One of the members of the Council staff of clinical consultants calls attention to the fact that much vitally valuable time might be lost in a case of iritis, for example, which being unrecognized, should be treated with Palpebrine on the strength of the Dios Chemical Company’s advertisements. Even more dangerous is the recommendation of Palpebrine for the prevention of ophthalmia in the newborn, especially as this recommendation is coupled with an attempt to discredit the established treatment with silver nitrate solution:
“The use of severe remedies for this purpose has been discarded by most physicians....”
While it is doubtless true that ophthalmia neonatorum may be averted by other drugs than silver salts, it is utterly unjustifiable to suggest that the established method of treatment by means of silver salt irrigations has been generally discarded.
[Editorial Note.—The four nostrums mentioned above have been grouped together for publication to call attention to one phase of the proprietary business. A fact not mentioned in the Council’s report is that these nostrums are manufactured and promoted by a concern that belongs to a type we have often designated “pseudo-chemical” companies. By this is meant companies that are not in the legitimate business of pharmacy or chemistry, but organized to exploit one, two or in some instances half a dozen proprietaries. “Patent medicines” are exploited by this class of “companies.” The Dios Chemical Company is not a chemical company, except in name. J. H. Chambers, the founder so far as we can learn, never claimed any special knowledge of chemistry, pharmacy or medicine. The officers at the present time are: J. H. Chambers, president; M. E. Chambers, vice-president; Leslie T. Chambers, treasurer, and Arthur Chambers, secretary. M. E. is the wife of J. H., and Leslie T. and Arthur are sons.
This is simply one illustration of the fact noted above. Some physicians have been and are prescribing nostrums originated, manufactured and advertised by laymen who are not in the legitimate pharmacy business. In addition, such physicians have been accepting the statements of laymen, not only as to the composition of the nostrums, but as to their use. In every state the practice of pharmacy is regulated by law: before assuming the responsibility of compounding medicines a druggist must have studied and passed an examination in pharmacy. Public safety demands and the law requires it. There are some doctors, however, who will allow laymen who are not chemists, pharmacists or physicians to formulate and compound a prescription and tell them what it is good for and how to use it.
The Dios Chemical Company is not an isolated instance: we have already referred to some; we shall take occasion to refer to others in the future. That such concerns flourish is a reflection not so much on the shrewd laymen who exploit the medical profession—and through it the public—as it is on the physicians who cast their scientific training to the winds and permit themselves to be thus exploited.]—(From The Journal A. M. A., Jan. 9, 1915.)
OXYCHLORINE
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
The following report on Oxychlorine has been submitted to the Council by the subcommittee to which it was assigned: