RHEUMACID.
The prospectus asserts that this material, the result of years of careful and earnest study, revolutionizes all medical knowledge, and cures rheumatism, colds, neuralgia, sciatica, gout, bladder, kidney, and skin affections, etc. The price demanded for 50 grams (about 1½ ounces) is 17s. 6d., while a sample costs 1s. The sample is supposed to contain ten doses of 1 gram each, but was actually found to contain only half that quantity. There appeared to be three sorts of rheumacid, marked A, B, and C respectively, but the analysis revealed that the constituents were practically the same and included aspirin, salol, and at times salpyrin, with a little citric acid. This seems rather like making a revolution with rosewater.
ANTIGOUT SOAP.
Lazarus Gout and Rheumatic Soap is prepared in Dresden. It is a piece of medium-quality sodium soap, containing a very small quantity of an ethereal oil. The cake weighs 70 grams (about 2 oz.), and costs 1 mark.
PINE PREPARATIONS.
Electricum, described as “aethereal Tyrolese fir and pine wood oil,” and recommended by the vendors as an external remedy for rheumatism, gout, pains in the limbs, paralysis, sciatica, lumbago, and backache, neuralgia, tumours, etc., seems to consist merely of pine oil. Weigand’s Rheumatic and Gout Spirit which it is stated relieves the pain within a few hours and cures after a short time, consists of 55 parts of turpentine oil, 55 parts of spirits of camphor, and 5 grams of Venice soap. A bottle containing 115 grams, less than 4 ounces, costs 2s. 6d.
RHEUMA TABAKOLIN.
This is a Berlin preparation; a box containing about 100 grams (about 3½ oz.) costs 5s., but the quantity for neglected and obstinate cases cost 15s. It is asserted to be a newly discovered remedy for rheumatism and gout obtained from tobacco. The directions are to extract the material with about 24 ounces of 50 per cent. alcohol, and to use this extract as a liquid application to the painful areas. Analysis showed that the substance consisted of waste and powdered tobacco perfumed with lemon oil. In Germany waste broken tobacco can be bought at about 5d. or 6d. a pound.
CHAPTER VII.
KIDNEY MEDICINES.
This group of nostrums consists of those which are put forward for the cure of kidney troubles, or conditions of ill-health commonly, but as a rule erroneously, attributed by the public to kidney disease. Several of these are in the form of pills, while others are liquids. The two principal drugs employed are oil of juniper and potassium nitrate (nitre or saltpetre), separately or together; in some cases aperients are added. Altogether extravagant claims are made for some of the articles, as is usual, of course, with proprietary medicines; this point is dealt with more fully in the descriptions of individual preparations.