WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1904. THE PATENT MEDICINE QUESTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8132, 30 November 1904, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1904. THE PATENT MEDICINE QUESTION.

Sir Joseph Ward is usually conciliatory, and replying to a deputation with reference to the patent medicines question he gave explanations which were partially satisfactory, and added assurances which indicate that the regulations will be administered reasonably, and probably amended on material points. Speaking^t Dunedin, he said it was necessary for him to tell them that the regulations had been put into operation upon the recommendation of professional advisers in the Health Department. One reason for the regulations in the first instance was on account of the representations that had been mad* by people during the last eighteen months They had sent samples, and with regard to some of the patent medicines that had I been . sold, he had credible information showing that, in some, cases the patent medicines contained a considerable portion of poison without the slightest indication on the labels conveying that intimation to consumers. While on that point he would like to say that in England it was the law there that, where ' poison was contained in any article in the j shape of patent medicines; the fact must j be printed on the outside of the bottle, find the information conveyed to, him ai> different times before the regulations were put into, operation had shown that there was * considerable amount of poison in various forms being circulated throughout &«: conntry, and no ; one knew they were consuming it. Nine-tenths of what were alleged to be patent medicines were not patent medicines at all, tocause there was no patent lor them. He felt sure that it was far from the desire of anyone to compel manufacturers to disclose their secrets £'~, J.~<Lki tjffSL^AittfSifefflsS'M.-; '■* .£ J &*&&■. lute* -&1V&

or business in any way. That was not the desire of the regulations, but at the | same time they wanted to have some reasonable means of protection for the public at large in the consumption of either medicines or anything else, and that alone was what they were concerned in. , He recognised in respect to stocks, for instance, in the country, that it would not he a proper thing to cause any loss, lie did not want to see anything of the kind happen. Probably, in the first instance, if the time were postponed, so as to give an opportunity of fuller enquiry into the whole of these regulations, that would to some extent meet some of the objections urged in that direction. The manufacturers of medicines in New Zealand might send the formula to the Minister of Public Health, and examinations could be made by the medical men employed, and if the public were protected, manufacturers need not give their away formula on the labels. In the Old Country it was found that some of the soothing syrups sent out contained a considerable portion of poison, and some of the best medical men in the country had declared that a great deal of harm had been done to children without the knowledge of their mothers through the use of soothing syrups, consequently there should be some opportunity given to the public to have the formula examined. He thought that there should be an examination of the formula by some officer of the Public Health Department, instead of having them printed on the labels. The object of the regulations was not for the purpose of harassing the important business in which the deputation were concerned, but what Government wanted to do was to try to ensure to purchasers of patent medicines that they were not taking something that was injurious to then. On his return to Wellington he would too" into the matter with the officers of the Health Department with a view to seeing in what direction, while protecting the public, they could assist the manufac turers so as not to interfere with the legitimate progress of business generally which he was anxious to see carried out in every possible way.