davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-01-01

that children would relish. A num-
ber Of adults also received elixir"
prescriptions.
Soon after taking the sweet medi-
cine, the children with sore throats
became violently Ill with nausea
and stomach pains. Within a few
days anuria (stoppage of kidney
functions) developed, closely fol-
lowed by convulsions that racked
the little bodies until death merci-
fully put an end to the agony.
Physicians and clinic chemists
frantically sought the cause of the
scourge. Sulfanilamide had been
administered in all the cases-but
the drug had never had these evil
effects before. One fact assumed
outstanding significance. In each
of the cases the drug had been
taken in a new form-a solution
manufactured by the Kansas City
branch of the Massengill concern
BY October II six deaths had been
reported. The Tulsa County Medi-
cal Society wired the American
Medical Association for informa-
ton on the composition of Elixir
Sulfanilamide. The A. M. A. tele-
graphed Tulsa that it recognized
no solution of sulfanilamide and
asked for samples for analysis. AT
the same time the A. M. A., which
had previously refused to accept any
of DR.. Massengill's compounds
wired DR.. Massengill for the for
mula. He gave it with the request
it be kept confidential.
Laboratory analysis of the samples
from Tulsa confirmed the presence
of diethylene glycol, which was
Evening star., 1939-01-01

the patients home and found him
alive, but critically i'll from the ef-
fects of the dose. Learning the
cause of his grave condition, the
patient bitterly denounced the solu-
ton and the physician who had
given 1t to him. Beyond medical
aid, he died a horrible death.
The inability of medical science
to combat the ravages of the poison
made the plight of the victims des-
perate, even though their condition
was not far advanced. On October
20 DR.. Massengill wired the A. M.
A.: please wire collect suggestion
for antidote and treatment fol-
lowing use Elixir Sulfanilamide." ."
The A. M. A. replied there was no
known antidote.
A curious discovery Of the in
spectors was that some persons ap-
peared to be immune to the poison.
Several purchasers of the solution
were found to have swallowed ap-
preciable quantities without ill ef-
feet. Small doses were sufficient
in other cases to cause death. Tests
by DR.. H. o. Calvery, chief of the
Evening star., 1939-01-01
suspected Immediately as the deadly
agent. This information was tele-

suspected Immediately as the deadly
agent. This information was tele-
graphed at once to Tulsa.
In the meantime, on October IA,
the Food and Drug Administration
had learned of the fatalities in
Tulsa. DR.. w. G. Campbell, chief
of the administration, and his aides
issued emergency orders by tele-
phone and telegraph that galvan-
lied field operatives into action.
When a representative Of the
administration arrived in Tulsa on
October 16 he found eight children
and one adult dead and others seri-
ously i'll. He wired his superiors
in Washington that all had con-
sumed doses of DR.. Massengill's S
Elixir Sulfanilamide.
DR.. Massengill was being flooded
with inquiries and complaints by
this time. Becoming alarmed, he
dispatched on October IS several
kilograms to his branch Offices and
salesmen, one Of which follows:
Discontinue sale Elixir Sulfanila-
mide. Wire all statesmen immedia-
tely. Pick up sold. Wire direct
all customers sold to return stock
unused"
None of these kilograms warned
of the dangerous nature of the con-
coction until october 10, when
Federal inspector insisted that DR.
Massengill send this telegram:
Imperative you take up imme-
diately all elixir sulfanilamide you
dispensed. Product may be dan
gerous to life. Return all stocks
our expense"
A few hours earlier the American
Evening star., 1939-01-01

