The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-11

found them bad. agree that If the drug
gists viii not consent 20 stop selling them
without orders by doctors, stricter leg-s-
lation must be obtained.
Pharmacists 10 Consider.
The question will be placed sQuarely
up 10 the retail pharmacists al the next
meeting OF the Druggists Association.
and Il Is believed that they viii follow
the lead OF the Philadelphia druggists. who
agreed 10 stop selling such medicines
unless a prescription is offered.
Or. Kebler said "doped" soothing sirups
weaken the vitality Of children so that
they fan easy prey TO epidemlcs. such
as the present attack OF infantile paraly-
sis that has swept across the city and
terrorized every mother. There is hardly
a physician who does not agree with him
The druggists know It is true. too.
do habit-forming soothing syrups
cause infantile paralysis?" DR.. Kebler
was asked
mot directly" said the government IN
vestigator. but they weaken the consti-
tuition Of a baby so that when It is ex-
posed 10 an epidemic the little organisms
cannot resist II.
1T has long been known 10 tho med
zeal profession that these products, as a
rule. contain habit-forming drugs. but
the majority Of mothers have been and
are stuI in ignorance OF this fact. al
though some degree Of publicity has
been given the matter during recent
years.
Medicines TINT XIII.
Under this head come baby sirups.
soothing sirups. collie cures children's
anodynes. Infants friends. and the vari-
Gus teething connections. We have ex-
amined all Of the standard brands, and
they are all baby killers"
Health Oficer Woodward does not
think "doped" infant drugs have much
20 do With infant paralysis He said
yesterday that the laws governing their
sale have been made stricter during the
last year. and that It would be strange
Il such an epidemic should come after a
reform
But he admitted that every drug IN
the list published by The Washington
Herald has been on sale for from five
TO twenty years. During that time moth
ing has been done 20 better matters.
save TO force the manufacturers 10 place
the amount Of poison in each upon the
label. That was done under the food
and drugs act. but most OF the medicine
makers get around it by also placing on
the label such statements as There is
nothing injurious in this remedy"
1T seems reasonable TO suppose that
70 infantile paralysis could be traced to
soothing sirups. we should have had
previous epidemics," said Dr. Woodward,
mildly.
Parents Are Informed.
In addition to the laws on the subject.
parents are better informed regarding the
injurious effects OF patent medicines than
ever before. The American Medical As
ISOLATION has done more TO drive such
drugs from the market than legislation"
Just how the police viii so about find
ing out what effect drugs have on in
fantile epidemics is not yet known. In
spector Of Pharmacies R A. Sanders,
who is attached to the police depart
ment. viii be directed TO make an in
vestigation. 1t was suggested yesterday
that II he will call at the division of
drugs in the Bureau Of Chemistry he
can find out all there is TO know about
baby killers" and their ingredients.
At any rate he will find out what drug
stores are selling the baby sirups and re-
port to the police department As there
are few druggists who do not sell all OF
them, and practically none that do not
sell at least one, the list will take some
time for preparation.