| “100 parts Pertussin contains: | |
| 1⁄2 | Ol. Thymi, et Thymol |
| 211⁄2 | Ext. Thymi ‘Taeschner’ |
| 50 | Saccharum |
| 2 | Glycerinum |
| 61⁄4 | Alcohol |
| 193⁄4 | Aqua Destillata” |
While it never has had much vogue in this country it has been and still is used in Germany. It belongs to that class of vegetable preparations which, since they contain no distinctive principle, are difficult to analyze—particularly as concerns the “joker” in the formula, in this case “Ol. Thymi, et Thymol” and “Ext. Thymi ‘Taeschner’”—hence there has been much dispute in Germany as to the composition of this nostrum. In general, it appears that whatever virtues it has are due to some preparation of common thyme in a menstruum containing water, sugar and alcohol. At one time the preparation was found to contain potassium bromid; but tests recently made in the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory indicated the absence of either bromids or iodids.—(From The Journal A. M. A., March 8, 1913.)
PHENALGIN—A TYPICAL EXAMPLE[AN]
Last June[112] we devoted considerable space to the extravagant therapeutic claims made for “Phenalgin” by its venders. At this time we propose to refer to the misinformation—to use a conservative term—that the Etna Chemical Company has promulgated regarding the composition of their preparation.
In June, 1905, the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry officially published to the medical profession of the United States the information that repeated examinations showed that “Phenalgin” is a simple mixture of acetanilid and sodium bicarbonate or ammonium carbonate. So far as we know, no direct denial of the truth of this has been made. There has appeared what we presume is meant as an answer; it is couched in this sentence,
Phenalgin is just what we have always said it to be.
From this expression—which has been repeated in bold, black letters in practically all the advertisements since last June—we presume that we are to understand that in the past they have stated what it is.
It would have been just as easy and more satisfactory if the Phenalgin people, instead of saying: “Phenalgin is just what we have always said it to be,” had said what it is, since the average physician has neither the time nor the inclination to look up their literature.