The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-04-20
QUACK CURES FOR
WHITE PLAGUE

w Nv - - ~NltN 49,
After investigating under the Food
and Drugs act. a large number of pre-
parations advertise as consumption
cures. the Department of Agriculture
has not been able to discover any that
can in any sense be regarded as
q cures for tuberculosis. Some con
tain drugs that may at times afford
some temporary relief from the dis
tressing symptoms of the disease, but
this is all. Since the passage of fed
eral legislation prohibiting the ship
emit in Interstate commerce of medici-
nal preparations for which false and
fraudulent claims are made, there has
been a marked tendency TO label these
preparations remedies" instead of
'scuresv or ''infallible cures as they
used to be called. In many cases, how
ever. they cannot even be regarded as
remedies.
A "eherry balsam,'' for example.
for the "cure" of Consumption
and eshemorrhage of the lungs" which
it was represented would "strike at
the very root Of the disease was
found on analysis to be nothing but
a solution in water and alcohol of
opium, sugar, benzaldehyde, inorganic
salts and coloring matter. 1t contain
ed no cherry bark extract or balsam.
A more elaborate "eureo consisted
of five different preparations which
the credulous patient was to TAXI sep
aratelv. These were first, the medicine
proper. the essential ingredients of
which were found TO be morphine, Gin
mamie acid and arsenic-not a very
safe mixture to take h~abituallv; see
ond, a tonic, which was supposed to
contain iron but did not; third, a
- cough MIXTURE made up of alcohol.
ehloroform. and codeine which is a
derivative of opium or morphine
fourth. a mixture which contained
some auinine, and a solution of water
and alcohol; and fifth, eodeine tablets
Even the strongest constitution could
hardly stand a prolonged course of
such a treatment.
In the marketing of such prepare
tions considerable ingenuity IS fire.
ouently shown. One of the main OBJ
iects is to persuade the patient that
he is receiving, at a comparatively low
price. the individual attention of 2
trained specialist. For this purpose
symptom blanks are employed. These
a number of questions about
the patients symptoms, the number
varying from a dozen or so to as manv
az 20 or so. The patient is led to be
lieve that the information which he
furnishes in reply to these questions
will be carefully considered before
any medicine is prescribed for him.
every physician knows that ar
accurate diagnosis cannot possibly be
made in this way. As a matter Of
fact, none is attempted and the de
gree of attention which these indi
vidual reports receive can be measured
bv the fact that cases have come un
der the observation of the department
in which mail order concerns doing a
business of this kind have received as
many as 1000 letters a dav.
After the patient has submitted his
efdiagnosis report he is urged to
purchase a supply of the medicine. II
he does so, he is then urged TO pur
more. If he states that he has
experienced no beneficial effects he e
told that he has not taken enough
and this process is likely TO continue
until the limits of his c~redulitv have
been reached. IF on the other HAND
he decides at the beginning not TO pur
chase the medicine it is likely TO be
offered to him at successfully lower
until he is at last induced to
believe that he annot afford to 10
more such a bargain. This is carried
10 such an extent that a treat
ment.v the original price Of which Is
s25. NAV he offered at the end OF SIX
months for $3.50.
AS a matter Of fact the successful
Of tuberculosis requires
more than the mere giving or
madeleine and. moreover. what will
HELM one case viii not necessarily help
another. Claims that are absolutely
nnwarranted are no longer permitted
m the labels of medicines Skinned IN
interstate commerce.. hut the wordinr
nav be such as to convey a instead
ing impression without the pse OF AZ
statements. Tins these preparH
ions continue TO find a sale despite
he fact that a little trouble on the
,ar+ IF the prospective purchaser viii