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
The composition of Jubol is not declared; grossly unwarranted and
incorrect claims are made for its therapeutic actions; the name does
not indicate the alleged ingredients and so much of the composition as
is declared indicates an unscientific mixture. The Council decided that
Jubol should be held ineligible for New and Nonofficial Remedies, and
that this report should be published.
Urodonal
Urodonal is said to be “produced in the laboratory of J. L. Chatelain,”
Paris, France. It is marketed in this country by Geo. J. Wallau, Inc.,
New York.
The preparation is claimed to be a chemical compound, and the
advertising matter furnishes a “formula,” which consists of the
formulas of lysidin, sidonal and hexamethylenamin, connected by plus
signs:
{H₂C Az } CO₂H--C--OH AzH Az
{H₂C C--CH₃} + { H₂C CHOH } {H₂C CH₂} {H₂C CH₂ CH₂}
{ AzH } {OHHC CH₂ } {H₂C CH₂} + {Az.CH₂ Az.CH₂ Az}
{ CHO } { AzH } { CH₃ }
That the substance is a chemical compound is highly improbable, and no
evidence has been submitted to substantiate the claim. On the contrary,
in the following statement the phrase “based on” is a virtual admission
that the preparation is merely a mixture:
“Urodonal ... is a granular effervescent preparation based on
methylglyoxalidine [Lysidine], quinate of diethylene-diamine
[Sidonal] and hexamethylene-tetramine [Formin, urotropine].”
Mystery is added by the mention of undefined “special products” in the
following:
“The fact of combining these two salts [lysidin and sidonal] in
Urodonal, in strictly determined proportions and in the presence of
special products, gives this preparation very considerable power in
dissolving uric acid.”
These contradictory statements of composition conflict with Rule 1.
Urodonal is marketed in typical “patent medicine” style: the name
“Urodonal” is blown in the bottle and the label contains a list of
“Indications,” including rheumatism, gout and gravel (Rule 4). That
this form of marketing has introduced it to the public is suggested by
the following in an advertising circular:
“... Urodonal is now popular--even classic--throughout the world,
where thousands of doctors and millions of patients agree in
asserting that ‘Urodonal is to rheumatism what quinine is to
fever.’”
There are also other indications that the mixture is to be exploited to
the laity. For instance, the U. S. distributor sends out a portrait of
Sarah Bernhardt bearing the legend:
“I am positive that URODONAL preserves youth’s freshness with
clearness and strength to brain and heart. I have taken it for two
years with the greatest benefit. Sarah Bernhardt.”
A circular advises this mixture
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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