SO-CALLED SECRETIN PREPARATIONS

In China the administration of powdered tiger-bone is—or was—a favorite form of treatment in cases of supposed cardiac weakness. The theory is, presumably, that the cardiac strength of the tiger would be a good thing for the patient to acquire. Since many patients have recovered after taking tiger-bone, and no one has proved that they might not have died had they failed to take it, “clinical experience” stands back of the treatment; and where is the skeptic so rash as to challenge that? The Chinese physician believes in his tiger-bone therapy, and, with the best interests of his patient at heart, insists on obtaining absolutely true and authentic tiger-bone. Not satisfied with the assertions of the dealers, the conscientious Chinese physician subjects his tiger-bone to a kind of physiologic standard­ization. He offers the bone in question to a dog! If it is an ox-bone—a frequent form of substitution—the dog will seize and eagerly gnaw it, whereas, according to all the teachings of Chinese pharmacognosy, if it is a tiger-bone the dog will depart hurriedly with his tail between his legs. Very foolish? Yes! But before we smile superciliously at the Chinese medical man, let us turn to the report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry on “So-Called Secretin Preparations.”[257] After reading this report let us put to ourselves, squarely and honestly, the question: Has the attitude toward secretin therapy, of a certain portion of those who represent Western modern medicine, really been much more scientific than that of the Chinese medical profession toward tiger-bone therapy? On the basis of a hypothesis scarcely less crude and unsubstantiated than that which assumes that tiger-bone is of value in heart disease, it has been assumed that secretin is of value in gastro-intestinal diseases. On the ground of “clinical evidence” scarcely more critical than that exhibited by our confrères in the antipodes, it has been asserted that alleged secretin preparations actually are efficious. Indeed, in one respect the methods of the Chinese physician appear more scientific than those of his Western brethren. To the best of his ability, the Oriental at least makes sure that he is administering genuine tiger-bone; he does not rely on the unverified word of his dealer alone. The American physician has not been making the least effort to ascertain whether his supposed secretin preparations are truly such; and, as a matter of fact, scientific investigation seems to indicate that some of these products contained no secretin at all! Whatever one may think of the validity of his test, the Chinese physician does his best according to his lights. As to “clinical experience,” Dr. Jacobi has well said that some people make the same mistake a hundred times and call it “experience.”—(Editorial from The Journal A. M. A., Jan. 15, 1916.)