The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-04-29
NEEDED LEGISLATION
President Taffs Recommendations. A.
Amend the Pure Food and
Drug Act.

The Pure rood and Drugs Act. which
has done so much for the people OF
America in providing a supply of pure
foods and drugs. was adopted by Con-
| gress after many years of investiga-
| ton and elaboration, and in spite of
the opposition from important inter-
ests 1t has protected the dealer as
we'll as the consumer against fraud and
| imposition as practiced for years by
expert adulterators and substitutors
One of the splendid features of the
act prohibited misbranding-that Is
holding out 10 the public that product
was thus and so, when il really was
not. The misbranding feature of the
act was not as clear as it might have
been and. under a provision of the act
the Bureau of Chemistry of the Agri-
cultural Department was empowered
TO make rules and regulations for
carrying the administrative features
of the act fnto~effect.
At first misbranding applied only to
claims which appeared upon the label
or container of an article of food or
medicine but later, on, under a ruling
of the Bureau. the misbranding pro-
vision was given a wider application
and was held to apply to all state
ments made with reference to the In
gradients, standard of strength and
purity nutritive or curative values of
a product. The enforcement of the
law for some time was carried on un-
der this wider Interpretation OF the
misbranding feature Of the act
About a year ago, in what is known
as the Johnson Cancer Cure Case, the
Supreme Court of the United States
hal he mis- hrar nd nu eli
of the act had been extended by the
Bureau of Chemistry in an unwarrant-
ed manner and that, in the opinion of
this august tribunal, an article was
not misbranded except misrepresenta-
tions were made upon the label or con-
tainer under which or in which the
article was sold. AS the public gen.
orally had regarded the act in its
broad aspects and power for good 1t
did not make much difference with
them whether misrepresentation was
on the label. in a newspaper advertise
ment, or in a circular letter, because
the result was the same. viz, that the
purchaser was deceived.
President Taft took this practical
view of the matter in special mes
sage to Congress, in which he recon-
mended that the Pure Food and Drugs
Act be amended so as TO overcome the
defect made manifest by the Supreme
Court decision in the Johnson Cancer
Cure Case President Taft held that
Misrepresentation, matter when or
how made, should be prohibited under
the terms of this act
At the following annual meeting of
the National Association of Retail
Druggists, an organization comprizing
xfcRS
throughout the country. a resolution
was adopted supporting the recon-
mendation of President Taft to Con-
gress. and the Legislative Committee
of this great organization of retail
druggists, which the Chicago Tribune
has termed "the greatest organization
of retail merchants in the world" was
instructed to aid in every possible
manner the passage of such an amend
ment bill as would make the Presi-
dents recommendation effective.
It is now probable that before the
present Congress adjourns and surely
at the next Congress at latest. all mis-
demonstrations of food and drug pro-
ducts. on the label or elsewhere, will
be prohibited by the Food and Drugs
Act and violators of the law severely
dealt with.
The organized retail druggists OF
the country have done much to con-
serve the public health and curb evils
| that would grow out of their business
| If not held in check with an iron hand.
Through the influence of the Nation
| al Associati ton and its state branches,
anti-cocaine laws have been passed in
about thirty states, and this organiza-
/ ton is endeavoring to secure the adop-
/ ton Of laws that will prevent the ped
ding Of dangerous decoctions contain
| ing poison, habit-forming drugs and
| intoxicating liquors by irresponsible
| itinerants and the sale of drugs and
medicines by unqualified dealers.