J. M. MASON.j

11

1.—14.

account of my experience in search of a cure, and the remarkable manner in which I found it. I wish you could see some of the letters I receive daily from those who have been cured. The joy and gladness set forth in them does my heart good to read, and would make yours leap for joy at the certainty of being cure-d of all your troubles. If you are a sufferer do not hesitate to send at once for the Indian Herb Powder, and you will have the pleasure of feeling a return of your health, strength, and vitality day by day until you are fully restored to health, strength, and manhood. To be a strong, healthy, and vigorous man among your fellow-men is surely worth something to you. It is for your own sake I urge you to send for the cure, for you can believe me when I say that I feel an interest in all those who are suffering as I was. Kindly let me hear from you, and believe me.—Yours sincerely, A. Miner." 7. This kind of man keeps on blackmailing?— Yes, he keeps on writing, and if it is a youngster he is writing to he says he is not taking care of himself, and threatens to write to his father. This kind of man sets out the usual story that any man suffering from sexual debility should use the Indian Herb Powder. People seem to place more reliance upon medicine got from an Indian fakir, or from something procured in the swamp or bush of South America than upon ordinary treatment. He explains that he, is not making any money out of it, but he is doing it out of the goodness of his heart. The Cornish "Miner" is of the same class as the "Retired Clergyman," and his pamphlet is couched in the same words. In fact, I think they come from the same place. This is another letter from the " Electine Medicine C 0.," Ash Street, Sydney. They send a few sample pills to some clerk or girl. This is what they afterwards write: "Dear Patron, —This is the second time we have had to write, asking you to settle your account with us for the New-life Vegetable Pills we sent you on consignment, but as yet we have no record of your having sent us the money. Our contract with you was a plain, businesslike arrangement, which we are prepared to fully live up to, and we must insist on you doing likewise. You, of course, are aware that we have your written order in our office showing clearly that you undertake to sell our goods within thirty days and return us the proceeds." The man to whom this was sent had never anything to do with these people at all, but the person written to has generally to sell so many boxes of the pills, for which he gets a gilt chain or a seven-and-sixpenny watch. It is rather curious that this apparently businesslike company advertises under the authority of the Chief Health Officer of this colony. It occurred in this way. They wrote to me when the new regulations were brought in a few years ago and submitted the formula of their "Electine" remedies. I simply acknowledged the receipt of the Electine remedies and that they had been recorded. 8. The Chairman.~\ And they tortured that into an expression of approval?— Yes. 9. Do you think anything should be done to prevent tactics of this kind being adopted?— Yes, undoubtedly. Of course, as I say, lam more interested in the purely medical side of the question. There is a mistaken notion in the minds of the public that when a medical man attacks quack medicines he is an interested party. It really does not make any difference to him at all, as I pointed out to the chemists when the regulations were brought in. There are no regulations now applying to patent medicines. The only difference is that people who will not put the formula .outside will suffer, while the patent medicines used by the backblocks men will be made in the colony. The formula; of all these things are known; take many proprietary medicines owned by reputable firms, and you will find that they already have the contents on the label. Here is another letter issued by the Irving Homoeopathic Institute, which follows the style of the others: " Dear Sir, —I am justified by my experience in saying that my homoeopathic treatment will positively effect a complete and lasting cure in all forms of nerve and sexual as well as genitourinary diseases." Any one who knows anything about medicine knows that a disease of the generative organs like gonorrhoea cannot be cured by the same remedy as will cure nervous debility. " Some time since I sent you certain information describing my method of curing this class of disease, and would like to know if there are any other points upon which further information would be of service to you. If there is any doubt in your mind about my ability I shall be pleased to refer you to persons in various States whom I have treated with the most uniform success." These people all warn their clients against charlatans and quacks—they alone are right. Their medicine acts like magic, and there are the usual stories about it. Here is a letter from the Lyttelton Times people in reference to the advertising of these things: "Your letter dated the 18th instant, on the subject of certain advertisements appearing in the Canterbury Times : It will perhaps be of satisfaction to you to know that we have already marked all these down for withdrawal as soon as possible, being satisfied that their publication is not in the interests of our readers." lam glad to say that the newspapers all over the colony are helping us in every possible way. Then there are the various electric belts. Of course there are any number of them, but immediately you knock one down you get another. The dry cell is used one week and the wet cell another. 10. What is your opinion about these belts?— Generally speaking, the electric belts are fixed up without any pretence to electricity at all. One of the tricks is really to try and capture a man who thinks he knows something about electricity. On one of these belts they have a little arrangement by which you can move it an inch on, apparently to vary it, but the thing is made of vulcanite, which is really a non-conductor of electricity. Most of these electric belts get their action by putting them in vinegar, and if you know anything about vinegar you can easily understand that if you wrap it round your body and enclose the vapours, you get what you might think was a little shock. There is one variety made in Dunedin which does generate electricity. The only objection I have to that is that they make extravagant claims for it. One of the most important features in connection with advertising has reference to a delicate subject. I do not think any one should be allowed to advertise anything about masturbation, because, when talked about, it concentrates a lad's attention on a portion of his anatomy, while the only cure for this habit is to take his attention away from it. The racing of youngsters at schools and colleges is one of the best ways of keeping their attention off such habits, and it is a good way too. There is one point