The Detroit times., 1909-06-10
NEWSPAPERS AID
POISON SELLERS
Detroit. Woman Bilked and Nearly
Killed by Ad. Which The Detroit
Times Would Not Print.

A startling illustration OF the harm
Z wrought by INSCRIPTIONS and grasping
purveyors OF fake cures" with the
able assistance of equally unscrupu-
lous newspaper publishers who permit
their columns to be defiled by these
takers for the sake OF the money
there Is In II, has come to the atten-
ton OF DR.. George McElveen. with Of
fices In the Whitney opera house
building. In this instance 1t was
so-called morphine cure" sent out by
Chicago concern styling itself the
st. Paul association.
Detroit woman, attracted by the
concerns alluring advertisements In
newspaper. tried the cure" paying
$40 for six four-ounce bottles. When
she called on DIR. McElveen for treat
'ment her condition. physically and
mentally. was SO pitiable that he at
once took the case up with the public
health department at Washington In
the hope OF preventing the sale OF the
baneful connection.
The information came as no sur
prise to the authorities. other COM
plants OF like nature had preceded
DIR. McElveen's, and legislation Is now
pending In congress looking toward
the regulation of the sale OF such pro-
ducts. he was informed. The authori-
ties also were hopeful that a law
would ultimately be passed prohibit
ing the advertising OF such products.
The morphine cure" In question. ac-
cording to the label. contains 1-3
grains Of morphine to the ounce amt
four grains OF dionine to the ounce.
diluted with IL per cent of alcohol.
"Dionine." says DIR. McElveen, rs
morphine poison In its worst form,
one OF the most powerful of the NOR
phine compounds, In fact. Once a per-
son starts using the stuff he must
keep on using II. Deprived OF II, he
goes all to pieces so the cure Is moth
Ing more than a continuation of the
morphine habit in an aggravated form.
And yet. some newspapers will fur
Their such diabolical scheme to ex-
tract money from unfortunate and I'M
suspecting human beings by selling
advertising space to the promoters.
THE woman | attended told me she
used four bottles of the stun in two
weeks When she discontinued its use
she actually became demented.
DR.. McElveen's letter to Prof Wiley,
OF the bureau of chemistry. Washing
ton. d. c.. is In part as follows:
am sending you herewith label de-
tached from bottle OF medicine sup
piled to patient now under my care
by the ST Paul Association OF Chicago.
also letter from the association to
the patient explaining the effects OF
the drug. which was supposed TO take
habit. The medicine is advertised in
Chicago newspapers. and would be
glad to know II steps could not be
taken to prevent the advertising OF
drugs OF this nature so that they get
into the hands OF people who do not
understand the effects OF same.
To this letter, w. ID. Bigelow, acting
chief of the bureau, replied:
We are we, acaUfap9tSed no With I'll, the s.
method OF doing business. Several
purchases OF the goods supplied to
We thank you for the information you
submit and regret to be compelled to
advise you that at present there Is no
way or means by which II is possible
to prevent the advertising OF products
OF this nature in newspapers or other
wise. This Is matter which should
receive careful consideration. by all
thinking medical men. and II is hoped
that a law will ultimately be passed
prohibiting the advertising OF such
products. and also forbid their ship
ment into interstate commerce, except
by personal medical supervision.
We are inclosing a copy of the Mann
III.
sactions represented by the st. Paul
Association. and I would ask that you
return the bill at your earliest convent
ence with such criticism and sugges,
lions as may appear from a medical
practitioners point OF view
Accordingly, Or. McElveen, in his
second letter, suggested that the au.
thorities start at the top"
He wrote as follows:
There are a few so-called physicians
that are engaged in the practice OF
medicine that are drug fiends OF the
. most a bominable type To my knowledge
there are people suffering the worst
form OF slavery as result of irrespon-
sible physicians having administered
~at times of suffering opium or other
narcotics There are instances where
danger until the habit has been formed.
There are drug stores In our city
where the drug clerk prescribes and
hands out to the customers any kind OF
preparation, no matter what the con-
tents are The Mann bill cannot be
enacted into law too soon by congress:
1t would hll a long-telt and neglected
want. In our hurry we lost sight OF
some of the things most beneficial TO
our unfortunate fellow beings. and
allow them to be imposed upon from a
source where there Is only one con-
sideration-money.
The interest manifested in legisla-
ton of this nature will meet with the
sharpest practice possible In the way
of obstruction. az the proposed legisla-
ton would cut of the revenue great
many papers thrive upon. There are
signs OF Improvement visible. ms one Of
our metropolitan dnilies has right
along cut out NIL such matter from Its
columns, and there are others that VIII
follow as soon as the people awake to
the great injury being done and de-
mand a change for the good cause Of
clean advertising.
In his reference to Detroit paper
which does not assist the quacks and
the sharks DR. McElyeen meant The
Detroit Times, the only newspaper IN
this city which protects the readers OF
It's advertisements.