The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-22
NOSTRUM MAKERS
BALK PRESIDENT
cuRE-ALL INTERESTS sIDETRAck
LEGISLATION AGAINST MIS-
BRANDING OF DRUGS.

Washington, July 21.-one Of the
most intense scontests Of the present
special. session OF congress has been
fought and won with scarcely a ripple
on the surface to inform the public Of
what has been going on. 1t is the f,eht
OF the patent medicine interests of the
country to prevent the passage of a bin
amending the pure food and drug act
SO that it will be unlawful to brand
medicines with any false and mislead-
ing statements as to the curative pro-
perties of the medicines.
President Taft, in a special message
strongly recommended the passage of
such an act. A recent decision Of +he
supreme court on the question involved
evidences the Importance and desir-
aolllty or some such legislation. Sem
ator McCumber introduced a bill which
would carry out the presidents recon-
mendation.
However, the agreement reached q,
the senate for the voting upon and
final disposition Of five measures-re-
ciprocity, revision of the wooden sched-
ule, the farmers free list bin. reappor-
tlonment and statehood for New Mex.
leo and Arizona--means that congress
VIII shortly adjourn without acting up
ON the McCumber bin or any like meas
ure, and that the patent medicine in
terests have won their fight to prevent
such legislation at the special session.
cure-alI Makers Will Concentrate.
At the next regular session doubtless
the fight will be made again. but the
manufacturers OF patent nostrurns that
cure ali and every thing win simply
concentrate their Efforts to prevent
action. With the many questions of
general Importance to be considered at
the session, in addition to passing ali
the great appro priation bills, and with
the demand which there viii be for an
early adjournment or the session be-
cause. OF the impending presidential
campaign, there is every prospect that
the patent medicine interests will again
be successful In stalling Off the amend
ment of the pure food and drug &C
which will so. vitality affect their bust
ness In truth, by this sort of tactic,
they may be able to slave orr any such
legislation for, three or four. years or
until the demand for it shall have been
lost sight OF.
Lies on Labels Permitted.
The case that went to the supreme
court was known as the DIR. johnson
cancer cure case. The charge was made
that the labels on the cancer cure
made misstatements as to the curative
properties Of the medicine, and that
this was a violation OF the pure food
and drug act Al divided court held
that II was not violation of the law
to make such misstatements as to the
curative properties Of patent medicines
Justices Hughes, Day and Harlan dis
scented from this decision, and Prest-
dent Taft's message. recommending the
amendment contemplated In the Nc
Cumber bill. followed hard upon the
pronouncement OF this supreme court
decision.
Provisions OF McCumber Bill.
| The McCumber bill provides that for
the purposes of this act an article shall
also be deemed to be misbranded in
case of drugs:
"First--If 1t be an imitation Of or
offered for sale under the name OF an
other article.
"Second---If the contents OF the pack
age as originally put up shall have been
removed. In whole or In part, and other
contents shall have been placed IN such
package. or If the package fail to bear
/ a statement on the label of the guam
tity or proportion Of any alcohol, NOR
phine. opium, cocQaines heroin, alpha