Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-06-23
FOR PUBLIC Health.
SPECIAL MESSAGE SENT TO CON
oREss AskiNo FOR LEclsLA-
TON TO STOP FRAUDS.
FRUITFUL LABELS SOUGHT
Urges That Action 20 Prevent Ds'u'
sion Of the Sick BE Taken py
Amendment Of Food Law--Sh'r'ey
Introduces Bill on Subject.

Washington. Death dealing drugs
Of the cure-all variety and their max
ers are severely condemned by Pres
ident Taft.
In message 10 congress the presi-
dent scathingly arraigned the manu-
facturers OF what he denounced 40
dangerous 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 were common before the pure
food law first was enacted.
! The message was transmitted 10
both the senate and the house, and II
was said that the latter body probably
would take up the matter at an early
date. Representative Sherley OF Ken
lucky already has introduced DIN
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
to 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 curati~e effect or
physiological action, and that inquiry
under this salutary statute does not
by its terms extend in any case to the
inefficicacy OF medicine to work the
cures claimed for them on the labels.
1T follows that. without fear Of pun
ishment under the law, interruptions
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 Sof sub
stances possessing any slight physio'
logical action and labeled as cures for
diseases wbAch, in the present state OF
science, tare recognized as incurable.
IAN 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 ant
warrants me in calling the matter t.
the attention Of the congress.
Fraudulent Misrepresentation o.
the curative value of nostrums MOI
only operate to delude purchasers, but
are distinct menace to the public
health. There are none so credulous
as sufferers from disease. The neet
Is urgent for legislation which viii
prevent the raising Of false hopes o
speedy cures Of serious ailments by
misstatements Of fact as to worthless
mixtures on which the sick will rely
while their diseases progress un
checked"