THE PATENT MEDICINE EVIL—Continued
The —— Consumption Cure—Personals to Consumptives—Nature's Creation—Female Weakness Cures—Various Compounds and Malt Whiskies.
FRAUDULENT TESTIMONIALS
It would indeed seem to be an act of supererogation to compile further evidence of the infamy of this entire business: what additional proof is necessary?
A certain Dr. H. of ——, Mich., published widely the following advertisement:
"Gains 17 Pounds After Every One Gave Her Up.
"Miss I—— S—— had a terrible case of consumption, together with catarrh and bronchitis. With this terrible complication, given up to die, she took the H—— treatment. She is now cured."
Dear Doctor: I have been gaining rapidly. Have gained 17 pounds; weigh 150 pounds now and am getting quite strong, too. I wish you could see me. You would be surprised. I look just fine. Everybody says they never thought I would get well. I can't thank you enough for it. I am feeling just fine, so I will close.
Yours truly,
Miss I—— S——.
The above testimonial reads quite convincing and doubtless was the means of influencing many other unfortunate victims to put themselves under the "professional" care of Dr. H——. Investigation, however, revealed the fact that this optimistic young lady died shortly after giving the testimonial and that her death was, according to the transcript of her certificate of death issued by the State of Wisconsin, due to "consumption." The testimonial therefore cannot possibly have any value under the circumstances. Unfortunately, however, this doctor does not publish the death certificate with the testimonial, which latter he continued to use after her death.
After an exhaustive inquiry into the personality and business of the above mentioned M. D., the Journal of the American Medical Association said:
First. The H—— consumption cure is chiefly owned and controlled by men whose only qualification for treating disease is that they are business men financially interested in other medical fakes.
Second. The claims made in the advertisements, either directly or by implication, that these "remedies" will "cure" consumption are cruel and heartless falsehoods.
Third. The methods employed to capture victims, by means of speciously worded circular letters disguised as personal communications, are an imposition, if not an actual fraud, on the ignorant and credulous.
Fourth. The drugs sent out by this concern as a "trial treatment" are worthless as a cure for consumption.
Fifth. In printing endorsements of himself, which this M.D. received from ministers of the gospel, he grossly abused the confidence of men who did not know the use to which their letters were to be put.
Sixth. The testimonials from physicians which he publishes have been shown to emanate in some cases from men who themselves are employed in exploiting medical fakes.
Seventh. The claim he makes of being a graduate of Edinburgh University has been shown to be as false as the claims made for the nostrum he exploits.
Can a much more disgraceful business than the various "consumption cure" humbugs be imagined? Founded on fraud, maintained by deceit, perpetuated by falsehood—the sick are exploited to pay dividends on corporate quackery. How much longer will this outrage on the unfortunate victims of the White Plague be tolerated? If not for humanitarian reasons, then for its own protection, at least, society should demand that such cruel frauds be suppressed. Their existence is a menace to public health and a disgrace to modern civilization.
Many fraudulent nostrums are advertised as blind advertisements in the "Personal" columns of the daily press. The following recently appeared in the "Personal" columns of papers all over the country:
PERSONAL—TO CONSUMPTIVES: I possess information which cost me a fortune, and feel that I should let every consumptive know about my experience. Mrs. R., Ohio.
To those who answered this advertisement was sent a letter written on pale blue stationery, such as is used for social correspondence, with the initials —. R. embossed, monogram style, in gilt on the paper and envelope, signed "Mrs. —. R." It is asserted in this letter that the writer has cured herself "in defiance of the world's scientists," by the discovery of "a combination of certain roots and herbs." As a consequence of having made this discovery, and after spending a fortune in the quest of a cure according to the advertisement, we are informed that "I am now devoting my life to saving others." According to further information, her effort is apparently successful, because she "finds it impossible to attend personally to the multitude of inquiries with which she is favored." She finds it necessary, therefore, "to refer your letter to my secretary, Mr. C——, from whom you will no doubt hear soon." The secretary is very evidently on the job, "for in the next mail there is delivered a letter from the —— Company, signed H. W. C——, Sec'y."
We can estimate the degree of Mrs. R.'s solicitude for the welfare of the race when we learn that the same concern was engaged in exploiting a syphilis "cure" in Chicago a few years ago. In all probability the cure is the same for both diseases. It is difficult to tell of which disease it was that Mrs. R. cured herself.
Among the testimonials published by this concern in its booklet are quite a number in which the statement is made, frequently in glowing terms, that the writer has been "cured" of consumption by ——. A few of these were investigated and in every instance the writer died of consumption. This mixture is, in the strongest terms that can be used, a fake, a fraud, and is not a "cure" for consumption, as, of course, every intelligent person knows.
