The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1913-01-29
After DRUG Frauds.

lTduuS DciuB pcipclldtcu III tulo oNdtt,
has been introduced in the legislature
by Representative Bond, of Pittsburg
county.
This measure, known as house bill
No SAG, seeks to osovercome the loop
hole in the present statutes whereby
fraudulent medicinal preparations are
being marketed by thousands in Okla
homa.
The first section of the bill provides,
in brief, that a patent or proprietary
remedy or medicinal preparation of
whatsoever character shall be deemed
misbranded If the package or label
contains or bears any statement, de-
sign or device regarding the curative
or therapeutic effect of such article or
any of the ingredients. or substances
contained therein which is in any
manner false, deceptive, misleading
or fraudulent.
The second sectionS provides that
patent or proprietary remedies and
medicinal preparations bearing dis
tinctive" name which has been coined
by the manufacturer of that prepara-
ton, and which in many cases is so
prepared as to lead the public to be-
lieve that it is standard preparation,
shall include statement of ingredi-
.ents OF such preparation on the label
in plain type, and such ingredients
commonly known by some English
term shall be listed upon the label
in the plain English term by which the
ingredients are best known to the
general public. In other words, this
section provides that any of the So
called proprietary remedies bearing
names of peculiar coinage, and which
contain such commonly known in
gradients as baking powder, EPSON
salts, table salt, sugar, quinine, soap,
alum and borax shall bear upon their
label list of such ingredients in plain
English terms instead of the phar-
maceutical terms by which these pre-
parations are known in scientific
circles.
The third section provides as a pen
atty for the violation of the act a fine
OF not less than twenty-five dollars
norm more than one hundred dollars
for the first offense; and for the sec
ond or subseque offenses by fine
of not less than fly dollars nor more
than two hundred dollars or by con-
finement in the county Jail for not less
than thirty days nor more than ninety
days, or by both such fine and i'm
prisonment.
1t is declared at the state depart
ment of food and drugs that the Bond
bill is the strongest on the subject
that has ever yet been prepared. Until
recently the United States division of
foods and drugs proceeded against
patent medicines that bore extrava-
giant label claims relative to their cur
ative or therapeutice effect, As re-
suit, hundreds of the so-ealled "cures"
reappeared upon the drug market un-
der the label of remedy" One pat
ent medicine concern opposing the ac-
ton of the federal government car
ried the case to the United States SUI
preme court and there won a victory
over the federal food and drug depart
ment, the court holding that under the
old law prosecution could not be in
stituted for printed claims covering
medicinal preparation President Tart
realizing the Importance Of this de-
feat Immediately sent a message TO
congress asking for an amendment to
the national food and drug act which
would permit of a proper regulation
of fake preparations. AS a result, the
Sharley amendment to the national
food law soon appeared IN congress,
and in its original form was bltteriy
assailed in congress by the combined
patent medicine interests Of the coun-
try. Before it was enacted. this meas
use was handicapped by the insertion
of Joker" which practically made
the act non-effectiye.
The present Bond bill overcomes
the objection found in the sharley
amendment and is along the lines ap-
proved by the eminent authority on
foods and drugs, DR.. Harvey w. Wiley,
This measure, coming on the heels
of recent exposure of patent medi-
cine frauds in Oklahoma, as made by
the state food and drug department,
is sure to attract widespread atten-
ton before it is finally acted upon.