The claims for No. 3 being so inclusive, it was deemed sufficient to analyse it only. The dose of all three was stated to be the same—a piece about the size of a small marble three or four times a day; as the package, costing 2s. 9d., contained 1⅓ oz., and as it was referred to as providing twenty ordinary doses, a single dose would be about 30 grains. The substance consisted of a dark stiff paste smelling strongly of camphor. Analysis showed it to contain, in addition to camphor, glycerine, powdered liquorice, a bitter extract agreeing in all respects with extract of gentian, calcium glycerophosphate, and a trace of alkaloid; there also appeared to be a second extract present. The alkaloid, which amounted to 0·06 per cent. only, could not be identified with any of the ordinary medicinal alkaloids. There was some evidence that the second extract was that of damiana, and a paste made up with this and the other ingredients agreed well with the original; but extract of damiana possesses no distinctive characters by which it can be identified in a mixture. Quantitative determinations were made of those ingredients capable of it, and the proportions of the others estimated by comparison. The results indicated the following formula:
| Camphor | 2·5 | parts. |
| Glycerine | 24 | ” |
| Powdered liquorice | 40 | ” |
| Calcium glycerophosphate | 1·8 | ” |
| Extract of gentian | 5·0 | ” |
| Extract of damiana (?) | 8 | ” |
| Alkaloid | 0·06 | ” |
| Water to | 100 | ” |
In addition, there appeared to be present a slight trace of the oil of one of the umbelliferous fruits, probably anise or fennel. Disregarding the trace of alkaloid, the estimated cost of the ingredients for 1⅓ oz. is 2d.
PINK PILLS FOR
PALE PEOPLE.
These pills, sold by the Dr. Williams Medicine Company, from an address in London, are stated to be manufactured in the United States of America. The price is 2s. 9d. a box, containing 30 pills.
The pills are advertised for a great variety of diseases, prominence being usually given to one disease in each advertisement; thus four long advertisements appearing simultaneously in different papers were respectively headed:
Afraid of being touched. So sore with Rheumatism. A once-crippled victim tells how Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills cleansed his system of Rheumatism.
Eczema expelled. Mr. John Chamberlain tells how his sufferings from Skin Disease were cured by Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills.
Sciatica’s Swift Pains rendered this Lady helpless. Her case had defied treatment, but Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills succeeded by curing the cause of Sciatica.
The Dark Days of Dyspepsia.... Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills go to the very cause of the mischief.