TO CONSUMPTIVES.
The undersigned having been restored to health by simple means, after suffering for several years with a severe lung affection, and that dread disease Consumption, is anxious to make known to his fellow sufferers the means of cure. To those who desire it, he will cheerfully send (free of charge), a copy of the prescription used, which they will find a sure cure for Consumption, Asthma, Catarrh, Bronchitis, and all throat and lung maladies. He hopes all sufferers will try his remedy, as it is invaluable. Those desiring the prescription which will cost them nothing, and may prove a blessing, will please address Rev. —— W., ——, N. Y.
A reply to this advertisement brought the information that the Rev. W—— contracted tuberculosis while in charge of a church in Maine, and after trying various treatments was finally cured by "a famous Dr. C——, of Paris, France." It was now his intention to "devote his life" to aid suffering humanity, in a spirit of thankfulness, by giving away, free of all charge, a copy of the famous prescription.
Investigation proved that the Rev. E. A. W—— did not exist, consequently he never had a church in Maine, nor did he contract tuberculosis, or consult Dr. C——, of Paris. The individual who conducted the business was really one C. A. A——, who, it is to be inferred, conceived the whole fake. The scheme was a simple one. When the prescription was received it was discovered that the ingredients were not known to the drug trade and it was necessary to send to Mr. A—— for a supply before it could be tested. The literature sent with the prescription was of such a character that the average ignorant sufferer from consumption, hoping against hope for a "cure," fell into the trap and sent the money for a trial shipment.
"FEMALE WEAKNESS" CURES
Dr. D——'s "—— Compound": This nostrum is sold to relieve the pain of child-birth. It is surely not necessary to state that it will not relieve the pains of child-birth, nor will any drug or drugs ever do so. The irresponsible group of quacks who claim to have solved the problem of "painless child-birth" through the use of various "compound's" hardly merit the consideration of ordinary individuals. It is almost impossible to believe that a man would print over his name such a puerile or fantastic story as the following. Dr. D—— asserts that the value of his compound is proved because a certain woman patient tells how, after losing her first child, she had a vision. A "white-robed angel" appeared, who, after speaking to her in beautiful language, said, "Go, sister, and seek freedom and peace in the use of —— Compound and in following the teachings of that book."
The book is entitled "Painless Child-Birth," it sells for $2.00 and it simply extols, in unnecessary flowery language, the merits of the compound.
If we heard such stories in every-day life we would smile credulously at our informant and doubt his sanity, but in a patent medicine advertisement we expect to read of miracles and we almost hope to be told of impossible happenings. The more glaringly false and silly they seem to be, the more they seem to exert their subtle hypnotic influence on anyone whose physical or mental temperament lends itself to the appeal.
This compound "speedily cures all derangements and irregularities of the menstrual function, congestion, inflammation, ulceration and displacement of the womb, and other things too numerous to mention." It is claimed that it is made of the purest and most carefully selected herbs which can be obtained. If, however, one picked up two handfuls of dried leaves in the woods and put them in a package, the average man could not distinguish between such rakings and "Dr. D——'s —— Compound" at $1.00 a package.
The Journal of the American Medical Association in commenting on this fake, states:
—— Compound is, in short, but one more of the innumerable cure-alls on the market in which discarded, unrecognized or useless drugs are pressed into service and invested with miraculous virtues. What shall be said of men who prey on pregnant women? Who create in the mind of the expectant mother the fear of untold agonies and then offer immunity to these supposititious tortures at the price of their worthless nostrums? Who, with the help of such publications as will accept their lying advertisements, do more to encourage abortion than even the professional abortionists themselves? There seems to be but one remedy: Speed the time when in their acceptance of advertising those publishers who fail to recognize decency as a moral obligation may be forced by public opinion to recognize its value as a business proposition.
The C. B. M. Remedy Company: In a small town in Indiana there is a "lady" who has been spending a fortune in giving medical treatment absolutely free to suffering women. The letters, literature, and advertisements by implication lead one to suppose that a woman is in charge of the business of this concern. The advertisements have a picture of a lady giving away packages of medicine. The business was conducted by one F. D. M. The name of his wife was simply used as an advertising asset; the idea, of course, being that a woman would be more willing to write to a business concern telling of her private illnesses if she understood that she was confiding in a woman than she would if under the impression that her letter would be read by a man. This is an old scheme which was employed by others for many years with great success.
