Antikamnia, claiming to be an "ethical" remedy, and advertising through the medical press by methods that would, with little alteration, fit any patent painkiller on the market, is no less dangerous or fraudulent than the Orangeine class which it almost exactly parallels in composition. It was at first exploited as a "new synthetical coal-tar derivative," which it isn't and never was. It is simply half or more acetanilid (some analyses show as high as 68 per cent.) with other unimportant ingredients in varying proportions. In a booklet entitled "Light on Pain," and distributed on doorsteps, I find under an alphabetical list of diseases this invitation to form the Antikamnia habit: [IMAGE ==>] {038} "Nervousness (overwork and excesses)--Dose: One Antikamnia tablet every two or three hours. "Shoppers' or Sightseers' Headache--Dose: Two Antikamnia tablets every three hours. "Worry (nervousness, 'the blues')--Dose: One or two Antikamnia and Codein tablets every three hours." Codein is obtained from opium. The codein habit is well known to all institutions which treat drug addictions, and is recognized as being no less difficult to cure than the morphin habit. The following well-known "remedies" both "ethical" and "patent," depend for their results upon the heart-depressing action of Acetanilid: Orangeine Bromo-Seltzer Megrimine Anti-Headache Ammonol Salacetin Royal Pain Powders Dr. Davis's Headache Phenalgin Cephalgin Miniature Headache Powders Powders A typical instance of what Antikamnia will do for its users is that of a Pennsylvania merchant, 50 years old, who had declined, without apparent Antikamnia {039}cause, from 140 to 116 pounds, and was finally brought to Philadelphia in a state of stupor. His pulse was barely perceptible, his skin dusky and his blood of a deep chocolate color. On reviving he was questioned as to whether he had been taking headache powders. He had, for several years. What kind? Antikamnia; sometimes in the plain tablets, at other times Antikamnia with codein. How many? About twelve a day. He was greatly surprised to learn that this habit was responsible for his condition. "My doctor gave it to me for insomnia," he said, and it appeared that the patient had never even been warned of the dangerous character of the drug.