administration division OF pharma-
cology, showed the solution was
fatal to animals
One human victim, becoming i'll,
poured some of the stuff on the
ground. His pet dog licked 1t up
and succum5ed from the effects.
More often than not the inspec-
tors found the victims of the poison
dead and buried, and occasionally
causes other than Elixir Sulfanila-
mide had been cited on the death
certificates.
One inspector was sent to South
Carolina to investigate reports Of
deaths following symptoms like
those of elixir" victims in other
places. He learned that one John
Mcdaniel, a colored man, had died
at Ellenton, S. c., under suspicious
circumstances. The inspector visited
a lumber mill where the Negro had
been employed and obtained the
address of relatives. At this house
the investigator was told Mcdaniel
had died after taking several doses
of "red medicine"
''Let me see that medicine-it
may be poisonous" the inspector
said.
1--WE amt got It," came the reply
"Who has it - where is it?
Tell me quickly. It's a matter
OF life and DEATH" the Government
men exclaimed, impatiently.
It's out on Johns grave" the
colored relative declared.
Whereupon, by further question
ing, the inspector elected the in
formation that folks of that COM
munity always deposited on the
graves Of their loved ones the medi-
cines, glasses, spoons and other
articles of the sick room.
Explaining the necessity Of Sc
curing the bottle, the inspector in
duced several of the Negroes tc
accompany him nearly miles across
fields to McDaniel's lonely grave
unmarked but for a motley array
of dishes, spoons, a partly flllec
bottle of tomato catsup and severa.
other bottles. In one 4-ounce medi.
! cine bottle was about an ounce o.
Evening star., 1939-01-01

Medical Association had issued
warnings by press and radio in an
effort to prevent 4urther deaths.
Virtually the entire Food and
Drug Administration field force of
239 inspectors and chemists was
thrown into the emergency hunt
for the public enemy" that had
been turned loose on the country.
Cooperation of State and munich
pal authorities was obtained in the
search to recover and destroy every
ounce of the death-dealing "medi-
cine" before more victims were
added to the expanding death list.
Many of the inspectors performed
detective work that would have done
credit to J. Edgar Hoovers G-men.
Sometimes they found that death
had beaten them to their objective.
In other instances they arrived in
time to prevent tragic consequences.
In one case an inspector traced a
small bottle of the elixir" to a
physician in st. Louis, Mo-, whose
records showed he had prescribed
the mixture for a man at certain
address. The inspector hurried to
Evening star., 1939-01-01

your individual requirements. II
you sleep better with the window
wide open and the chilling drafts
are pleasant rather than disagree
able, by all means open your win
dow wide. But do not throw open
your window in cold, inclement
weather and retire with chatttering
teeth and sleep with blue nose and
general discomfort under the mis-
taken idea that it is healthful."
The same authority pointed out
that the person who sleeps .on an
open porch or brags about how few
covers or blankets he uses, or how
flimsy the nightwear, and then
awakens numb with cold, is not
building health, but more than likely
is running the risk of illness.
Closely allied with the question
of ventilation and proper heating
is the matter of winter clothing.
This is more than just a matter
Of dressing for the weather out
doors. OF great Importance is
proper apparel for indoors wear.
Today homes and offices not only
are as a general rule well heated,
but too often are overheated. And
so ones clothing must suit, say,
freezing or even zero temperatures
outside and summer heat inside
The selection of clothing also calls
for the exercise of common sense
But common sense doesn't always
rule. For example, many men who
think it "sissified" to wear under
wear which gives protection to the
legs and arms will shiver and sniff1e
through the winter in summer
weight underwear. It is true that
the average sedentary worker does
not require woolens or "red flannels,
but cotton "longies" often will give
that extra warmth next to the skir
which is valuable to some In colo
and stormy weather.
Much the same thing applies K
the "strong"-and foolish-persor
who won't wear rubbers or salosheI
Evening star., 1939-01-01

the fatal "red medicine" bearing
the prescription label of a certain
physician. An inquiry developed
that this physician had prescribed
more than pint Of elixir sulfanila-
mide and that four Of his patients
had died after taking doses Of it.
Continuing his investigation in
order to account for all of the liquid
dispensed by this doctor, an inspec-
tor visited one bereaved home and
was advised the bottle of fatal med
icine had been thrown in a patch
of weeds back Of the house. A care
full search resulted In recovery Of a
4-ounce bottle more than half full
Of the toxic substance.
One of this doctors patients-a
Evening star., 1939-01-01

