HASTENED McKINLEY'S DEATH.
It is even whispered that one of the products sold by this gang as a counterfeit of a standard article hastened the death of President William McKinley. The story goes that when the physicians sent to the nearest drug store for a certain kind of medicine they were given a substance which resembled it in every way but which was spurious. It is said the drug had exactly the opposite effect upon the president from what the doctors had reason to suppose it would have. Some there are who even declare that the application of the genuine article at that critical time would have saved the life of William McKinley.
Otta G. Stoltz, druggist at 60 Rush street, Chicago, Ill., assisted by his porter, manufactured the spurious drugs in his basement for E. A. Kuehmsted.
In manufacturing the standard remedy of aristol, he used fifty per cent of various ingredients, and fifty per cent of rosin. It was called "Thymistol, manufactured by the Mexican Chemical Company," and substituted for aristol. There was no such a company in Mexico. The goods, boxes and labels were made in Chicago, Illinois, and the stuff was sold to the druggists for one half the price of the genuine aristol.
The gang was ostensibly engaged in selling to the retail drug trade infringements of a large number of patented drugs, manufactured in Germany. Their products were represented to be genuine, differing from those handled by the legitimate wholesale drug trade only in the fact that they were imported by them direct from Canada and England, thereby evading payment of royalty to the American patentees. As a matter of fact, the peddlers used the cry of monopoly under the patents merely as a pretext for ingratiating themselves with the retail druggists, and then foisted upon them many adulterated and spurious imitations of the imported preparations. The drugs imitated are standard medical preparations, dispensed on physician's prescription by every retail pharmacist. These remedies are in so general use that at least one-half the prescriptions written by physicians call for one or other of them.
LETTER FROM EDWARD A. KUEHMSTED, THE PRINCIPAL DEALER IN SPURIOUS DRUGS;
IT IS SELF-EXPLANATORY.
Chicago, Ill.,
July 24, 1902.
Mr. M. R. Zaegel.
Sheboygan, Wis.
My Dear Mr. Zaegel:
Although I have been selling bogus Phenacetine and a lot of other bogus goods for over three years. I have never had the pleasure of selling you any of them. I should very much like to do so, and feel that I can give you satisfaction both in goods and prices.
Some time ago I perfected arrangements to get my supplies direct from Europe, where the supply is not so limited as in Canada, and I can do much better in price.
The enclosed list gives my complete line. All items with prices attached I have in stock and can supply without delay. Other items are continually arriving.
The prices I have made you are, I think, exceptionally low, and I trust they will induce you to give me a trial. Express charges I prepay. Trusting I may be favored with your valued orders, I am,
Very respectfully,
Edward A. Kuehmsted.
6323 Ingleside Ave.,
Chicago, Ill.