The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association)
Science
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2
Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association)
Patent medicines
“... Sanmetto is a blending of true santal and saw palmetto with
soothing demulcents in a pleasant aromatic vehicle. The demulcents
are introduced not only for the purpose of modifying the irritant
properties of the santal, but to add distinctively to the soothing
properties of the finished product upon the mucous membrane of
the urinary tract, and are not mentioned in our published formula
for the simple fact that if we gave them, then we would do the
advertising and the substitute manufacturer would engage in the
‘unfair competition’ of putting on the market his concoction,
claiming to be made exactly after our formula, without spending
a cent for advertising, relying upon our propaganda work to sell
his substitute, although not the same article as nor equivalent to
Sanmetto, from the fact that he would be working in the dark as
to the processes in the manufacture of our product. There is no
mineral substance in Sanmetto, nor any other ingredient that is
detrimental in any way whatsoever....
“OD CHEM. CO.,
“M. Haman, Pres’t.”
THE VALUE OF SANTAL AND SAW PALMETTO
The foregoing warrants the assumption that the active ingredients of
the mixture are sandalwood oil and saw palmetto.
There was a period when the internal treatment of gonorrhea had a
marked vogue. Balsamic remedies received the approbation of the medical
profession as the most specific of internal remedies for this disease.
As a representative of this class, sandalwood oil was very highly
esteemed and had great popularity. As in other similar instances,
this popularity was commercialized and the drug became the basis
of many secret or semisecret mixtures, including “specialties” of
pharmaceutical houses.
Sabal or saw palmetto is an official drug which at one time was used in
genito-urinary affections, but now is seldom used, presumably because
it has been found practically worthless. It is not mentioned by most
pharmacologists, and those who do mention it regard it as of doubtful
value. It is included among the preparations recommended for deletion
as given in the report of the Committee on the Pharmacopeia of the
American Medical Association (The Journal, Sept. 4, 1909, p. 792).
Even granting that sandalwood oil and saw palmetto do have therapeutic
value, no one would think of regarding either or both of these
preparations as of use except in inflammatory conditions of the
genito-urinary tract, especially gonorrhea.
If one is to believe the advertisements, however, the combination
of these drugs in Sanmetto is a wonderful medicine. One might even
conclude that there are few conditions in which it cannot be given with
profit. For instance:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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