what kind Of outer and inner cloth
ing affords the greatest comfort
and the surest safeguard against
colds.
On this point 1t should be borne
in mind that too heavy clothing
may be quite as conducive to colds
as too light apparel. If you are
overheated-either by poorly ven-
tilated room, too much clothing,
or both-you will perspire. Then
when you are chilled by q draft
or by going outside, the possibility
Of catching cold q vastly increased.
Evening star., 1939-01-01

when the going is wet underfoot.
Wet feet make one susceptible to
the cold germ by lowering resist
ance. Many a man who thinks
he has "put one over" on his wife
by leaving his overshoes home soon
finds that he has become the victim
of his own false pride, vanity,
laziness or what have you.
And then there's the chap who
insists on going hatless all winter
long. Surely, some among Us seem
to be able to do 1t without bad
effects. But doctors say that much
Evening star., 1939-01-01

sinus trouble is being caused by
this practice. Most Of us are better
of for some form of headgear dur
ing the winter months.
There Is a close connection be-
tween winter health and comfort
and the kind of clothes one wears,
and the individual should do q
bit of experimenting to discover
which weights suit his constitution,
place OF employment, home heating
condition and other factors best.
The experts emphasize tho impor-
tance Of finding out Just exactly
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
The WEATHER

portions tonight; Thursday gen.
orally fair, except possibly show
ers near extreme south coast,
slightly cooler in south portion
and near east coast.
Jacksonville to Florida Straits:
Fresh southwest winds over
south, and fresh TO moderately
strong shifting winds becoming
northwest over north portion,
and partly overcast weather to-
night and Thursday with showers
over north and central portion;
tonight
East Gulf: Fresh northwestern
ly winds tonight, diminishing and
becoming variable Thursday, and
partly overcast weather with
scattered showers over south and
central portion tonight, generally
fair Thursday.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
ABOUT A THIRD TERM


The subject of third term for Presi-
dent Roosevelt contippes to bob up in pub
lie discussions y
: There can be little doubt, we think,
that the sentiment of the people of the
United Stateslas general thing, is
against a third term for a president The
recent poll of public opinion by the Amer
lean Institute of Public Opinion shows
that sixty-nine per cent of those questioned
were against third term for President
Roosevelt This is about what one would
expect such poll to show.
If sixty-nine per cent of the voters of
the nation are against third term for any
president, it may be safely assured that
the President will not have third term.
Certainly, it will be impossible for less
than one-third of the voters to name the
next president of the United States.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
WEATHER FORECAST

(Till 7:30 p. m, Thursday
Key West and Vicinity: Partly
cloudy and somewhat cooler to-
night and Thursday, possibly
showers Thursday; fresh north
westerly winds tonight, dimin-
ishing and becoming variable
Thursday.
Florida: Cloudy, showers in
north portion this afternoon and
in central portion tonight; some
what colder in north and west
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
In order to raise more taxes,

In order to raise more taxes, it is now
proposed in Congress to increase levies on
incomes of $4,000 to $4,000 year.
What joke! How many incomes in our
community run from $1,000 to $4,000 a
year? If they took the whole of such in
comes. it would scarcely make dent in
the national budget. This is a last resort
before some form of income tax will have
to be slapped on smaller incomes, which
eventually will bear the burden of ex-
travagant public spending.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
AThreae Days Cough
Is Your Danger Signal