M. himself is not a physician and is in no way qualified to give advice to these women who write in response to the advertisements detailing their symptoms and telling of their troubles. Investigation showed that the medicine was compounded by the clerks and stenographers in the employ of the company, and that all communications were answered by form letters. It did not matter what ailed the patient, the treatment was the same.
The claims made by this concern for their remedy, and they had only one, were along the usual line—everything they could think about which has a remote connection with the specialty in which they were interested—leucorrhea, ulceration, displacement or falling of the womb, profuse, scanty or painful periods, uterine or ovarian tumors or growths, and piles from any cause, no matter of how long standing; also pains in the back head and bowels, bearing down feelings, nervousness, creeping feeling up the spine, melancholy, desire to cry, hot flushes, weariness, uterine cancers in their earlier stages.
Analysis of the remedy showed it to be a combination of two weak, commonly used drugs, one a very mild antiseptic and the other a mild astringent. These were held together with cocoa butter into which a drop of carbolic acid may have been put. There is nothing unusual in the combination, nor has it any wonderful qualities which would justify the claims made in behalf of it. The remedy contains nothing which could under any circumstances effect the removal of cancers, fibroid growths, or polypi, or which is capable of radically relieving laceration of the womb due to child-birth.
The following is one of the specious appeals which this meretricious concern sent to the ailing women of America:
Mrs. M. receives more mail than any other woman in the state.
How would you like to receive so much mail that it would be necessary to use a grindstone in order to open the letters as fast as they come in. This is the way Mrs. C. B. M. opens her mail. She gets tons of mail, and to save time has the letters opened by a large grindstone, which occupies a conspicuous place in her office. No other person in Indiana receives so much mail as she.
Mrs. M.'s aid and advice is as free to you as God's sunshine or the air you breathe. She is always glad to lend her assistance to every suffering woman, and she is a generous, good woman, who has suffered herself as you suffer, and she wants to prove to you that her common sense home treatment will cure you just as surely as it cured her years ago in her humble cottage before riches and fame came to her.
If you are a sufferer from any female trouble, no matter what it is, send the coupon below to Mrs. C. B. M. at once.
I am a woman with all a woman's hopes and fears. I have known what it is to be sick in body and mind. Sick in a way that I couldn't bring myself to explain to a man, even though he were my physician, and I am thankful beyond the power of words to express that I have been given the power to extend to you, my sisters, the priceless boon of relief from the burden of pain and suffering.
I only pray that this little book may be the means of saving some woman from years of such agony as only a woman can know.
I dedicate this book to you.
WOMEN'S DISEASES
I doubt if you can realize the full meaning of these two little words. I, who come in contact with the pitiful wrecks of womanhood wrought by female complaints, know, as I hope you will never know, what shattered lives and broken hearts they cause.
Only a sensitive woman can realize how hard it is to bring one's self to undergo the ordeal of examination and treatment by a physician.
Every letter sent out by this concern was signed, "Mrs. C. B. M." All literature, every booklet, and every advertisement was ingeniously and seductively "built up" to convey by implication the impression that the business was conducted by a woman, and hence the inference followed in the minds of the simple, trusting victims, that they were writing their secrets, to be read by one of their own sex, and that this woman was professionally qualified and temperamentally capable of giving competent advice and adequate treatment.
Nothing was further from the truth. It was simply a trick, a fraudulent, venal imposition. Mrs. C. B. M. herself admitted that she had absolutely nothing to do with the conduct of the business, nor did her previous experience in any way fit her to give advice in such matters. Her husband established the business under the name of the —— Medicine Company, and continued under this name until after his marriage, when it was reorganized and incorporated in his wife's name. Benefiting by the experience of similar concerns, he then used his wife's name simply as a business asset. How capably and efficiently he utilized this opportunity is shown in the beguiling literature he sent out as the above quotation amply demonstrates.
Think of a man writing, "I am a woman with all a woman's hopes and fears,"—and then proceeding to play, with consummate skill, upon the sensibility and credulity of a sick and neurasthenic woman. It is a round-about way to reach the public pocketbook, but experience has taught these harpies that it is an eminently successful method. Mr. M. himself admitted that the gross receipts from the business were in excess of $100,000 a year, and that 200,000 people were taking treatment from this concern at one time.
Mention has been made of a certain famous compound—which has been characterized by a well-known authority on drug addictions as "a dangerous drug used largely by drinkers." For 23 years after the death of the woman founder, —— and ——, the owners of the concern, advertised, inviting women to "write to L. P. for advice in regard to their complaints, and being a woman"—though a dead one—"it was easy, for her ailing sisters to pour into her ears every detail of their suffering."
