CORPULIN, AND DALLOFF’S
TEA “CONTRE L’OBESITÉ”
GRAZIANA ZEHRKUR.
Of the German preparations examined by Dr. Zernik two contain bladderwrack. One called Corpulin contains also tamarind and cascara sagrada. The other, Dalloff’s Tea “Contre l’Obesité,” as to which the advertisers assert that “regular use leads to the removal of superfluous adipose tissue and the person becomes healthy and attains old age” was found to consist of a mixture of the leaves of senna, bearberry (Uvœ ursi) and lavender, and anthylla flowers. Any action it may have depends probably on the senna leaves. It is sold in boxes costing 7s. 6d. or 4s. 6d.; the smaller box contains 80 grammes, or nearly 3 ounces of the powder.
Graziana Reducing Treatment (Zehrkur) is sent out in parcels costing 3s. Each contains a packet of a greyish-brown powder, a box of 40 starch capsules, each containing 0·2 gramme of a light brown finely-divided powder, and a box of 86 pills, each weighing 0·22 gramme. The chief ingredient of each of the preparations is powdered Fucus. The pills contain some substance yielding emodin, the purgative principle, or one of the purgative principles, of aloes, rhubarb, buckthorn, and senna, and also some sulphates and chlorides.
CHAPTER X.
SKIN DISEASES.
Proprietary articles for the cure of eczema and other skin affections include several which are as widely advertised as any nostrums of any kind. Some of them are at first offered at the comparatively low price of 1s. 1½d.; but in almost every case the further information supplied on application shows that what is really recommended is a “treatment,” including an ointment or other application, a special soap, and a medicine to be taken internally, and often also a dusting powder, and occasionally other articles. The importance of persisting in the treatment is strongly emphasised, with the result that anyone who once lays out 1s. 1½d. is likely to be drawn into spending quite a considerable sum. Only a few out of the long list which might be made of these articles have been analysed, but the results throw sufficient light on the general nature of the whole class. The most striking point about them is perhaps the extremely commonplace nature of the drugs selected, although the vendors in some instances would have the buyer believe that the preparation sold is the result of years of patient experiment.
ANTEXEMA.
A Company with an address in London advertises for sale a bottle, price 1s. 1½d., containing a little less than 1½ ounces, but the “Antexema Treatment” includes Antexema, Antexema Soap, and Antexema Granules (to be taken internally). On a handbill enclosed with the bottle it was stated that:
In most cases “Antexema” will by itself effect a cure, but the permanence of this is assured by the continued use of a suitable soap, and the cleansing and purifying action of “Antexema Granules” on the blood.
A booklet on “Skin Troubles” was also enclosed, containing some “before” and “after” illustrations, but they could hardly be expected to convince anyone; directions were given in this for the course to be pursued in a variety of disorders, including such “skin troubles” as in-growing toenails, lupus, piles, ulcers, etc. Incidentally, twelve other preparations made by the same Company, in addition to the three named above, were recommended.
On the outer package it was stated that: