The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-05
WAG|NG WAR ON II
MEDICAL FRAUDS
Doctors Who Advertise Cures
a Menace to Society
P. O. Department Has Checked
Activity of Some 'Mail-Or-
der Medical SWindlers.'

A good many agencies are cooper
ating with the American Medical AS
ISOLATION in the effort to put at least
out OF business, says Frank Parker
Stockridge, in the current ISSUE OF
the Worlds Work. In the campaign
Of education, conducted by the asso-
citation under h general title OF The
Propaganda for Reform" the active
support and assistance of many pc
riodicals besides the medical press
and Of writer's who are not physi-
clans have backed up the efforts made
tons own Journal. A larger proper
ton of the American people than ever
before now realize that any physician
Who advertises hat he car cure any
| disease is a Quack and a menace to
society; that advertised drugs sold di-
rectly to the public are either useless
or dangerous and nearly always fraud
ulent; that there are few, il any, spe-
cif1cs and no panaceas.
The post Office department, through
fraud orders has checked the activi-
ties Of some of the worst Of the mail
order medical swindlers: state au-
thorities in some cases have been able
to convict a few Of the Quacks-not
Of Quackery, but of financial frauds
oI1A Ia AA4AA ~ 10 AklO
revocation OF the licenses OF others
to practise medicine. The pure food
and drugs act of the Federal govern
ment, and similar laws in several
states, have forced most OF the pat
ent medicine" dealers to publish their
formulas-but, with b exception Of
a very few states and q very few drugs
there are no legal prohibition against
the sale of any sort of poison or
nastiness, under the name of medi-
cine, to any one who wishes to try
experiments with his own life and
health.
The campaign of publicity has re-
suited in greatly curtailing the activ-
tiles of the worst offenders. both
Quacks and drug vendors. No journal
that makes a p%retense to self-respect
to-day will publish the advertising Oh
the most glaring1y fraudulent of these
medical fakes. The better class OF
publications refuse practically all med.
Iical advertising-and the list OF such
publications is increasing almost daily
One Of the early discoveries tn
American Medical Association made
= in it's campaign was hat the physi-
clans themselves we're not only beinl
{ impose on by manufacturers OF pro.
prietarY remedies but in many in
stances were being cunningiy used t
introduce their patients to nostrum:
s which h patients thereafter might b.
expected to buy without the formalit.
and expense OF consulting the physi
e clan. ITO avoid substitutdon"-a slo
p gan that appeals to everyone al
ways prescribe an original sea1e'
e package is the way in which NOR
e than one drug manufacturer has mad
e thousands Of physicians his agents
d On n patient not mentally unbal
anced.' comments the Council o.
pharmacy and Chemistry of the Med
n ical ASSOCIATION. the result WOul
be that the next dose he thought h
needed would be purchased from tn
uggls direct" And il it seems ali
sure that any considerable number G
p~nysaclans would prescribe proprie
tary remedies OF which they do nc
n Know the comDosition-except as tn
rae tells it to them-as
= any druggist to let you ooh over h
'r prescription files.