PATENT MEDICINES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 439, 23 February 1909, Page 7

PATENT MEDICINES.

A ;DqCTOR'S'SEVERE CONDEMNATION? ; .; ; .-;<?; ii . ', .(BITELSOBirH—PRESS ASSOCIATION,), w :,i ■ ;; m ,--'.^ ■'■ ■■'•■ '■■.■■■: -■■•.': Ilio annual ;moetme;of.:the 'Newi:-Zealand Branch;of -tho"British' Medical:' Association' was:opened.'this evening. The ■ Mayor of Napier'.(Mr.' J. Vigor Brown,. M.P.);.welcomed the delegates.; Y :\ ■ ;" ",. ■■■■■.■.'..:■ .;■■:/>:■■■■■■ ■ . The-president (Dr. : :T; C.:Mo"rej:of ;Napier) : dovotod-.tho main .portion of his iaddress , to evils .of '.certain -, classes of patent and ; proprietary,medicines. : He.:said -tne hiedical' profession had been- strangely, apathetic in the'matter, .and expressed the opinion thatthey pwed;a:dutyto tho public, 1 and that if was only, right that they should give .warning to tho public againat the unscrupuloas rogues who aro.' hot only robbing- them of. their money; but, by .holding out fallacious-hopes or ounng themof 'their ailmentsy often cause them to^ 'lose precious ,timo while'they- are talcing their worthless.or injarious nostrums .instead ;of . for aid 'in the proper quarter and; receiving- treatment whict will re love'or cure them if it is possible to-be relieved or oured. In Conclusion.Dr.- Moore said:— 'What then can be done. to remedy the .evil?.,; In the first place, 'the public' must be educated. Could not "arrangements be made; then to'publish the. formulae of those , vaunted cure-alls' in tho daily press;' if possible, and if tho press refused,, in pamphlet form, distributed broadcast. Medical men ought,.to .impress on those they can Mu'ence'' legislators and. others,. the fraudulent- and detrimental pharacter of the trade; and finally we ought: to .try ; and strengthen the hands: ,ot the Health Department, which, knows all 1 and,more than I have stated- this evening , and is anxious to abate the evil, but camiot act vigorously unless backed up' by publio opmion, medical:and lay." . :. :, .:.-:• ■