No matter how many medicines
you have tried for your common
cough. chest cold. or bronchial irri-
tation. you may get relief now with
Creonllsion.. Serious trouble may
be brewing and you cannot afford
to take O chance with any remedy
less potent than Circumcision, which
goes right TO the seat OF the trouble
and aids nature to Sootl1e and heal
the infiamed mucous membranes
laden phlefm.--
Event il other remedies have failed
don't be discouraged. try Cfeomul-
sion. Your druggist Is authorized to
refund your money II you are not
thoroughly satisfied With the bene-
hts obtained. Circumcision Is ono
word. ask for Il plainly. see that the
name Oh the bottle IS Creomulsion,
and youm get the eenaline product
and the relief you want (Advl
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

five percent of the assets of all
national banks; that eleven per-
cent of the whole direct and
guaranteed debt of the United
States Government was held at
the end of 1888 by the 40 largest
legal reserve companies; that
these companies also held 9.93
percent of all outstanding mu-
nicipal bonds; 22.9 percent of all
railroad bonds; % percent of the
public utility debt; Is percent of
the industrial debt of the coun-
try; 14.5 percent of all urban
mortgages, and 11.3 percent of all
farm mortgages.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
=. 3 ~ ga
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PIRATES GOLD
Edited BY 80
LILY LAWRENCE BOW
BLUE MONDAY

BLUE MONDAY
There's no Blue Monday any
more,
Now Euturpy's lines ablaze
With all the rainbow colors.
Not like the old waSh-dayS
When lines were hung with
browns and drabs,
Interspersed with white,
Glaring as the~s sun lit snow, with
dabS
Of ebony, black as night;
Pair and pair of long-legged hose
Pinned on together, good and
tight.
Now pink and mauve and blue
and green
Flutter nj the breeze,
While Monday, Haunting another
scene,
Paints a rainbow frieze.
Lily Lawrence Bow.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

Administrator Harrington is now busy
removing the 10000 aliens on relief:
That's one class of chiselers that's been
drawing $S,OO0,OOO from the public chest,
There are others, and when the mess is
cleaned up, those extra $150,O00,000 the
President thinks are i. needed, will Nbe
superfluous
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

The government is spending $4,000
to learn where the Indians came from.
When that jobs finished, it might be well
for the same government to put out at
least couple of dimes to find out where
the rest of us are going-at our present
clip of spending.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

In France, almost half of the popula-
ton still lives in municipalities unprovided
with water supply. Key West is in the
same fix, but is doing something about it,
while France is not in most cases.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
A Careful Girl

You must have had chances TO
get married.
"Oh, plenty. but You see I'm
not taking any chances.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

Hard work, thrift, and enterprise
made the United States the greatest nation
the world has ever known. If there is any
effort being made nowadays to encourage
any of these three virtues, it isn't visible to
the naked eye.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
Better Chance

lawyer suppose you would
like to be tried by a jury of your
peers.
Bootlegger-No: of my patrons.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
Steadfast Sam

The ditary which Pepys penned
Pursued its course for years on
end;
How different from the normal
- man,
Who seldom keeps one after Jan.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
IVA BUYS our RIVAL
BUSINESS ENCOURAGED
INSURANCE INQUIRY
e--.% go ~.+s
COMPANIES GROW LARGER
SOME STATISTICS

Closely following its smashing
victory in the Supreme Court,
the Tennessee Valley Authority
agreed to purchase all Tennessee
electrical properties Of; the Com
monwealth and Southern Cor
poration for a price of $78, $780,
900. This compares with a pre-
vious offer of only $55,0O0,000
from the IVA and a counter-offer
from the Corporation to sell at
about $S6,OOO,OOO. The differ
ence in what the Government
first offered and what it later
agreed to pay is explained by the
apparent acceptance of principles
of valuation that it would not
agree to in the beginning.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

moses On Relief, a newspaper "cut
line" sets out. You don't have to get that
close to tell there's something rotten about
the mess, however.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

When the question of armament comes
up, Cannon is in the public mind.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

Thrilling fact: 1t is exactly twelve
months from this time last year.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

10. A woman, in another state, recently
died after 35-day fast. AS far as we are
concerned, she can have the champion
strip,
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

You cannot build UP the financial re-
sources of Key West by sending your
money somewhere else
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
IMPROVEMENTS FOR KEY WEST
ADVOCATED BY THE CITIZEN

l. Water and Sewerage.
2 Comprehensive City Plan (Zoning).
g. Hotels and Apartments.
a. Bathing Pavilion. t.t;o.
5. Airports-Land and Sea.
g. Consolidation of County and City
Governments. i ff..,. tf
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

