Nostrums and quackery; articles on the nostrum evil and quackery reprinted, with additions and modifications, from The Journal of the American Medical Association . events in the patentmedicine world have noticed that since the passage of theFood and Drugs Act there has been a great increase in thenumber of remedies sold as cures for epilepsy. Possibly itwould be more correct to say that -there has been a greatincrease in the advertising appropriations made for this classof nostrums. The reason is not far to seek. The bromidsare powerful drugs and produce well-marked physiologiceffects. Given
Nostrums and quackery; articles on the nostrum evil and quackery reprinted, with additions and modifications, from The Journal of the American Medical Association . events in the patentmedicine world have noticed that since the passage of theFood and Drugs Act there has been a great increase in thenumber of remedies sold as cures for epilepsy. Possibly itwould be more correct to say that -there has been a greatincrease in the advertising appropriations made for this classof nostrums. The reason is not far to seek. The bromidsare powerful drugs and produce well-marked physiologiceffects. Given in quantities that no physician who respectedhis patients welfare—or his own reputation—would dare toprescribe, they produce effects that impress the layman withtheir potency. The purchaser mistakes a temporary sup-pression of the attacks of epilepsy, produced by large quan-tities of bromids. for a cure. The presence of this powerfuldrug does not have to be declared on the label, which doubt-less accounts for its wide-spread use under the present Remedy for Epilepsy and Fits is made byTrenchs Remedies, Ltd., Dublin. Ireland. It is advertised. ??.... 1 .!_?. Photographic reproduction of a portion of the letterhead used byTrenchs Remedies, Ltd. by the methods usual to such concerns—newspaper adver-tisements and booklets containing testimonials. A fakeanalytical report from the analyst, Granville H. Sharpeof London, who makes a business of furnishing certificatesfor pay, is also used as an advertising asset. The nostrumcomes in two forms—liquid and powder. It is sold in theliquid form in Great Britain and in the powdered form else-where. Both preparations have been analyzed by the chem-ists of the British Medical Association. The formula reportedfor the liquid form was: Potassium bromid 70 grains. Ammonium bromid 10 grains. Sugar 72 grains. Fuchsin, enough t color. Water, sufncienl to make 1 fl. oz. \lls( l i \ EOl ? \si i;i i/.s 623 \ The powdered form, wh
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