HYMOSA
W. A. Puckner and W. S. Hilpert
Frequent requests for information regarding the composition of hymosa, manufactured by the Walker Pharmacal Co., St. Louis, and a perusal of the extensive and nostrum-like advertising the product is receiving, made a chemical examination of this preparation seem desirable. If the label is to be believed, hymosa has been of use in “acute and chronic muscular and articular rheumatism, gout, sciatica, lumbago, pleurodynia and neuralgia, whether due to uric acid diathesis or not ...”
The composition of hymosa as given by the proprietors is set forth in the following statement:
“... Hymosa, in which the remedies Frangula, Actea Spicata, Stellaria Media, Franciscea Uniflora, Rhus Toxicodendron, Passiflora Incarnata, Phytolacca Decandra and Echinacea Angustifolia are combined in the proportions which experience has shown will obtain the quickest and best results without any of the stomach and heart complications so often following the administration of salicylic acid.”
“Contains no Salicylic Acid.”
Thus the explicit statement is made that hymosa contains certain vegetable drugs (most of them obsolete and valueless) and that it does not contain salicylic acid. By inference the claim repeatedly is made that the nostrum does not contain any salicylates.
“... Hymosa has achieved most remarkable results in overcoming rheumatism in cases where salicylates have been tried in vain ...”
“Salicylic acid was not successful in this case of rheumatism of the stomach.”
“Negative results from salicylates—Hymosa cures.”
“... the salicylates didn’t help? Then we must try Hymosa.”
Still harping on the undesirability of salicylates and the value of hymosa the advertising pamphlets state:
“Salicylic Acid Replaced. The Use of This Dangerous Agent in Rheumatism Obviated.”
“It seems that the use of the dangerous and ineffective salicylic acid will soon be given up and hymosa take its place.”
“Former methods of treating rheumatism ... have been very unsatisfactory ... because of the heart and stomach difficulties brought on by salicylates of which most rheumatism remedies are composed.”
“Could not tolerate the salicylates.”
Finally in a letter issued to physicians we are told:
“... you will find hymosa to possess prompt and positive curative action with the additional advantage of avoiding the heart and stomach complications, which the salicylates too often cause.”
It is evident from the above quotations, in which the salicylates are denounced specifically or by implication, and from the label which states that no salicylic acid is present, that the exploiters of the nostrum deliberately intended to give the impression that hymosa is free from salicylates or salicylic acid and contains only the vegetable or plant drugs enumerated. The very fact that the proprietors make such repeated efforts to give the impression that hymosa is free from salicylates is in itself sufficient to arouse suspicion and hence in the examination particular attention was given to the detection of salicylic acid or salicylates with the following results:
Reproduction (reduced) of an advertisement of Hymosa. This indicates the attempt made to convey, by implication, the idea that the salicylates are absent from Hymosa.
Examination.—Hymosa as purchased on the market is a dark brown liquid with an odor of sassafras and a rather sweetish taste, reacting acid to litmus. Qualitative tests having indicated the presence of salicylate, iodid, sodium, potassium, alcohol and some organic matter, presumably sugars and some plant extractives, these were determined quantitatively.[96] It was found that a part of the salicylate was present as free salicylic acid and part in a combined form. The sodium determinations indicated that all the salicylate, excepting that in the form of free salicylate acid, was present as sodium salicylate. From the results of the potassium estimations, it was evident that the iodin was present in the form of potassium iodid.
From the results of the analysis it is believed that the preparation has approximately the following composition:
| Salicylic Acid | 0.32 | gm. |
| Sodium Salicylate | 1.15 | gm. |
| Potassium Iodid | 0.32 | gm. |
| Sugars and extractives | 4.60 | gm. |
| Alcohol, U. S. P. | 16.86 | c.c. |
| Water to make | 100.00 | c.c. |
These results indicate that hymosa is essentially a solution containing salicylic acid, sodium salicylate, potassium iodid, alcohol, sugars and plant extractives in the proportions given above, and show that the various statements referred to, regarding the absence of salicylic acid and salicylates are misleading and untrue. It further illustrates the repeatedly demonstrated fact that nostrums exploited as wonderful and new discoveries are new in name only—and whatever therapeutic value they possess depends on old and tried medicinal agents.
[Editorial Note: In describing the methods employed by the manufacturers of Manola in exploiting their product, attention was called to the fact that the Manola Company was reported as being a subsidiary affair of the Luyties Homeopathic Pharmacy Company of St. Louis. It is reported that this same company also operates the Walker Pharmacal Company, which exploits Hymosa and Psa-avena.]—(From the Journal A. M. A., June 11, 1910.)