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
It is known that arsenous iodid is decomposed by contact with water. It
is recognized that creosote carbonate is unstable and prone to liberate
creosote. Iodide of manganese not being official, the supply on the
market is not controlled in any way: Tests of purity are not prescribed
by the Pharmacopeia, the National Formulary, New and Nonofficial
Remedies or other books of standards. Therefore doubt must be expressed
as to the accuracy of the formulas as given. The Council cannot accept
such statements of composition without further evidence.
“No. 1” is commended for use in
“Chronic Rheumatism, Glandular Swellings, later forms of Syphilis,
convalescence from Scarlet Fever, La Grippe and Malaria, Chronic
Malarial Infection, Marasmus, Joint or other suppuration of
standing, diseases of skin, chorea, anaemia, neurasthenia,
obstinate neuralgia, scrofulous affections in general, and diarrhea
or dysentery (subacute or chronic) in childhood.”
“No. 2” is said to be
“Prepared especially for the treatment of Chronic Throat, Nasal,
Bronchial and Pulmonary Diseases.”
In the advertising circular statements regarding the various
ingredients of Budwell’s Emulsion are quoted from obsolete text
books. These statements, for the most part, do not represent modern
opinions on the subject. For instance, the circular praises the action
of guaiacol as eliminated directly by the lungs, thus exerting a
beneficial local effect and causing bacilli to diminish in numbers or
to disappear. All of this is directly contradicted in authoritative
modern publications on pharmacology, which hold that the excretion of
guaiacol by the lungs is infinitesimal and its action on bacilli is
nil. The Council held the preparations in conflict with its rules as
follows:
1. Many of the therapeutic claims are exaggerations.
2. The method of exploitation amounts to an indirect invitation to the
public to use these preparations as “consumption cures.”
3. The preparations are unscientific, they constitute a reprehensible
invitation to uncritical prescribing and their use is inimical to the
best interests of the profession and the public. It is difficult to
imagine in what conditions such a combination would be indicated. These
preparations are a remnant of the days of polypharmacy. Their use is
not in keeping with present medical thought and practice.--(_From The
Journal A. M. A., Feb. 20, 1915._)
RHEUMALGINE
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
Rheumalgine (Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis) is put up both in tablet
form and as a liquid. Each tablet, or teaspoonful of the liquid, is
said to contain:
“Strontium salicylate from Natural Oil 5 gr.
Hexamethylenamin 2 gr.
Colchicine 1/200 gr.”
The advertising matter contains several statements regarding the
individual ingredients to which objection must be made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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