The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-04-08
'REMEDIES' THAT
ARE WORTHLESS.
No Real Cure Possible From Any of
the Patent Preparations lnvesti-
gated by Government Scientists.

Washington, d. c., April AFTER
Investigating under the food and
drugs act, "a large number OF prepa-
rations advertised as consumption
cures, the department of agriculture
has not been able to discover any
that can in any sense be regarded as
cures for tuberculosis. Some con-
tain drugs that may at times afford
sumo temporary relief from the dis
tressing symptoms of the disease,
but this is ALL Since the passage
of federal legislation prohibiting the
shipment in interstate commerce OF
medicinal preparations for which
false and fraudulent claims are made
there has been a marked tendency to
label these preparations remedies
instead of "cures" or ''infallible
cures as they used to be called. In
many cases, however, they can not
even be regarded as remedies.
A Cherry balsam,' for example,
for the cure of consumption" and
'hemorrhage of the lungs" which it
was represented would strike at the
very root of the disease was found
on analysis to be nothing but solu-
ton in water and alcohol of opium,
sugar, benzaldehyde, inorganic salts
and coloring matter. 1t contained no
cAerry bark or balsam.
A more elaborate "cure" consisted
of five different preparations which
the credu1ous patient was to take
separately. These were first, the
medicine proper, the essential ingred-
tents of which were found to be NOR
phine, cinnamic acid and arsenic
not very safe mixture to take habit
ually; second, tonic which was sup
posed to contain iron but did not;
third, cough mixture" made up of
alcohol, chloroform, and codeine
which is derivative of opium or
morphine; fourth, "a mixture which
contained some quinine, and solu-
ton of water and alcohol; and fifth,
codeine tablets. Even the strongest
constitution could hardly stand a
prolonged course OF such treat
ment.
In the marketing of such prepare
lions considerable ingenuity is ire
quently shown. One of the main OBJ
jects is to persuade the patient that
he is receiving, at a comparatively
low price, the individual attention OF
trained specialist. For this pur-
pose, symptom blanks are employed.
These contain number of questions
about the patients symptoms, the
number varying from dozen or SO
to as many as 70 or 80. The patient
is led to believe that the information
which he furnishes in reply to these
question will be carefully considered
before any medicine is prescribed
for him, though every physician
knows that an accurate diagnosis
cannot possibly be made in this way.
AS matter of fact none is attempt
ed and the degree of attention which
these individual reports receive can
be measured by the fact that cases
have come under the observation OF
the department in which mail order
concerns doing a business OF this
kind have received as many as 1000
letters day.
After the patient has submitted his
diagnosis report he is urged to
purchase a supply of the medicine. II
he does so, he is then urged to pur-
chase more. If he states that he has
experienced no beneficial effects he
is told that he has not taken enough,
and this process is likely to continue
until the limits of his credulity have
been reached. If, on the other hand.
he decides at the beginning not to
purchase the medicine it is likely to
be offered to him at successfully
lower prices until he is at last induc-
cd to believe that he cannot afford to
ignore such a bargain. This is car
ricd to such an extent that treat
ment,' the original price of which
is S25, may be offered at the end OF
six months for $3.50.
AS a matter Of fact the successful
treatment of tuberculosis requires
much more than the mere giving OF
medicine, and, moreover, what will
help one case will not necessarily
help another. Claims that are abso-
lutely unwarranted are no longer
permitted on the labels of medicines
shipped in interstate commerce, but
The wording may be such as to con-
vey misleading impression without
the use of absolute statements. Thus
these preparations continue to find
a sale despite the fact that little
trouble on the part of the prospec-
tive purchaser will reveal their