PURE FOOD

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 61

PURE FOOD

ALLEGED MISDESCRIPTION

SYDNEY, May 29,

The Crown, under the Pure Food Act, proceeded against Elliott '■* Bros, on the ground of alleged misdescription of the patent medicine known as Vitadatio.

The Crown Prosecutor relied on the statement printed in the pamphlet sold with the medicine, stating that it cured Bright's disease, hydatids, stricture, cancer, consumption, and ringworm. Amongst the expert evidence was an analysis by Dr Cooksey, which showed that Yitadatio contained 2.5 per cent, of proof spirit, also salicylic acid, tannin, gentian, sarsaparilla, and senna or rhubarb.

Dr Palmer, principal Government medical officer, declared that according to this analysis Yitaclatio would not cure Bright’s disease, hydatids, cancer, or consumption, and made the statement that, with the exception of quinine and mercury, no drug had ever cured anybody. Other doctors supported Dr Palmer regarding the diseases mentioned.

For .the defence, evidence was given in support of alleged cures. Sydney Arthur Palmer, proprietor of Yitadatio, gave evidence that he was ill 14 years in New Zealand, and was treated for dyspepsia of the liver, Bright’s disease, and pleurisy. Subsequently he underwent an operation at Invercargill, which showed him to be full of hydatid tumours. A doctor told him that the only medicines which would cure these would also kill him. He tried Yitadatio, and it cured him. He denied that Yitadatio contained tannin, rhubarb, senna, sarsaparilla. or gentian.. A bottle cost him one shilling to produce, whereof the bottle cost him twopence, the material threepence, and the’labour sevenpence. He declined to give the names of certain herbs, which he said cost him £20.030 to jet from VVelber, the original proprietor, but at the magistrate’s request he wrote them down.

The court found against the defendants, who were merely wholesale buyers of Vitadatio, and ordered them to pay a fine of £lO and costs.