Fifthly, whatever may have been the motives of the advertisers, and however carefully the advertisements are worded, they will inevitably tend to increase the use of aspirin by the public, and this is directly against the interests of public health. The public does not know, as physicians do, that headaches are merely symptoms of other, sometimes very serious conditions; and that they are often the signal for the need of a thorough physical examination and diagnosis. It is true that they are often also the symptoms of very minor derangements, which will right themselves spontaneously; and that, in such cases, drugs like aspirin may give relief and may do no harm. The patient, however, is not educated to distinguish one class from the other, and therefore anything that tends to promote the indiscriminate use of such remedies as aspirin is detrimental to the public health. Furthermore, aspirin itself is not always harmless. Alarming idiosyncrasies are sufficiently common that the use of the first doses, at least, should require medical supervision. With these considerations in mind, the referee is of the opinion that the direct and indirect advertising of aspirin is to be condemned.--(_From The Journal A. M. A., Jan. 20, 1917._) PIL. CASCARA COMPOUND-ROBINS Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry A circular issued by the A. H. Robins Company of Richmond, Va., contains the following statement: “PIL. CASCARA COMPOUND-ROBINS is a rational therapeutic formula, composed of CASCARA, PODOPHYLLIN, COLOCYNTH and HYOSCYAMUS, which promotes a natural flow of secretions, which is, in turn, the physiologic stimulant of peristalsis. Thus, a normal evacuation is produced without subsequent inhibition. “They contain no Mercury, Strychnia nor Belladonna. “An ideal aid to any remedial agent, when a Mild, Medium or Strong alimentary stimulant is needed [_sic_]. “Made in two strengths, the dosage may be easily regulated so as to obtain the effects of an Anti-Dyspeptic, Aperient, Laxative or Cathartic, as desired. They never cause discomfort unless given in larger dose than needed.” This preparation is another example of the innumerable mixtures of well-known drugs having nothing in the way of originality or of special therapeutic value to recommend them. The advertising implies that this particular combination has a special action on the secretions of the gastro-intestinal tract; otherwise it would be hard to explain the claim that the preparation is antidyspeptic, if that means anything more than a laxative or cathartic.