New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-13
DR.. Goldwater and DR..
Gregory Join in Cru
Sade for New Laws.
JOKER IN PURE FOOD
ACT AIDS QUACKERY
Amendment to Sanitary
Code to Curb Patent Med
icine Evil To Be Urged.

Inc greatest ala 10 the patent medl-
cine manufacturer is the following little
joker in the pure food and drugs act:
the term 'misbrsnded' shall
apply to all drugs the package
or label of which shall bear any state
ment which shall be false or
misleading in any particular
1t was not intended as a joker, but
il was made so by a decision Of the
United States Supreme Court FIVE years
ffter the passage of the law. This
was when the court-three of the seven
justices dissenting decided that the
patent medicine men "were within the
law, no matter how misleading their
claims as to the curative values of the
'quack' nostrums were, provided they
did not misstate the nature or origin
Of the patent medicines"
Another "joker" is that every so-called
"quack" in America to-day is permit
ted, or, rather, required by law, to
have printed on each package or label:
Guaranteed by Or. Quack' Cor what
ever the makers name may be), under
the food and drugs act, June 80, 1906"
Misled by Food Law.
The statement on the label, IL
is held, leads the average person to
believe that the United States govern
ment guarantees the worth or efficiency
of the alleged remedy.
The first "joker" in the law, as in
terpreted by the majority Of the Su-
preme Court, permits any type Of
"quack" to mix any sort Of a concoc-
tion, provided he states the formula,
insofar as it affects some dangerous
and habit-forming drugs, on the label,
and then to make any sort Of claim
for its curative values that he sees At.
Under the Interpretation of the law
any "quack" may say mixture Of al
eohol, opium, sugar and water and
little coloring matter is good for every
disease known to medicine.
The Tribune will fight for a real
law to prevent this form, as we'll as
other forms Of quackery, in the next
Congress, and meanwhile it will work
for the passage of an amendment to
the sanitary code of the City of New
York, TO curb the patent medicine evil.
Goldwater Praises Tribune.
Or. s. s. Goldwater, Commissioner
of Health, believes that legislation
such as is advocated by The Tribune
ought to be adopted. Like all others
who have given the subject careful,
disinterested thought, DR.. Goldwster
believes that none of these dangerous
habit-forming drugs should be sold
without physicians prescription.
Other men interested in the public
health from philanthropic motives have
made similar statements TO The Trib-
une.
DR.. Menas T. Gregory, one Of the
noted alenists of the country and di-
rector Of the psychopathic ward Of
Bellevue Hospital. said the need for
legislation to bring about reforms In
the patent medicine traffic was obvi-
GUS
at has long been known to the med
ical profession, and / am glad TO see
The Tribune give publicity to these
frauds. Only through the lay press,
and I am glad to see The Tribune lead
ing the way. can the general public be
spprised Of the danger lurking In the
patent medicine bottle"
Philip p. Jacobs. assistant secretary
Of the National Association for the
Study and Prevention Of tuberculosis,
had this TO say:
"The consumption cure frauds ex-
posed by The Tribune in the last few
DAYS. IL it did nothing else. shows that
there is crying need of remedial legis-
lation, such as it advocates. There is
no cure for tuberculosis except pure
food, fresh air and rest. notwithstand-
ing the claims of the quacks such as
The Tribune has exposed and others
too numerous TO mention here, but
which | hope The Tribune will expose.
"This crusade against fake patent
medicines is only in line with The
Tribunes admirable policy of honest
advertising. II many of the largest
newspapers. including The Journal
The World and The American were
10 guarantee 10 give back the money
It's readers paid out for any article
thew saw advertised in their columns,
as The Tribune does. they would have
TO return the bulk Of the millions of
dollars they have obtained from patent
medicine auicks, who have advertised
and are now advertising in their coll
umns. When honest advertising is the
rule fake patent medicines will cease
to exist"
To Pass on Patent Medicines.
Charles b. Grimshaw, superintendent
OF the Roosevelt Hospital, is also in
favor of The Tribune's campaign. He
believes laws that would check the evil
should be adopted.
"a national board Of health should
be established" he said. before which
all proprietary or so-called patent med
icines would pass before they went on
the market. This board should have
the power 10 restrict the literature cir
culated about them. not permitting the
setting forth Of false claims. and com
pellinR all patent medicine labels to
print a statement that IL the illness OF
the user continued to consult q physi
clan"
DIR. Charles Fl. Young, superintendent
of the Presbyterian Hospital, said he