Concealed Alcohol in Proprietary Medicines and Foods.

White Ribbon, Volume 10, Issue 118, 15 March 1905, Page 3

Concealed Alcohol in Proprietary Medicines and Foods.

By Mrs Martha M. Allen.

of the Ilqiartiuont of NonAlcohol. M Mucation for the National Women'*Christian T«* 111 iterance Union.U S A.) Abridged. The amazing credulity of the American people as to the curative power of drugs is vividly shown in the immense volume of the traffic in patent or proprietary medicines. It is conservatively estimated that the present annual sales of these preparations reach fully S')o,ooo,ooo. In view of the fact that medicines retailing at SI.OO a l»ottle do not cost over fifteen to sixteen cents, and very often as little as five to ten cents for production, Ixrttle and contents, it is easy to understand why vast fortunes are made from those sufficiently well capi ulized to afford extensive advertising. There could l>e no objection to ihe sale 01 these preparations lieyond the enormous price in proportion to the cost, if they did all that is cl timed for th m upon the lat>els and in the advertisements. But when experts in lh»- study of their effects lay to the charge of many of them idiocy, insanity an 1 widespread physical, moral, and mental ruin, it is time people liecame enlightened as to their real nature. A careful compilation ot manufacturers announcements shows a list

of i,Hofi so-called patent medicines sold to lhe public in which

alcohol, opium, or other toxic drugs form constituent parts. Six hundred and seventy-five of these are known as “bitters,” “ stomachics,” or “cordials,” and alcohol enters into their composition in <|uantities varying from fifteen to fifty per cent. Three hundred and ninety are recommended for coughs ami colds, nearly all of which contain opium in some form. Sixty remedies are sold for the relief of pain, and for no other purpose. One hundred and twenty are for nervous troubles; of these al»out one-half have entering into their composition the poisonous coca leaves, or kola nut, or l>oth, or are represented by their respective active principles, cocaine or caffeine.

One hundred and twenty-nine are offered for headaches and kindred ailments, and usually with a guarantee to give immediate relief. In these are generally compounded the poisonous phenacetin,caffeine,antipyrme, acetanilide or morphine, diluted with soda or sugar of milk. Some headache powders anti some remedies for colds have !>een found to contain cocaine.

Dysentery, diarrhu*v, cholera morbus and cramps in l>owels have one hundred and eighty five quick reliefs or M cures,” nearly all of which contain op* m. man) of them in addition alcoii’d. ginger, capsicum or myrrh, in

. wious combinations, and there are numerous cases on record where chib d- t. and adults have t>een narcotized by iheir excessive use.

borty eight compounds tor asthma contain caffeine and motphme. Thirtysix soothing or teething syrups are provided for infants, some of which contain opium or its derivatives. That theie are many people innocently and ignorantly forming an alcohol, opium or cocaine habit through the use of patent medicines is a fact well known to physicians. Vet if they speak out a warning their words are lightly treated as professional jealousy. But if they find people willing to listen and to learn, they will tell what they know. The Women’s Christian Ttmperance Union has i>een inviting physicians ot late to speak upon this theme in their regular and public meetings, and they have learned much of great value to themselves and their families. They have had clearly taught them that the formation of an alcoholic or drug habit is not the only

danger in the use of nostrums, but that much of

the prevailing ill health of the American people is due to these medicines.

For instance, a physician was called recently to attend a patient who was suffering from a disease which results only from the continusd consumption of an alcoholic liquor. As the sick man was a deacon in good standing in his church, and a voting prohibitionist, the physician was puzzled, but finally l>ethought himself and asked, “ W hat medicine have you I>een taking ?” The answer was that for months the patient had l>een taking daily doses of a medicine sold by “a retired clergy man ”; examination revealed a high percentage of alcohol in it. As it had t>een taken in small doses it did not intoxicate, so its nature was not suspected, but Us continued use had steadily undermined the health. Nothing would have induced this good deacon to partake, knowingly, of an alcoholic liquor, hut the glowing testimonials of marvellous cures in a medicine of secret composition led him upon a path whose end was a w recked nervous system and a disease which under no other circumstances could have liefallen a man of his principles. Another instance is that of a young woman who had Income so addicted to the use of a certain neuralgia “ cure ” that she had taken nearly a thousand bottles liefore she went to a physician for help. She was sent to an inebriate asylum with the hope that there she might l»e enrol of her addiction to the “cure,” which was made up largely of morphine. This young woman would not, in the beginning, have used morphine knowingly. A third case is of a woman living not tar from the writer, who has become greatly enfeebled in health, and a drunkard in additior, by the use of a remedy advertised for the ills peculiar to her sex.

Cases like these might l>e multiplied indefinitely. The writer receives le ‘~rs frequently from women telling of 1 id ones who are as much addicted to some of these medicines as any old drunkard is to his cups. They think they cannot live without the “remedies.’ It is the peculiar effect of the alcohol or morphine or other habit-producing drug that makes the patent medicine habitue. It is but right that people should be protected by the State from indulging ignorantly in what knowingly they

would never touch. The secrecy of these compositions should be done away with by laws compelling manufacturers to put upon the labels a correct formula of the contents.

The proprietary foods need watching as well as the medicines In the Baton Medical and Surgical Journal of March 12th, 1903, Dr. Charles Harrington, of Harvard Medical College, gave an analysis of various foods examined by him. His attention was drawn to this matter by tne friends of an invalid who was almost constantly in a semi-intoxicated condition, yet took no alcoholic diinks. Suspicion was directed to the “ food ” she was taking, and it and other foods were analyzed. The percentages of alcohol found were: Liquid Peptonoids,23.o3; Panopepton, 17.99; Hemabloids, 13.81; Htmapeptone, 10.06; Nutritive Liquid Peptone, 14.81; Tonic beef, 15.58; Mul ford’s Predigested Heel, 10.72 The maximum daily amount advised on the labels of some of these yielded 1.25 ounces of nutriment and the alcoholic equivalent of about six ounces of whisky. Vet, how often the sick have been left to exist on nothing but such “foods!” How much strength are they likely to receive from ounces of nutriment in the course of a day; and even this neutralized by the burning, irritant alcohol.

If people would quit drugging themselves, avoid indigestible foods, eat at regular hours, chew well, stop eating when they have had enough, take a sufficient amount of exercise, of sleep and fresh air, with a hot bath once or twice a wet k, and a cold sponge bath each morning, laying aside all alcoholics and tobacco and all carking cares, there would be very little sickness in the world. Over eating and worry lead to the drug habit for relief. Those who value Health must cultivate self-control. It is foMy to be reckless of health, and expect relief from any bottle in any drug store.