The advertisement as generally printed runs:
No physician in the world has had such a training, or has such an amount of information at hand to assist in the treatment of all kinds of female ills.
This, therefore, is the reason why Mrs. L—— P——, in her laboratory at ——, Mass., is able to do more for the ailing women of America than the family physician. Any woman, therefore, is responsible for her own suffering who will not take the trouble to write to Mrs. P—— for advice.
Does any woman need any further evidence of the fraudulent intent of such concerns? Keep in mind also that this particular remedy is exclusively recommended for "the diseases of women," and contains enough alcohol to render its users victims of the alcoholic habit.
MEDICINE CONCERN RUN BY WOMEN
Dr. D—— runs a mail order business in another town in Indiana. Her specialty is "diseases of women." The business is really owned by W. M. G——, a dealer in teas, coffees, etc. In the advertisements of the concern Dr. D—— emphasizes the fact that she is "a woman—a wife—a mother—a successful physician—a specialist on diseases of women." In many places in the literature of the company the "vast experience" of Dr. D—— is intentionally elaborated.
"Her vast experience as a physician is only one of the qualifications she possesses...."
"Her training and vast experience as a physician enables her to do more for suffering women than any woman can who is not a physician...."
"During several years of active life as a general practitioner she acquired a vast amount of valuable experience that very few ever possess...."
These three quotations emphatically assert that Dr. D. has had "vast" experience "as a general practitioner." Where did she get this experience as a general practitioner? Inasmuch as she graduated as a physician in 1907 and was licensed to practice in 1908, and as the "—— D—— Company" was chartered in 1908 and began active business then, we ask again, where did she get her "vast experience?"
The following letter, sent by Dr. D—— to one of her prospective patients, gives a general idea of how the "game" is worked. These letters are "form" letters, printed by the thousand, though they are intended to convey the impression that they are personal—the patient's name being inserted. It will be observed that Dr. D——has acquired the specious and oily art of the quack, and the seductive diction of those who live by their wits:
Dear Friend: Since it is your misfortune to be afflicted, I am glad you wrote to me, because I sincerely believe that I can completely cure you if you take my treatment now. Realizing the serious nature of your condition, I at once arranged to give your case my prompt personal attention.
After years of success in curing practically every form of woman's ills, I am devoting my life to my sister women. Being a woman and a mother, I know your every ache and pain and sympathize with you as only a woman can. As a physician, as a specialist in diseases of women I know the causes of your trouble and the most scientific method of curing you quickly. Since you have in me a sympathetic friend as well as a physician I trust you will read carefully my plan for your complete recovery.
A careful diagnosis of your case shows you have Female Weakness.
I have mailed a copy of my book, "Diseases of Women and Home Medical Guide." Be sure to read a description of your condition on pages 25-47.
As requested I have mailed you a free trial of my successful treatment. It is bound to help you and you should take it at once according to my directions enclosed herewith. The free medicines will last you for three days and are suited to your condition, but you should not expect them to cure you. Some of the ingredients contained in the remedies you need are very costly and I cannot afford to give you enough of these medicines to completely cure you.
Your case seems to be of long standing and you really should have a Complete Course of Treatment at once if you are to be completely cured. As I want to do everything possible for you I have prepared a Special Course of Treatment for you and am sending it, postage paid, in the same package with the free remedies.
Please remember that the free remedies are yours to take at once without charge or obligation, but if you use the Special Treatment I shall expect you to send me $3 for it. You need not feel under obligation to me to accept the Special Course, but I know it is just what you need and need NOW, so I feel sure your good judgment will cause you to accept it at your earliest convenience. By sending now I save you some time and ...
Dr. G. M. B., of ——, Mo., advertises to cure deafness, catarrh, asthma and head noises. He offers to send two months' medicine free to prove his ability to cure. In reply to inquiry he practically informs every applicant that his case is so bad that there is no use of sending the two months' treatment. In order to effect a cure in "your case" it is necessary for you to take the regular treatment. He accepts the chance that the literature and the testimonials accompanying his letter will influence the victim to bite. Inasmuch as he admits that his income is about $5,000 per month and that he gets three hundred letters every day, it may be assumed that he knows his business.
It is not necessary to go into details regarding his methods. The following summary of his business was made by the district attorney who investigated it:
I find that the business is being conducted through the post office at ——, Mo., under the names of Dr. —— Remedy Company and Dr. J. M. B——, and is a scheme and device for obtaining money through the mails by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises, and I therefore recommend that a fraud order be issued prohibiting the delivery of mail and the payment of money orders to such addresses.
A certain "pure" malt whiskey is advertised as:
"A reliable all-round household remedy."
