Rheumatism MEANS an excess of uric acid in the blood.
Scrofula is a constitutional disease almost synonymous with tuberculosis.
Catarrh is an excreting inflammation of the mucous membrane.
Dyspepsia (Indigestion) MEANS impaired secretion of pepsin and consequent imperfect digestion.
Gastritis MEANS catarrh of the mucous membrane of the stomach.
TAKE THE REMEDIES ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS:
- One Tablet “A” before breakfast.
- One Tablet “B” before dinner.
- One Tablet No. 18 before supper.
- One Tablet No. 7 after dinner and after supper.
- One Tablet No. 45 on retiring.
This was accompanied by tablets marked “A,” “B,” and “18,” three of each, four marked “45,” and five marked “7”; also by a letter which appeared to be lithographed, and although the name and address were in the same writing and the same ink, they showed evidence of having been added afterwards. It seems probable, therefore, that, although professing to be a personal letter, it was one in regular use. It stated that Dr. James W. Kidd has “to-day selected and will forward to your address upon receipt of your remittance of 1l. the complete course of treatment,” the tablets sent being only samples. The letter apologizes for the smallness of the samples on the ground that the drugs “are very expensive.” The writer adds: “I have taken special interest in your case, because I want a cured patient in your immediate vicinity.” The tablets were analysed as completely as was possible with the small quantities sent, with the following results:
Tablet A (triangular) was coloured externally with a salmon-pink dye; the outer coating was of sugar, and below this was a rather thick coating of chalk, forming a very hard and resistant covering to the tablet. The decoated tablets weighed about 3-¼ grains each; they contained 52 per cent. of sodium bicarbonate, and the remainder consisted principally of a bitter extract agreeing in all respects with extract of gentian; small quantities of potato starch and a substance of resinoid nature, which could not be identified, were also present. No other medicinal substance could be found.
Tablet B (triangular) was coloured externally with a bluish-purple dye; the coating and the material of the tablets agreed in all respects with Tablet A, and the two were apparently identical.