New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-26
DR.. Leiser, of Public Health
Bureau, Explains How
Public Is MiSled
BLAMES DEFECT
IN PURE FOOD LAW
Cites Nostrums Exposed by
Samuel Hopkins Adams
i'm His Lecture

The crusade of Samuel Hopkins
Adams against fake medicines and The
Tribune's campaign for clean and hon
est advertising were praised before the
Neighborhood Forum in the Washing
ton Irving High School last night by
DR.. o. VI. Lesser, of the bureau OF pub
lie health education of the Department
Of Health. Taking the Menace OF
Patent Medicines" as his subject, Dr..
Lesser gave the chemical analyses OF
many advertised cure-alls.
eve are deeply indebted TO Samuel
Hopkins Adams he said, "for the
great amount of pioneer and research
work he has done and for the path
which he has blazed for others TO fol-
low. The Tribune to-day rejects pat
ent medicine ads which are accepted
b. every other morning newspaper. and
its course in protecting the pubic
from the INSCRIPTIONS advertiser can
not be praised too highly
Defect in Pure Food Law
DR.. Lesser explained that the patent
medicine concerns are able to do bust
ness through a defect in the pure
food law, which does not prohibit
false and misleading statements OF
patent medicines in newspapers or in
window displays.
Take Eckmar's Alternative, for IN
stance. which is heralded as a remedy
for consumption he said. ats ad-
vertisements ere excluded By The
Tribune but accepted by the other
newspapers. 1t is composed largely OF
alcohol and cloves.
Then there is Duffy's Malt Whisky,
which is nothing more or less than an
inferior grade of whiskey swcetened
with cane sugar While il is recon-
mended by preachers and temperance
advocates, two or three tablespoontuls
OF it before retiring at night is pretty
good swig Of grog even Tor temper
ance advocate"
Dr.. Lesser said that most of the pat
ert medicines are being manufactured
in Indianapolis and Rochester, and de-
clared those cities Ought to 0e
ashamed OF themselves
"Addicts OF Lydia Pinkham's Vege-
table Compound, Paine's Celery Com,
mound Vinol or Hostetter's Bitters,"
he said. "are drinking alcohol either
consciously or unconsclousIy. Ninol
contains rs per cent of alcohol, While
beer contains only 3is per cent.
Sanatogen Only Harmless
Then there is Sanatogen, which Is
advertised as containing 700 per cent
more tissue building, life sustaining
nourishment than wheat flour. One
dollars worth of wheat -four contains
as much nourishment as many times
that value in Sanstogen. ! must say
in all Justice, however, that Ssnatogen
il the one medicine in the whole lot
which does no harm. II is easily as
simulated and digested.'
Speaking OF the cost OF production OF
patent medicines. Dr. Lesser said that
:he most expensive part about Radol,
advertised as cancer remedy, con-
sisted Of the wrapper. cork ana
bottle"
Health Commissioner Emerson,
speaking on the Health Department as
p Community Physician pointed out
that the most important work beng
done By that department IS of pre-
ventive and educational rather than
curative nature.
"A doctors advice or how to live
3 often more valuable than his medi-
cines." he said. you get results in
proportion 20 your willingness to pay
attention 20 the laws Of health and
sanitation"
The other speaker. besides Leo Arm
stein. who presided. was DR.. George
OHanlon. general medical superln-
tendent OF Bellevue Hospital, who eN-
planned the routine through which
patient passes after arriving at that
in.Iitnti i'm