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.

    183/522 (page 179)
    “FEMALE WEAKNESS” CURES AMENORETTS This substance was exposed in a commimication from Dr. W. IT. Graves, Dodge City, Kansas. Dr. Graves tells of a visit of a “detail man” for the Amenoretts Company distribn- ling samples and exploiting the preparation which is repre- sented as curing all female complaints. The circular gave the formula for the suppositories as “the active principles of Pyro- lingenons Acid, lodin. Picric Acid, Boracic Acid, Quinin, Tetra- borate of Soda, Glycerin, and Oil of Theobromo.” The formula for the tablets is given as Pyrolingenons Acid, lodin, Boracic Acid, and Tetraborate of Soda. Dr. Graves savs he remarked on the fact that quinin was itself the active principle of cinchona and the active principles of the other known constituents must be due to the vivid imagination of the concocter of these remarkable formulas, but he saw no quantities given. His visitor replied that they did not print quantities. Not being a physician he admitted that he did not know how he should feel if he were one, and a man came to his office telling how to treat his patients with an article of unknown composition. — {Aljstracted from The Journal A. M. A., March 2J/, 1906.) “MITCHELLA COMPOUND” In the pages of those publications whose advertising ethics ]:)ermit them to give publicity to fake cancer cures, to deaf- en I'e quacks or any other of the unsavory brood which Mr. Adams exposed in the “Great American Fraud” series, the fidvertisement of “Dr.” J. H. Dye’s “IMedical Institute” may be found. Dye is one of the tribe that makes capital out of the fears of the expectant mother. After drawing lurid pic- tures of the “untold pains” to which the young mother may l)e a martyr, relief is promised if the sullerer will but use Dye’s “Mitchella Compound.” The value of “Dr.” Dye’s nos- trum is testified to by a hypothetical Mrs. Dare, who relates how after losing her first child she had a vision. A “white- robed angel” appeared, vdro delivered a flowery speech, con- cluding with the following peroration: “Go, sister, and seek freedom and peace in the use of Mitchella Compound and in following the teachings of that book.” The book referred to by the “white-robed angel” is a brochure ])ut out by “Dr.” Dye and sold for the nominal price of The title is “Painless Childbirth,” and needless