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
A circular which gives what is asserted to be the composition of
Iodinized Emulsion, declares that, among other ingredients, each
fluidram contains “one and three quarters m. Tincture of Iodine.”
Both the statement on the label that the preparation contains “iodin”
and the one in the circular that tincture of iodin is present in the
product are incorrect, for the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory reports
that no free iodin could be detected in the preparation, and that it
responded to tests for iodid instead.
An advertising circular for Iodinized Emulsion (Scott) makes
unwarranted claims for the therapeutic properties of the constituents.
For example:
“... the great usefulness of Turpentine in diseases, especially of
the Intestinal Infection, such as the Meteorism and Tympanites of
Typhoid.”
And this absurdity:
“... where Turpentine, Carbolic Acid or Iodine or even Pepsin is
indicated, that it will give satisfaction in each and every case.”
Iodinized Emulsion (Scott) is not a “pharmaceutical triumph”; it is an
irrational mixture--a reminder of a decadent polypharmacy--sold under
misleading and unwarranted claims. It is inadmissible to New and
Nonofficial Remedies for conflict with Rules 1, 6, 8 and 10.
Creosotonic (Scott)
Creosotonic (Scott), advertised as a “reconstructive tonic” for the
tuberculous, according to the label, contains in each fluidram:
“Alcohol, m. 2-1/2; Creosote and Guaiacol sulphonates of each,
gr. 1; Compound Hypophosphites, gr. 1 (including Quinine
Hypophosphites, gr. 1/36 and Strychnine Hypophosphites, gr. 1/256),
with Iodinized Emulsion (Scott) m. 30.”
As in the case of Iodinized Emulsion (Scott), the advertising makes
exaggerated therapeutic claims for the individual constituents of the
preparation and for the heterogeneous mixture of guaiacol and creosote
sulphonates, hypophosphites, quinin, strychnin, turpentine, phenol,
iodin, “lactated pepsin,” etc. Thus, while it is well established that
in guaiacol sulphonate and creosote sulphonate the phenolic constituent
is bound so firmly that, when administered, but very little is split
off in the organism, yet the advertising claims “that the system can
be saturated in a shorter time and with smaller doses of creosote and
guaiacol sulphonates than with any other form of these drugs” and that
(on the false premise that the guaiacol and creosote from these drugs
will permeate the tissues of the lungs) “they help to clear up the
local infection and thus aid in returning to normal the diseased mucous
membrane.”
In the advertising pamphlet, following a discussion of the effect of
climate and food in the treatment of the tuberculous, we read:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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