SAFEGUARDS FOR THE PUBLIC

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LII, Issue 9187, 6 September 1906, Page 2

SAFEGUARDS FOR THE PUBLIC

The following letter appeared in a recent Wellington coutemporary : — Now that the publication of Dr Mason's lecture has raised the question of patent medicines, I think it is time to point out , that, so far as a non-expert can see, tihero ia no immediate need for any new legislation. All we want is that tie Government should use common sense and go alow. Patent medicines are only one sort of fraud. How about sheep-dips, weed-HUers, baking powders, and electric belts? When the head of any Government department liears of a suspected fraud, he sihould have the substance or article examined.- and publish in the Gazette a short account in popular language. No Act is wanted for that, and, in my opinion, it would effect all you want. Suppose a "consumptive, cure 5 -' was advertised, the Gazette notice would read : "I have examined Mrs Eobbern's oure, and find the chief ingredient i& morphia. It ,will do the patient no good and much barm. The cost to make would be about eightpenoe, and the advertised price is 4s Bd." Every year a "cautionary list" would be published, containing all soah reports likely to interest the public. These yearly lists, supplied poet free on application, would be -widely read, and probably abate Hie nuisance. I would not oonfino them to medkaiMe. How would this read :— "I liftve examined Smith's dheep dip. It contains arsenic and enough, carbolic acid to make it smell. It will do its work. A gallon would cost Is to make and is sold at sa. Any farmer can make an equally good viip by boiling arsenic with, soda." Or th»: — '1 have examined Jone's Potato BKgbt-kiOer. It is practically tie same as Bordeaux mixture. It would cost 4d a bottle to make, and is sold at 2s. It wffl not be operative if used as directed." i Such, reports would cost little, and save the coJooy many lives and many thousand pounds. If the nuisance continued, I should, advise a short Act, empowering the Government to compel any newspaper advertising such things to print the Gazette reports also, at their usual advertising rates, and' also containing a clause plainly stating that all public discussion of .such Gazette reports was privileged so long as "bona fide." I don't believe in printing an analysis outsido a bottle of medicine, because the ■ proprietor could easily couch, it in misleading language, and the public would be none the wiser. As to putting "poison" outside, that will only make people disregard the word as an empty threat We all know that babies "soothing syrups" are sot poison. To test the matter, take a

dose and try. They are harmful, and might in excess poison a child ; so might. I suppose, jams, or crabs, or green apples. But "poison" labels should be rigorously confined to what would really poison anyone if token in moderate amount. 1 1 doubt the wisdom of putting "poison" on any medicine. l)n liniments it might be put, because they are likely to be swal- | lowed by mistake, but even here I think it • is very doubtful whether it is wise to put i it on comparatively harmless ones, such as ' turpentine embrocations. In nearly every .variety of swindle, I believe that simple inspection and expo- > sure would bo far better than legislation and penalties. I ' should also like to see notices like this : "I have examined Robinson's <?.airy, and have found it/ extremely dirty.' "I have examined Brown's bread, and found it four ounces short." I believe, ia nine cases- out of ten, it would make the offender reform.