"It should be in every family medicine chest."
"It is manufactured for the purpose of supplying the profession and public in general with a reliable tonic and stimulant."
"It is a recognized specific to enrich the blood and build body and muscle, and in the prevention and relief of coughs, colds and stomach troubles it has no equal."
Previous to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act it was advertised in the following terms:
BEST SPRING TONIC.
DOCTORS OF ALL SCHOOLS AGREE THAT THE BEST TONIC-STIMULANT TO BUILD UP THE SYSTEM, RUN DOWN AND WEAKENED BY THE LONG STRAIN OF WINTER, AND TO DRIVE OUT SPRING FEVER AND MALARIA IS ——'S MALT WHISKEY.
As a tonic and stimulant it is the greatest strength-giver known to science. It destroys disease germs and by its building and healing properties restores tissues in a gradual, healthy, natural manner. It is a wonderful specific in the treatment and cure of consumption, pneumonia, grippe, bronchitis, coughs, colds, malaria, low fevers, stomach troubles, and all wasting, weakened, diseased conditions, if taken in time.
It is recognized as the world's leading medicine everywhere.
By a decision of the Supreme Court of the State of New York this "pure" malt whiskey has been declared a liquor. It is simply a sweetened whisky. To advertise it as a CURE for consumption or as a cure for any disease was malicious, and should be punishable by a long term in prison. It would be possible to take every statement of the above advertisement and prove each one to be false.
This "pure" malt whiskey is a favorite "booze" of so-called temperance people. Since it is advertised as a medicine, they can get drunk from its use and still be "temperance" advocates. One of the favorite methods of advertising the product was to draw the public's attention to the fact that
CLERGYMEN ENDORSE MALT WHISKY
DISTINGUISHED DIVINES AND TEMPERANCE WORKERS WHO HAVE spent their lives in uplifting their fallen brethren and placing their feet upon the solid rock use and recommend ——'s pure malt whisky. Honored and respected preachers of the gospel and advocates of temperance, without regard to creed or prejudice, make frank and outspoken statements of what ——'s pure malt whisky has done for them.
Then follow the testimonials and the photographs of three aged and inert-looking preachers.
It made an impressive advertisement, as most nostrum "ads" are, because, unfortunately, the art of the liar is best expressed in the superlative degree. His word-pictures are therefore more lurid, more diversified, more romantic. But when they are investigated and the facts brought to light the advertisement falls to pieces. For example, compare the actual facts relative to the three "distinguished divines" with the fiction in the following advertisement:
The Rev.—— D——, over 82 years of age, practised medicine for many years, when he moved west. He became a minister and did preach for ten years in the State of Wyoming. He then retired from the pulpit and opened a marriage bureau. He received $10.00 when he gave his testimonial "to get his picture taken."
The Rev. —— H—— occupied the pulpit of the Church of Eternal Hope of B——, Pa. He retired to enter politics a number of years ago, and is now a deputy Internal Revenue collector. He is a spiritualist. He owned race horses and was a patron of the turf.
The Rev. McL—— lived in G——, Mich. There are 893 people in the township and it is not even on the railroad line. Mr. McL—— was allowed to resign from the fellowship after being called to trial for endorsing ——'s pure malt whisky.
If these three gentlemen were brought on the stage of any city vaudeville theater and introduced as distinguished divines it would be regarded as a joke—which it really is. If we relegate our "distinguished divines" to marriage bureaus, or the race track, or to the Internal Revenue service, or to preach to flocks in townships of less than one thousand and not on the railroad, the outlook for the ministerial profession is far from encouraging. To tell us that these men spent their lives "in uplifting their fallen brethren" is imposing upon the good nature of one's audience. It is simply one more evidence added to the long list already noted that one does not readily acquire the habit of expecting to read the truth in a patent medicine advertisement. Rather the reverse. We examine them in expectant curiosity to note their unique and devilish ability to tell picturesque falsehoods.
Certain famous pills are advertised extensively in Great Britain and in the United States. It is claimed by the manufacturers that they are "composed entirely of medicinal herbs" and that they will "cure" constipation, pains in the back, cold chills, bad legs, maladies of indiscretion, kidney and urinary disorders—and several other things.
These pills were analyzed by the British Medical Association's chemists, who reported that they consisted of ginger, soap, and aloes. Where the "medicinal herbs" were it was hard to say.
In large and lurid letters we are informed in the advertisements that these pills are "worth a guinea ($5.00) a box." The retail price is 27 cents a box. The British Medical Association's chemist states that the cost of these pills is one-quarter of a cent per box. Quite a fair margin of profit considering the high cost of living these days!