The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1915-10-01
FIFTY FALSELY LABELED MEDICINES
E.doroI Courts Condemn Goods or Fine Many Patent Medicine
Manufacturers. Fifty Patent Medicines Proceeded
Against for Fraudulent Claims AS to Curative
Powers Of Products.

6V AmeQumeUL u lC " ot D@NSN
fojso omd fraudulent claims as to the curative or therapeutic Ell
fects of drugs or medicines. Criminal prosecutions against ne
manufacturers were broughti in % cases, but IN 81 instances ny
falsely and frauduently labeled medicines were selzeu WINE III
in interstate commerce. Claims made by the manufactures
for the curative powers of these preparations ranged from
tuberculosis, smallpox and %diphtheria to coughs, colds ana scaip
diseases. A number of other criminal prosecutions ana seizures
are pending in various Federal courts throughout tne ohlOeu
states because of alleged violations OF the Sherey Amenoment
similar TO those which have already been tried. The ofnclalS
charged with the enforcement of the Food and Drugs ACT are
If the opinion that the evils of the patent medicine business can
be stopped only by the most drastic action.
It is pointed out that traffic in medicines for when IaSe
and fraudulent claims are made is not only an economic 1raua
If the worst kind. in that a worthless preparation that costs
hut a few cents is frequently sold for a dollar or more a OoIVp'
but that health, and even life, is endangered by failure 70 secure
the service of a physician in such serious diseases as VupeiCu-
los;s dinhtheria. pneumonia and scarlet fever, until too late,
because reliance may have been placed IN the curauVe powers
Of some worthless preparation which is claimed to be a never
falling remedy. That deluded victim may not realize ms oan-
ger until the disease has reached a stage too lar advanced lor
even the ablest physicians to cope with 1T. EHectVe treatment
depends in most cases on applying it during the early stages Oh
the disease.
Suggestive Name of Family Physician Fails to Save TINS
Preparation.
The Houchens Medicine Company Of Baltimore, Md, plead
ed guilty to the charge that a preparation called "Famny fhy-
scianV and shipped by them into interstate commerce was false
" and fraudulently labeled. Among the many diseases for
which this medicine was recommended by the manufacturers
in statements appearing on the labels and accompanying circu-
lars were d~iphtheria, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, smanpo&,
bronchitis, neuralgia, Group and all diseases Oh ue ChroaC anu
lungs. The following quotations from the label, carton, or cir
cular are interesting: "The Public is hereby assured that this
is the Genuine and Original Family Physician. For fever you
need not give anything else but this medicine, it will keep the
rash out itself. For cases of smallpox take plenty ana oIUen-
use freely. Give no hot teas, just give the medicine ana whaC
pimples are under the skin will come out, the rest VIII be car
red off by the medicine. Also a wonderful and positive remedy
for dyspepsia, keeps measles out nicely, regulates the bowels
without trouble, and by purifying the blood prevents your ha-
biity to disease"
q Analysis of the product, which was claimed by the manu-
facturer to be effective in the treatment of so many virulent
and contagious diseases, as well as a variety Of minor ills,
showed that it was a strip containing 1872 per cent non-volatlle
matter. $50 per cent alcohol, anse, and a vegetable cathartlc
drug. The Government, therefore, charged that the medicine
did not contain ingredients or medicinal agents effective for the
relief and cure of the disease which 1t was claimed TO cure Inc
court imposed a fine of SIS.
Remarkable Claims for DR.. H.. A. Ingham's Vegetable Ex-
" pectOrant Nervine Pain Extractor.
A plea of guilty was entered by H. A. Ingham and Co. OF
Vergennes, VT to the charge that statements and claims as to
curative powers of a product called "Dr. H. A.. lnghams Veg
etable Expectorant Nervine Pain Extractor" were false and
fraudulent. An analysis of a sample of the product by the
Bureau of Chemistry showed the same to contain alcohol sc
per cent; opium alkaloids, camphor, capsicum, and vegetable
e~xtractive matter. The Government, therefore, alleged that
the medicine did not contain ingredients or medicinal agents
effective, as the labels or circulars asserted, to subdue raging
fever, or to cure typhoid fever, lung fever, scarlet fever, rheu-
matte fever, cholera, dysentary, sunstroke, ~diphtheria, bleeding
at the lungs, nervous exhaustion, or piles, or to prevent nus OF
apoplexy and epilepsy when coming on, or to heal without in
fammation or suffering all wounds, sprains, or burns, or to
break up a feon, or to cure congestion of the lungs, pleurisy,
fits of apoplexy, chronic rheumatism, paralyzed limbs, and
Group.
1t was also alleged by the Government that the statements
For teethhng and restless children, it is not only safe and harm
less, but positively beneficial; it agrees with the most tender
child or feeble infant" were false and misleading in that they
were of such nature as to mislead the purchasers into the be-
lief that, the article contained no harmful or poisonous ingred-
lent, whereas, in fact it did contain morphin and other opium
akaloids of a poisonous and d~eeterious nature, such as might
prove harmful and d~eleterious to the health of tender children
and feeble infants, and other persons, if consumed by them.
The court fined the defendant 500.
Seized Four Thousand Bottles of Father Johns Medicine"
Four thousand and ~ninety-two bottles of Father Johns
Medicine were seized in Philadelphia, Pa, it being alleged in
the libel that the labels on the bottles and on the pasteboard
packages containing the bottles bore statements regarding the
curative effects of the medicine that were false and fraudulent
Claims were made by the manufacturers for the efficacy Of
the medicine in the treatment Of consumption, coughs, colds
Group, asthma, bronchitis, sore throat, whooping cough, pneu.
LlI TILL - - -l- r. IL A