Evening star., 1937-11-21
FATAL NOSTRUMS THRIVE
In LEGAL NO MANS LAND
Elixir Sulfanilamide Toll Emphasizes
Menace to Life and Health That
Only Law May Check.

None need fear of getting any more
OF this so-called elixir. The Food and
Drug Administration has rounded up
all Of it-not an easy task since one
Of the 375 retailers was as far away
as Puerto Rico. Federal agents heard
OF one man who had bought a bottle
ard taken it away with him on a
hunting trip. An agent pursued him
into the woods to conflscate the deadly
mixture before it proved fatal. The
cooperation of the Canadian authori-
ties had to be obtained.
The Food and Drug Administra-
ton can prosecute DR.. Massengill only
for misbranding. This will be on q
purely technical charge. since an
elixir" according to the United
States pharmacopeia, is a sweetened
hydro alcoholic vehicle for other drugs
which may contain glycerin but def
nltely cannot contain diethylene gly-
col. Conviction under the present law
would mean maximum fine of 5000.
But responsibility for the deaths is
disclaimed by DR.. Massengill. Il
have violated no law" he has written
the American Medical Association.
This, said Mr. Campbell vigorously,
is damning incident of the present
law on its face"
Fines and Jail Not Enough,
The present House and Senate bills
will increase the fine and include a
possible prison sentence. But as Mr..
Campbell points out, Increased pen
alties are not sufficient protection.
The only way to wipe out the danger
is to prevent those incapable of han
ding drugs from getting their hands
on them.
While every possible effort under
our present legal authority is being
made to safeguard the public health" +"
continued DR.. Campbell, I'VE still have
deaths and blindness resulting from
dmitrophenol, which was placed reck-
iessly on the market few years ago
by manufacturers of reducing agents,
Little do they care that this explo-
slVe. used IN munitions during the
World War, cooks its victims to death
IN Its own heat and literally reduces
them-out of sight.
Deaths are still occurring from
clnchochen poisoning, a drug often
recommended for rheumatism and
arthritis. We still have acute and
chronic poisoning from thyroid and
radlum preparations improperly ad-
ministered to the public. Women still
patronize improperly supervised beauty
pariors. which use an eye "beautifler
that is known to have caused blind
ness.
Stops Short With 1906.
The definition of drug. still is toe
restrictive. The present act REQUIRES
label declaration only for a few
narcotics or other drugs. These are
alcohol, morphine. opium, cocaine
heroln, alpha or beta eucaine, chloro-
form, cannabiS indica, chloral hydrate,
acetanilid or any derivative or prep
aratlon OF any such substance. The
many new drugs discovered since 1906
are not affected"
Mr.. Campbell comedies that only
few patent medicines are valueless
When directed toward treatment of
symptoms. The trouble Is, he said.
the manufacturers want to claim ton
much for them, deluding the pur-
chasers into too much confidence as
TO their curative powers until 1t be-
comes too late for the medical pro-
tession to restore good health.
Inc present bill has had a pre-
carious existence since it first saw the
light OF day in 1888 under the spon-
sorshlp OF former Under Secretary of
Agriculture Rexford G. Tugwell. Be-
cause DR.. Tugwell was associated with
the more radical aspects OF the New
Deal, opposition sprang UP imme-
dlately. Particularly "outrageous" to
the food and drug industry was the
proposal to make the Secretary of
Agriculture what they termed a virtual
"autocrat of the dressing table"
Bill Appears Stalemated.
The Senate finally agreed last
March to bill sponsored by Senator
Royal S. Copeland of New York, a
Democrat and himself a physician
Food and drug officials here say it
is possibly better than nothing" but
even this heavily compromised version
appears stalemated in the House.
That body, among other things, wants
the Federal Trade Commission to
have supervision over advertising. The
Senate wants the food and drug ad-
to regulate.
Concededly, both bills broaden the
definitions of and increase the penal
ties for misbranding and adulterations
They permit prosecution for misrep-
resentation without requiring proof of
fraudulent intent, as at present. But
dropped completely is the provision
for Federal analysis and licensing of
medicines.
Copyright. 1872