TOXICIDE

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

The Council has authorized the publication of the following report:

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

Toxicide (Toxicide Laboratories, Chicago) is alleged to be a remedy which “increases systemic resistance,” is “used for immunizing against septic infections” and “is indicated in any case of septic infection, capable of inducing inflammation and pus formation, regardless of location or kind of tissue involved.” The following statements bearing on the composition of the preparation are furnished by the manufacturers:

“Toxicide contains Lachesis 12X, Tarantula 6X, Psorinum (special) 15X, Silicia 6X and Excipient q. s. (the excipient is sweet milk).

“These remedies are combined in the sweet milk and put through a process of development, which produces the curative agent which we call ‘Toxicide’ ...

“Put up in tablet form, sugar coated and colored red.”

No information is given as to the proportions, either relative or actual, of the ingredients. Neither is any information given regarding the “process of development” to which the mixture is subjected, nor the amount of the finished mixture which is contained in Toxicide tablets.

The Toxicide Laboratories present the following “theory”:

“In combining these remedies and processing with milk, we develop a latent immunizing active principle, which usually controls the most virulently, active, septic infections promptly.”

Photographic reproduction (reduced) of an advertisement of the “originator” of Toxicide; it ran for many months in the program of a burlesque theater located in Ruckel’s neighborhood.

There is no evidence, however, that any effort has been made to demonstrate the presence of a “latent immunizing active principle” by scientific methods of modern immunology. The following claims for the use of Toxicide appear on the label:

“Acne, boils, carbuncles, furuncles and abscesses of the most virulent types usually begin to show improvement within 4 to 12 hours after beginning administration.

“In badly infected wounds, Toxicide will check the further destruction of live tissue and should always be given for a few days before and after operations on pus cases.

“For gunshot wounds and other conditions difficult to sterilize or drain, Toxicide is the ideal remedy.

“For abscesses existing or threatened in any obscure location, the middle ear, the mastoid, the frontal or any accessory sinuses, Toxicide is of inestimable value.

“If administered early, in fractures, compound or simple, or for laceration and other injuries, inflammation, swelling, soreness and destruction of tissue will be greatly mitigated.”

In support of these claims there are offered letters from physicians who have used Toxicide with good results. None of these testimonials present evidence that the reported effects were due to Toxicide. The asserted—and highly improbable—action of Toxicide could be determined only by an extensive series of carefully controlled clinical trials—and such evidence is entirely lacking. In fact, the claims appear to have no better basis than the coincidence which is stated to have led to the discovery of the “remedy”; namely, that a boil on the neck disappeared shortly after the administration of Toxicide!

The Council finds Toxicide inadmissible to New and Non­official Remedies because (1) the identity and amount of the potent constituent or constituents have not been furnished; (2) the preparation is advertised indirectly to the public; (3) the name “Toxicide” is thera­peutically suggestive, and (4) the therapeutic claims, being unsubstantiated by evidence, are unwarranted.

Photographic reproduction (greatly reduced) of an ad­ver­tis­ing cir­cu­lar used some time ago de­scrib­ing the marvels (alleged) of Toxicide.

[Editorial Comment.—It seems rather preposterous that a scientific body, such as the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, should have to waste its time in investigating and reporting on such an obviously unscientific product as “Toxicide.” So long, however, as there are physicians who will take preparations of this sort seriously, the Council feels that it is its duty to report on such products. The problem, in fact, was well stated in a letter addressed to the editor some months ago by the secretary of a county medical society who had just received a visit from a representative of the Toxicide Laboratories and who sent to The Journal some of the advertising matter that he had received from the same source. This physician wrote:

“I do not wish to trouble you with this kind of material, usually deposited safely in my waste paper basket, but the enclosed was handed to me today by a ‘bird’ who is calling on all the doctors and making strong statements. When he claimed that ‘Toxicide’ is being used in the Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, and that the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry is considering it seriously, etc., etc., I wish to know whether I am missing any real good thing. If it has any real virtue, I would like to know about it, but if it has not, it seems to me that something ought to be done to head him off as some doctors are sure to fall for some of it.”

The Toxicide Laboratories is, apparently, merely a trade name used by the alleged originator of “Toxicide,” J. F. Ruckel, M.D. According to our records, Ruckel was born in 1860 and was graduated by the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College in 1886. He claims to have originated Toxicide about twenty years ago and to have prescribed it “in over 3,000 cases.” In addition to Toxicide, the Toxicide Laboratories also put out “Dianasiac for Nymphomania and Satyriasis” and “Somnosine for Insomnia.”]—(From The Journal A. M. A., Oct. 8, 1921.)