The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-07-30
Two Cent Stamp Fake.

q j.
The circulars, letters and other
announcements Of these so-called
obesity remedies, which are pub
lished broadcast, in many cases as
serted that a two-cent stamp is the
only charge. Those sending the two
cents to the supposed philanthropist,
who wishes to help other sufferers to
get rid of surplus flesh, commonly
received a statement that the ply
stefan or professor" discovered this
remedy in the wilds of some foreign
country or received it from some fa-
nous Indian medicine man on his
deathbed. Then after due praise of
the effectiveness OF the remedy the
professor" states that he Is willing
to supply this wonderful treatment
for a fee of from SIS to $25 a month.
II the prospective patient does not
answer Immediately he is besieged
with a line OF follow-up letters, and
finally as a great individual favor he
is told that he can obtain this mar
velous guaranteed flesh reducer for
the sum of $3.50. In return for the
reduced price, however, the patient
must agree to tell all his fat friends
shedding avoirdupois.
Judging from the letters received
by the Department of Agriculture ap.
pealing to it to stop this practice I'M
der the Food and Drugs Act, women
are usually the victims of these pro
fessors." Much of the literature
contains alleged statements of some
individual woman's thrilling expert
ence in fat-forming and fat-reducing,
and this makes the situation seem
real and personal to the other wo-
man. Cases are on record where
women have parted with almost their
last dollar in the hope of improving
their figures, and have awaited re-
suits with anticipation that makes
their later disappoin tment almost pa
tbetic. The strong feature of most
of the literature is that no dieting is
necessary; the medicine is to do II
all and the patient is told that he
cen eat all he wants and as often as
he wishes, which Is a strong induce
nlent to most stout people.
May Prove Hurtful.
These preparations usually contain
thyroids and laxative. The. thy
rods may prove very hurtful unless
given under the advice Of physician
personally familiar with the subjects
physical condition. The department
has OIL record an instance where
death has followed overdoses of prep
srations containing thyroids. Other
Preparations contain poke root.
iphytolacca) a poisonous drug, and
others. analysis shows. contain moth
ing that could possibly have the
slightest effect in reducing flesh.
The promoters of one preparation
assert that it secures most marvel
GUS results by a process Of elimina-
ton of foods without digestion.
These people guarantee the reduc.
ton Of a pound a day. A prepare
ton of this character. If 1t did what
its makers claim for it, would prob!
ably eliminate any need Of digestion
in the future. Another product, ex.
animation shows, consists principally
OF ordinary soap. The idea is to an.
ply this locally with friction and l
remove the fat wherever 1t may be in
excess. A still more clever scheme
provides chemicals to be added to the
water in which the PATIENTS to baths
These chemicals are of such a nature
that they form sort of curd in the
water after the patient has bathed
This curd, the advertisement states.
is fat and surplus tissue removed
from the body. Other schemes sup
ply a tablet at rs cents dozen for
which claim is made that 1t will re-
duce fat at the rate of pound day.
No other class of preparations ex-
plotted to humbug the people has a
wider sale. and in nearly every in
stance they are absolutely worthless.
in many cases where patients seem
to lose weight this result is attribute
cd to the hot baths and the diet and
exercises recommended as an accom-
paniment in taking the medicine.
Rigid Dieting.
The only ways that the DEPART
iaent's specialists know of safely re-.
ducing flesh are rigid dieting. AMI
strenuous exercise, and those 70 be