When it goes by ship it is cargo, but
when it goes by car it is a shipment.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

What some landlubbers do not under
stand is why the anchor has to be weighed
every time ship sets out to sea; it is not
on a diet.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

With 64,0O0,000 Americans in
sured by one of the country's
legal reserve life insurance conn
panies, considerable interest will
be taken in the inquiry which is
under way by the monopolies in
vestigating committee. 1t is point,
ed out that the companies in the
United States have sixty percent
of all life insurance in effect in
the world and that the legal re-
serve companies have assets of
more than $27, 200, 100000.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

Only about per cent of India can
read and write. Not desirable place to
engage in the newspaper business. .
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

It's just as we'll not to be too fussy
about ones traffic rights when meeting a
lotion truck.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

IVA negotiators at one time
fatty refused to make any al
lowances for investments other
than that in actual property or
the value. of a going business and
insisted on drastic reductions on
the basis of deterioration of cleo
trio generating and transmission
equipment.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

Chairman William o. Douglas,
of the S. E. c., in opening, the
testimony, carefully pointed out
that the inquiry does not attack
or question the adequacy of the
reserves. He advised policy hold
ers that nothing would be devel-
oped to jeopardize the protection
which they expect from their in
surance policies. He stressed the
tremendous and, spectacular
growth" of the life insurance
business since 1906. Then there
were 1873 legal reserve companies,
with aggregate assets of 1924
253, 848. BY the end of 1887,
there were 308 such companies,
with aggregate assets of $26, 249-,
049,219 and this figure was in
creased by the end of last year
another billion and a half dollars.
Mr. Douglas pointed out that
this tremendous growth is itself
cause for inquiry" He would take
stock of the changes which have
occurred, particularly the trend
toward concentration of savings
in the hands of the insurance
companies, in the power of these
companies in the nations capital
market and in the geographical
Capitalization of the most power
full companies in the New York
area.
The twenty-five largest COM
panies, it is revealed, control
87.2 percent of the insurance COM
pany assets and those in the New
York region alone. control 500
percent. In the New England
area, they control 17.2 percent;
around Philadelphia, 3.8 percent;
Ohio and Indiana, rs percent;
California, Iowa and Wisconsin,
SO percent, and the other 283
companies wherever located, 1873
percent.
Ernest E. Howe, chief financial
adviser to the S. E. C.'s insurance
inquiry, called attention to the
impressive financial strength of
the insurance companies. Their
excess of income over expendi-
lures in the last twenty years was
estimated at $4,000, 100000 and
except for two short periods,
their premium receipts were am
pie. to meet all expenditures. He
pointed out that in 1887, when
the insurance companies had as
sets of more than $4,000, 000,-
000, savings held by commercial
banks, amounted roughly to $l4,-
000,000,000 savings bank assets
to $4,000. 100000 and building
and loan assets TO $4,000, 900, 900.
Other statistics brought out in
the opening hearing showed that
while the population of the Unit
ed States increased only 1O6 per-
cent from 1890 to 1887, the
amount of life insurance in force
increased $500 percent, or TWEEN
ty-five times as fast; that the
1887 assets of the legal reserve
companies were equal to eight
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15

While the end of the six-year-
old feud comes about through
major concessions on the part of
IVA negotiators, which have
wide implications in similar set
Elements of the future, the agree
ment was concluded after the de-
cision of tn Supreme Court which
left the utility company practic-
ally at the mercy of the Govern
ment. The peace" is hailed in
many quarters as major trade
boom to follow new expansion
programs by the public utility in
dustry. In fact, Wendell l..
Willkie, president of The Com
monwealth and Southern Cor
poration, who voiced pessimism
just a few weeks ago, now pre-
diets that the settlement will
stimulate not less than one
billion dollar capital outlay a
year for the next three or four
years.