Nostrums and quackery : articles on the nostrum evil and quackery reprinted from the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Date:
[1911]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Nostrums and quackery : articles on the nostrum evil and quackery reprinted from the Journal of the American Medical Association. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    115/522 (page 111)
    conscienceless. Should the Lung Genuine Company attempt to keep track of their victims and publish a “monthly bulle- tin” detailing the condition of the unfortunates two or three years after taking the “treatment,” such a publication would be composed largely of obituary notices. Not entirely, of course, because there is always a goodly number of neurotic individuals who are convinced that they have some one or more fatal diseases—of their own diagnosing—and who after taking a course of self-prescribed “treatment” are with equal facility able to declare themselves “cured.” It is from this class of hypochondriacs that the most dangerous of “testi- monials” come—whether they be for a “patent medicine” or for Christian Science. MAR. blued (h« 1ft of Evtrv M«nth JACKSON. MICH-. MARCH I. I910 Mailed Every Month 7REE Current Reports from Lung-Germine Patients The many letters from patients from all parts of the United States which are reproduced in the paces of the “Bulletin are published in the Interesis n( tlie great multitude suffering from consumption and other lung and bronchial diseases. o( these reports are (rom patients who are at the present tur.i un'’®r Lung Gcrmine treatment and are cons’alescing. The “Bulletin” does not publish letters or reports from cured patients. Letters of endorsement and recommendation from patients who have finished the course of treatment and are completely cured are sent to our readers in book or bound form. The “Bulletin undertakes to keep its readers in close touch with the progress of Lung Germine patients, and a complete change of letters and reports is published every month The monthly circulation of the ‘Bulletin at the present time ranges between 30.000 and 40.oo'' per month and is constantly growing. Any- one who is interesttrd in its columns and desirous of obtaining this little publication from month to month n-ay have his nrtnie entered upon our subscription list absolutely without charge. Read die “Bulletin'* carefully and then hand it to your neighbor—he may be interested. haisf.d from his bed and gainjed IS LBS. SINCE I'SINO LUNG- GBRMIKE. Feb. 17. 1910. Dr C R- Wendl. M D.. c/o Luns Germine Co.. jAcIcaon, Mich. Dear Sir-—I will write you a few Jines to tell you what Lun^-Germlne has done for my son. E*ra Wllson. When I sent for the flrst bottle he was In bed and not able 10 ral»e hlmseU— we h-od to raise hitn up an.l prop him up w.th pillows. HlS cough was very bad and lie had lost In weight. Since taking your medicine a little over three months he has gained eighteen pounds and is feeling real well He Is taking hl8 fourth bottle of Lung-Ocrmlne but only takes It twice a day—morning and evening, as he Is going to school He Is feelFng nne but coughs a little yet. Tours respectfull' MRS A '' ' Ml WOSDEBrt’L RESULTS ODT.MNED IN TWO WEEKS. Feb 17. 7910. Lung-Oermlne Co. Jnek«on Mich. Dear Sirs —I another month's troatment. | nm not able to send more than 93.00 but I will send the rest os soon as pos.«lb1c. 1 thought I ji-oiild write and tell you about mv wnditlon ] have used two bottles of your medicine and have gain- ed IS pounds. The pains In my lungs .and chest are gone, cough la not so severe, expectoration Is loose and It Is such foul manor The doctor was by us lest week and he said that ] look so hc.iUhv i.«t't did not tell him about your meillclne, I hope another month’s ire.Tlmeni will cure me entirely I sm thanking you for past favors. Tour patient. MISS CAROLINE KATZJAN. Weston, Pn Lua Co. IFTRR TAKING TWO TIIEATMEXT. Feb 16. 1910 Lung Germine Co. Jack.son. MU-h. Denr sirs —You will find enclosed 15.00 for another boiiie of Germine. 1 nave taken (wo boil'es and have Im- proved wonderfullv, do not couch any more nor have 1 any pains or soreness In chest. Think i am nearly well now bui will take one more botllc to be sure my lungs lire cured RespeclfuMy, C w PTCKERTNO. Hobaii Mills. Calif. GIVEN DP TO niR IIV A PROMI.NENT PHYSiriAN.. HfNCE MING- GERMINE ONE MONTH HAS GAINED no I.ns. AND IS READY TO RESl'ME tv 0 n K. Feb 2, 1910 I’liotographic reproduction of part of the front pag'c of the Lung Germine te.stimonial monthly. Notice that the statement is made that the Bulletin does not publish letters or reports from cured patients.” Letters from those who are just beginning treatment” are naturally more favorable to the nostrum than those that might be sent later. WHAT THE TESTIMONIALS AKE WORTH This is indicated by tlie replies received from physicians in regard to some of the “cases” reported in the Lung Germine Bulletin. The Journal sent letters of inquiry to physicians regarding the condition of “patients” whose names appeared in some of the older Bulletins. In each case the poor victim had written telling of the wonderful improvement that Lung Germine had wrought; here are facts as given by the local physicians: