THERAPION.

Another “medicine company,” also with an address in London, advertises three preparations which it calls Therapion. Therapion No. 1 was described as “the most efficacious remedy” for “all discharges”; Therapion No. 2 as “the great remedy for impurity of the blood, scurvy, pimples, spots, blotches, pains and swellings of the joints, gout,” and so on; and No. 3 as a new French remedy, by the use of which the shattered health will be restored.

The Expiring Lamp of Life Lighted Up Afresh,

and a new existence imparted in place of what had so lately seemed worn, “used up,” and valueless. This wonderful medicine is suitable for all ages, constitutions, and conditions, in either sex, and it is difficult to imagine a case of disease or derangement, whose main features are those of debility, that will not be speedily and permanently benefited by this never-failing recuperative essence, which is destined to cast into oblivion everything that had preceded it, for this widespread and numerous class of human ailments.

The claims for No. 3 being so inclusive, it was deemed sufficient to analyse it only. The dose of all three was stated to be the same—a piece about the size of a small marble three or four times a day; as the package, costing 2s. 9d., contained 1⅓ oz., and as it was referred to as providing twenty ordinary doses, a single dose would be about 30 grains. The substance consisted of a dark stiff paste smelling strongly of camphor. Analysis showed it to contain, in addition to camphor, glycerine, powdered liquorice, a bitter extract agreeing in all respects with extract of gentian, calcium glycerophosphate, and a trace of alkaloid; there also appeared to be a second extract present. The alkaloid, which amounted to 0·06 per cent. only, could not be identified with any of the ordinary medicinal alkaloids. There was some evidence that the second extract was that of damiana, and a paste made up with this and the other ingredients agreed well with the original; but extract of damiana possesses no distinctive characters by which it can be identified in a mixture. Quantitative determinations were made of those ingredients capable of it, and the proportions of the others estimated by comparison. The results indicated the following formula:

Camphor2·5parts.
Glycerine24 ”
Powdered liquorice40 ”
Calcium glycerophosphate  1·8”
Extract of gentian5·0”
Extract of damiana (?)8 ”
Alkaloid0·06”
Water to100 ”

In addition, there appeared to be present a slight trace of the oil of one of the umbelliferous fruits, probably anise or fennel. Disregarding the trace of alkaloid, the estimated cost of the ingredients for 1⅓ oz. is 2d.

PINK PILLS FOR
PALE PEOPLE.

These pills, sold by the Dr. Williams Medicine Company, from an address in London, are stated to be manufactured in the United States of America. The price is 2s. 9d. a box, containing 30 pills.

The pills are advertised for a great variety of diseases, prominence being usually given to one disease in each advertisement; thus four long advertisements appearing simultaneously in different papers were respectively headed:

Afraid of being touched. So sore with Rheumatism. A once-crippled victim tells how Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills cleansed his system of Rheumatism.

Eczema expelled. Mr. John Chamberlain tells how his sufferings from Skin Disease were cured by Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills.

Sciatica’s Swift Pains rendered this Lady helpless. Her case had defied treatment, but Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills succeeded by curing the cause of Sciatica.

The Dark Days of Dyspepsia.... Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills go to the very cause of the mischief.

Each advertisement included a long description of a “case,” and as a rule a picture was introduced. The following is from the concluding paragraph of the first of these advertisements, and the others ended in a similar way.

The Dr. Williams’ Way.

When the muscles and nerves are tortured by poisons in the Blood, be the result Rheumatism, Sciatica, or Lumbago, the only way to a cure is to Enrich and Purify the Blood. Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills, in this way alone, have cured not only Rheumatism, but Anæmia, Indigestion, Palpitations, Influenza’s After-Effects, Eczema, Sciatica, St. Vitus’ Dance, Spinal Weakness, the many forms of Nervous Disorders dreaded by men; also the special ailments of women.

The pills were ovoid in shape and coated with sugar, coloured pink; after removal of the coating they had an average weight of 3 grains. Analysis showed them to contain ferrous sulphate, potassium carbonate (these two having reacted more or less completely, and about one-third of the iron having become oxidized to the ferric state), magnesia, powdered liquorice, and sugar. Since it has been stated that these pills contain arsenic, careful search was made for it, but it was not found, The pill is thus merely one of the many variations of Blaud’s pill. The quantities of the different ingredients found indicated the following formula:

Exsiccated sulphate of iron0·75 grain.
Potassium carbonate, anhydrous  0·66”
Magnesia0·09”
Powdered liquorice1·4”
Sugar0·2”
In one pill.

The estimated cost of the ingredients for 30 pills is one-tenth of a penny.