The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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The Health Bulletin December, 1927
A PATENT MEDICINE EXHIBIT
At the November meeting of the
Southern Medical Association at Memphis,
Tennessee, among the scientific
exhibits for the benefit of the doctors
and other visitors at that meeting, in
which nearly three thousand doctors
were present from all over the South,
one of the most interesting exhibits
was one showing specimens of patent
medicine which had been offered for
sale in Memphis and which had been
condemned as being worthless or worse.
The placard designating the exhibit
read as follows
"Specimens of over 68,000 of patents
(medicine) offered for sale in Memphis
Auction and condemned through collaboration
of the U. S. Bureau of
Chemistry, Memphis Department of
Health, and Department of Pharmacology,
University of Tennessee."
It goes without saying that the particular
exhibit shown in this instance
was illuminating from every standpoint.
It is to be doubted that ever before in
the South, or anywhere else, has such
an assembled aggregation been gathered
together for the information of the
doctors attending that meeting. Every
kind of medicinal fraud the human mind
could possibly think up, it seems, was
exhibited—tablets, pills, potions, powders,
liquids of every color and constituency.
Cures from corns to cancer.
Herbs, extracts, sirups, tinctures, oils,
cordials, "Pain Knockers," "Bitters,"
"Balms," "Liver Powders," "Liverenes,"
"Liveraxes," "Bearlaxes," "Laxso's,"
"Liver Klenzor's," "Liver Regulators,"
"Liver-Ezes," "Liver Tonics,"
"Laxana's," "Appendixiue" ; cough and
croup remedies without end. Thousands
of different kinds of iron, one fine
specimen called "Why-Koff." Several
hundred kinds of packages and bottles
labeled "Antiferments" and "Anodynes."
Blood "Purifiers" without
number. Liniments and "Rub-On's" by
the bushel. Everything from "Baby-
Ease" for the baby to "Rocky Mountain
Tea" for grandpa. Emulsions, antiseptics,
and even one Canadian beautifier
known as "Epp-0-Tone" for the
girls' complexion. "Tip-Top" for all
diseases of the skin, on down to "We-
Li-Ka" for everything, including man
and beast, fish and fowl. One pneumonia
and croup and diphtheria
"remedy" advertised a picture of a big
horse shoe on the package to indicate
to the poor deluded parents of a child
sick unto death of diphtheria and without
proper medical aid, that to use this
fake meant good luck. "Dead Shot"
for worms (and often dead shot for
the helpless baby taking it, of course,
but not so stated on the bottle), "Worm
Oils" and "Worm Candies" in profusion.
Teething "Elixirs" and Rub-
On-Oils" for "Out-Go-Pain," "Sexine
Pills" ; and to cap the exhibit several
kinds of truck labeled "Female Regulators."
Influenza pills and kidney
"cures" were, of course, not missing
but, on the other hand, well represented
by "Chill-Eases," "Chill-Flies," "Flu
Cures," and so on. One very thoughtful
Mr. So and So's tablets were guaranteed
to cure "all troubles peculiar to
women." The old gray cure-all of the
pile was probably one bottle full of
truck said to be "King of Fire."
The foregoing is just a mere sketch
of some of the more catchy labels on
the bottles and packages in this notable
exhibit. Never before have we looked
on a greater aggregation representative
of human cupidity and the depths
to which some people will stoop in exploiting
their less fortunate and ignorant
fellowmen.
A liAWYER PLEASED WITH THE
QUICKNESS AND WISDOM OF
HIS SON'S DECISION
While at the family luncheon several
years ago, Robert, a boy of six years
of age, said to his father
"Papa, I want your knife this afternoon."
The father replied : "Robert, I do not
know about this. You had better speak
to your mother about it ; she is boss
in this house. I have no authority in
here ; whatever she says controls." But
at the same time, "Robert, I want jou
to understand that when we are out of
this house, my authority comes in and
she is no longer boss."
Immediately Robert replied : "Papa,
let's go out of the house."