The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-07-29
FRAUDULENT
INFANTILE PA
RALYSIS "CURES'
The Department of Agriculture Instruct
Food and Drug Inspectors TO Watch
Interstate and Foreign Shipments
/. for Fraudulent Remedies.

Washington, D. c., July 29.-Oflieials
of the department of agriculture charged
with the enforcement of the food and
drugs act expect that the outbreak of IN
fantile paralysis will tempt mscrupulous
persons TO offer for sale so-called cures
for remedies for this dread malady. They,
therefore, have issued special instrue-
tions to the food and drug inspectors 10
be particularly alert for interstate ship
ments or importations of medicines, the
makers of which allege that they will
cure or alleviate this disease, for which
at the present time, no medicinal cure
| is known. The officials also warn the
public that any preparation put on the
market and offered for sale as being ef-
fective for the treatment OF infantile
paralysis should be looked upon with ex.
treme suspicion Inspectors, accordingly,
have been instructed to regard as sus
picious, and to collect samples OF, all
medicines in interstate commerce Tor
which such claims are made. Makers of
such fraudulent remedies will be Wig
orously prosecuted whenever the evidence
warrants action under the Sherlev
amendment to the food and drugs act
So-called remedies for infantile paraly-
sis which are offered for import into the
country will be denied entry.
The food and drugs officials are partic-
ulsrly watchful in this instance because
it has been noted in the past that when
ever serious epidemic exists, unscrup
ulous dealers prey upon the fear of ig
norance of the public by flooding the
market with worthless, hastily prepared
connections, for which they assert cura
tive properties which have no founda- |
tion whatever in fact. In the present |
instance, inspectors already have discov-
cred shipments of few such mixtures
The department will do everything it |
can under the federal law to protect I
that portion of the public which is ex
tremely credulous in times of panic and /
which will grasp at anything which
promises protection or relief. The sale
Of such products at this time, the officials
point out, is particularly threatening to
the public health because many persons,
relying on the false statements of i'm
posters, neglect to secure competent
medical advice. As result, not only
IS the safety of the patient endangered,
but in the absence of proper sanitary I!
precautions, the likelihood of contagiun
S greatly increased.
1t must be understood, however, that
he federal food and drugs act applies
,nly to products which are shipped in |
Interstate commerce, that is, from one
tate to another or which are offered
or import or export, or which are mau !
fractured or sold within territory or
District of Columbia. Products which I
re made and consumed wholly within
ingle state are subject only to such {
tate laws as may apply and are under I
he control only of state health officials.
The federal law does not apply, for in j
tanee, to patent medicines made within !
he state of New York and sold in New Y
'ork City Persons buying or using !
made in their own state, $
therefore,, must rely on the protection /
ccorded them by their local health au a
horities.