The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association)
Science
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2
Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association)
Patent medicines
In name, composition, and general appearance of the package, Naphey’s
Medicated Uterine Wafers bear a strong resemblance to Micajah’s
Medicated Uterine Wafers (The Journal, A. M. A., March 26, 1910,
p. 1070). An advertising pamphlet reads:
“In every form of leucorrhea Naphey’s Medicated Uterine Wafers are
indicated ...”
“What is true of leucorrhea is also true of all other functional
troubles affecting the female genital canal; they are all treated
best by astringents and antiseptics. And these, to be effective,
must be applied in prolonged contact.”
The implication that all “functional troubles affecting the female
genital canal” are best treated by astringent tablets like Naphey’s
Medicated Uterine Wafers is an absurdity. The naming of disease
conditions on the label, the manifestly unwarranted and exaggerated
therapeutic claims, the name, which is non-descriptive of composition
but suggestive of use, and the fixed formula, which cannot rationally
be expected to give uniformly satisfactory results in the wide range
of conditions for which the product is recommended, render Naphey’s
Medicated Uterine Wafers ineligible for New and Nonofficial Remedies
under Rules 4, 6, 8 and 10.
The report having been sent to Naphey & Co., the manufacturer
offered, on condition that the preparation be accepted, to revise the
advertising matter in minor particulars, to remove disease names from
the trade package and to adopt the name Naphey’s Wafers or Naphey’s
Tablets. The Council advised Naphey & Co. that the proposed names do
not conform to the requirements for acceptance in New and Nonofficial
Remedies because they do not indicate the composition of this
pharmaceutical mixture, and moreover, that the routine use of a complex
formula such as that of these tablets is irrational.--(_From Reports of
Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, 1916, p. 66._)
NUJOL
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
Nujol, a liquid petrolatum (Standard Oil Company of New Jersey,
Bayonne, N. J.), was submitted to the Council by the manufacturers.
The Council advised the company that, before Nujol could be made
eligible for New and Nonofficial Remedies, the advertising claims made
for it must be revised to conform to the rules of the Council and the
term “liquid petrolatum” must be used in connection with the brand
designation and given equal prominence on the labels, advertisements
and all circulars. The company thereupon submitted a label on which
the name “Nujol” appeared in large red letters and under it in small
letters the words “Liquid Petrolatum.” This did not meet the Council’s
requirement with regard to the name. Moreover, Nujol continued to be
advertised to the public under exaggerated and unwarranted claims.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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