CAMPHO-PHENIQUE

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry and Some Comments Thereon

The following report was submitted to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry by the subcommittee to which Campho-Phenique had been assigned:

To the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry:—Campho-Phenique, sold by the Campho-Phenique Co., St. Louis, Mo., is claimed to be composed of phenol 49 per cent., and camphor 51 per cent.

Examination of specimens, purchased in the open market, made under our direction, demonstrates that the statements made in regard to the composition are not true. Instead of containing 49 per cent. of phenol (carbolic acid), the analysis showed that it contains not more than 20 per cent. Instead of containing 51 per cent. of camphor, the analysis demonstrates that the amount of camphor is not more than 38 per cent. Besides phenol and camphor, a third substance was found which proved to be liquid petrolatum and to be present to the extent of 38 per cent. or more.

Since the statements made in regard to the composition of Campho-Phenique are deliberate mis­rep­re­sen­ta­tions of the facts, it is recommended that the article be not approved.

Besides Campho-Phenique, the above-mentioned firm also sells a preparation labeled Campho-Phenique Powder. While no statement in regard to the composition of this product is made on the label or in the literature, such expressions as “Campho-Phenique in a powdered form” and “Powdered Campho-Phenique” lead to the inference that it has essentially the same composition as that stated for the liquid preparation. An examination of a specimen of Campho-Phenique Powder purchased in the open market showed that 92 per cent. of it was a talcum-like inorganic substance. The remaining 8 per cent. consisted chiefly of camphor with a small amount of phenol.

In view of the fact that Campho-Phenique Powder contains very little phenol, but instead consists chiefly of an inorganic talcum-like substance, its name is misleading and deceptive. It having been shown that Campho-Phenique Powder corresponds to a camphorated talcum powder, the claims that it “has no equal as a dry dressing,” that it is “absolutely superior to iodoform,” and that it has “all the excellent properties of aristol and iodoform,” are unwarranted. It is recommended that the article be not approved, and that this report be published.

The recommendations of the subcommittee were adopted by the Council, and in accordance therewith the above report is published.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

Campho-Phenique

The above report on a much advertised “ethical” proprietary medicine is worthy of the thoughtful consideration of the members of the medical profession, as it illustrates admirably some of the conditions connected with this proprietary medicine business.

THE FORMULA A FAKE

First, it illustrates the fact that the published formulas of the “ethical” proprietaries are not always reliable. The Campho-Phenique Company has been very willing to give out a formula, purporting their product to be 51 per cent. camphor and 49 per cent. phenol (carbolic acid). Now, these two drugs will make a liquid mixture, and any druggist can make it, and the mixture will have about the same consistency and appearance as Campho-Phenique. But its effect differs decidedly from that of Campho-Phenique. Some months ago a very intelligent physician, in discussing the proprietary medicine business, said that in some cases physicians could not get druggists to make preparations which were as satisfactory as those which could be bought ready-made. He cited Campho-Phenique as an illustration. He said that he had used this preparation for burns, etc., but as he did not like to use preparations put up by companies about which he knew nothing, he asked his druggist to make the mixture in accordance with the published formula. The druggist’s preparation was not satisfactory; it had a decidedly different effect from Campho-Phenique, and so he tried another druggist. This druggist also followed the published formula, but his results, too, differed materially from the proprietary article.

The various analyses that have been made show why the preparations put up by the druggists did not resemble that made by the company; since, according to the analyses, Campho-Phenique consists of 40 per cent. liquid petrolatum, which is an inert but soothing diluent, while instead of 49 per cent. of carbolic acid, as claimed, it really contains less than 20 per cent. This is an entirely different proposition. Now, if the physician referred to above will have his druggist make a mixture of 20 per cent. of carbolic acid, 40 per cent. of camphor and 40 per cent. of liquid petrolatum, and will then compare this resulting compound with Campho-Phenique, he will find that there is not much difference. Furthermore, he will realize that there is nothing either new or wonderful about the preparation. Camphorated oil and carbolized oil are both in common use. Campho-Phenique is apparently simply a mixture of the two.

THE POWDER STILL WORSE

So much for the liquid. The powder seems to be something entirely different, for, according to the chemist’s report, over 90 per cent. of it is inert, absorbent, talcum-like material. There is enough camphor and carbolic acid to give the powder an odor and thus mislead physicians, especially those who are in the habit of taking for granted that whatever statements nostrum manufacturers make are true. Perhaps it is a fairly good dressing for wounds—​at least it will do no harm—​but its name is misleading and deceptive. For all practical purposes it is essentially a camphorated talcum powder.

COMPANY A “PATENT-MEDICINE” CONCERN

The second interesting phase of this “ethical” proprietary is that it illustrates another point, i. e., that many of these articles are supplied to our profession by those who are not legitimate manufacturing pharmacists. The Campho-Phenique Company of St. Louis, according to all reports, is owned and controlled by a gentleman named Ballard. This “company” supplies the medical profession with the preparations under consideration and also with Chloro-Phenique and Scrofonol. We are informed that this same Mr. Ballard is the principal owner, if not the sole owner, of quite a number of “patent-medicine” companies, such as Ballard-Snow Liniment Co., Brown’s Iron Bitters Co., Mayfield Medicine Mfg. Co., Smith Bile Beans Co., Swain’s Laboratory, and several others. We learn from the wholesale drug trade lists that these various “companies” make and sell, besides the Campho-Phenique preparations, Ballard-Snow Liniment, Ballard’s Herbine, Brown’s Iron Bitters, Dr. Herrick’s Pills, Richardson’s Life-Preserving Bitters, Smith’s Bile Beans, Swain’s All Healing Ointment, and several other “patent medicines.”

It is hardly necessary to make any further comments. The whole business is nauseating to those who know the actual conditions of this nostrum business and how our profession is being deluded. The Campho-Phenique matter is not an exception; it is simply another illustration of these conditions.

The majority of “ethical” proprietaries are foisted on our profession, either without any formula accompanying them, or with a “formula” that is a fake. The majority of the “ethical” proprietaries are manufactured and supplied to physicians, with instructions regarding their use, by men who bear the same relation to legitimate pharmacy that the veriest quack that ever swindled a credulous public bears to scientific medicine.​—(From The Journal A. M. A., April 20, 1907.)