PHYTIN AND FORTOSSAN

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

Phytin, manufactured by the Society of Chemical Industry, Basel, Switzerland, and sold by A. Klipstein and Co., is an organic phosphorus compound said to be the “Acid Calcium-Magnesium Salt of Phytinic Acid (Inosit Phosphoric Acid or Anhydro-Oxymethylene-Diphosphoric Acid)” obtained from cereals and legumes.

The trade package of Phytin constitutes an indirect advertisement to the public.

The Council rejected Phytin because unwarranted and exaggerated therapeutic claims are made for this product based on the entirely undemonstrated assumptions: (1) that phosphorus is assimilated only from organic combinations (it is even implied that this must be in the form of Phytin, and that milk is incapable of supplying the phosphorus needs of infants); (2) that a long list of diseases, ranging from rickets to hysteria, are due to deranged phosphorus metabolism; (3) that all these diseases are cured or markedly benefited by Phytin.

In brief, the claims rehearse every point of the more or less discredited phosphorus propaganda, in exactly the same way as it was rehearsed successively by the exploiters of hypo­phos­phites, lecithin, glycero­phos­phates, and amorphous phosphorus. It is conceded by the writers of the advertising pamphlets for Phytin that the preceding claims were erroneous; but no evidence is given to warrant the belief that the Phytin claims are less erroneous.

The misleading statements are most extreme. By the use of bold type particular stress is laid on the preposterous and vicious claim that Phytin

“radically and permanently removes sexual debility.”

Fortossan is a preparation of Phytin and sugar of milk, also manufactured by the Society of Chemical Industry, Basel, Switzerland, and sold by A. Klipstein and Co. Since Fortossan is a simple preparation of Phytin the Council voted that the rejection of Phytin should also apply to Fortossan.​—(From The Journal A. M. A., Jan. 30, 1915.)