Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-06-28
TAFT ASKS LAWS
AGAINST QUACKS
President Sends Special Mes
sage to Congress.
PUBLIC HEALTH IS AT STAKE
Congress Is Urged to Take Immediate
Action TO Remedy Defects In
Pure Food and Drugs
Statute

Washington.-Dea drugs
Of the cure-all variety and their max
ers are severely condemned by Presi-
dent Taft.
In a message prepared In New York
and transmitted through the White
House to congress, the president
scathingly arraigned the manufactur-
ers OF what ne denounced as danger
GUS drug frauds" and urged congress
to amend at this session the pure food
and drug law to strengthen that act
in vital points OF weakness recently
pointed out by decisions Of the United
States Supreme court.
President Taft believes that unless
the law is amended forthwith the
country will again be flooded by IN
furious nostrums" and "cure-alls"
which we're common before the pure
food law first was enacted.
Tho message was transmitted to
botn the scuate and the house, and It
was said that the latter body probably
would take up the matter at an early
date Representative Sherley Of Ken
lucky already has introduced a bill
bearing on the subject.
The president. in his message, calls
attention to the provisions OF the pure
food and drugs act Of June 30. 1906,
designed TO prevent the manufacture
and shipment OF worthless nostrums
labeled with misstatements OF fact as
10 their physiological action-misstate-
ments false and misleading even In
the knowledge of those who make
them" and asserts that the law was
received with general satisfaction and
has been vigorously enforced" more
than 1000 cases having been pre-
pared for criminal prosecution under
its terms He continues;
The Supreme court has held in a
recent decision that the act does not
cover the knowingly false labelling Of
nostrums as to curative effect or
physiological action, and that inquiry
under this sautary statute does not
by its terms extend in any case TO the
inefficacy OF medicine TO work the
cures claimed for them on the labels
1T follows that. without fear Of pun
ishment under the law. INSCRIPTIONS
persons. knowing the medicines to
have no curative or remedial value
for the diseases for which they indi-
cate them. may ship In interstate com
merce medicine composed of sub
stances possessing any slight physio-
logical action and labeled as cures for
diseases which, in the present state Of
science, are recognized as incurable.
An evil which menaCes the general
health OF the people strikes at the life
of the nation, In my opinion. the
sale of dangerously adulterated drugs,
or the sale OF drugs under knowingly
false claims as TO their effect in dis
ease. constitutes such an evil and
warrants me in calling the matter to
the attention of the congress.
Fraudulent Misrepresentation of
the curative value of nostrums not
only operate to delude purchasers, but
are distinct menace to the public
health There are none so credulous
as sufferers from disease. The need
Is urgent for legislation which will
prevent the raising of false hopes OF
speedy cures of serious ailments by
misstatemcnts of fact as to worthless
mixtures on which the sick will rely
while their diseases progress I'M
checked