when
you have found the answer, consider
that during all this most thorough
and careful investigation covering a.
period of two years, in not a single
established case was it shown that
patent medicine in recommended
doses was Injurious.
The most remarkable case reported
was that of an italian laborer in New
York who suffered from pains in the
chest. A physician ordered a porous
plaster which the patient ate. witt
fatal results.
No Trouble at All.