“In regard to the Jireh products and their claims that our reports show the very high standing of their foods, I would say that I consider such a claim entirely false.... We did examine five or six products in our own laboratory, however, and found them to be of very fair composition per se, but not of a composition that afforded any legitimate basis for their claims. We entirely disapproved ... three of the products making special claim as to their fitness for diabetics. [Italics ours.—Ed.] These were the Wheat Nuts, the Jireh Flour and the Patent Barley. Two of the other products were passed with a non-committal rating, which means that they are not actually disapproved, but the star marking is not accorded. These products were the dietetic Rusks and the Macaroni. For the latter especially no specific claims seem to be made. We called attention, however, to the generally objectionable juggling of terms indulged in by this company....”
The Jireh concern says that in spite of the efforts of The Journal to “crush” it, “our business has grown to colossal proportions.” Of this the New York physician who sends us the letter says: “Their ‘colossal proportions’ must have received a slight jar or they would not have taken time to write such a letter.”—(From The Journal A. M. A., Dec. 20, 1913.)
THE NAME “EPINEPHRIN” VERSUS THE NAME “ADRENALIN” [AT]
There are thirty or more different brands of the blood-pressure-raising principle of the suprarenal gland on the market, five being in this country alone. These products are identical so far as their chief constituent is concerned; they differ, however as to the solvent and preservative used. The processes of manufacture of some of them are patented; all of them are sold under trade names.
Until two years ago there was no common name applicable to this active principle; whenever reference was made to it a trade name had to be used. At that time the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, realizing the need of a generic term, adopted “epinephrin” as such a term. This name was selected in part because Abel had adopted it in 1899; in part because, so far as could be discovered, it was the name under which, through Abel’s publications, the substance first appeared in medical literature; and in part because it seemed to be the only suitable one not already appropriated by some commercial firm.
After the publication of the Council’s report, The Journal began gradually to use the term in those cases in which it seemed clear that the proprietary term was used in a generic sense. The substitution of the name “epinephrin” for “adrenalin” in the abstracts of certain foreign articles caused Parke, Davis & Co. to write a letter of protest which called forth the discussion appearing in the Propaganda Department of this issue.
The amount of space devoted to this matter may be criticized and considered unwarranted by those who do not realize the importance of the subject. The criticism is to a certain degree, just. The somewhat inordinate length of the article is due in part to the unfortunate fact that, in availing themselves of the courtesy extended by The Journal, Parke, Davis & Co., in their reply, have injected into the discussion side-issues, such as the priority of discovery, the superiority of their product, etc., whereas the question under discussion is simply that which relates to the name. It is, however, not altogether a matter for regret that the discussion has been thus broadened, for it brings before our readers many facts regarding the discovery of an important medicinal agent that are not generally known, at least by physicians.
Whether or not “adrenalin” is superior to “adrin,” “suprarenalin,” “suprarenin,” “adnephrin,” or to any other of the preparations is entirely immaterial in this connection. The point is that the active principle of the suprarenal gland is on the market under various trade names, and that a name common to all has been selected to be used when no particular brand is referred to. The fact that “adrenalin” is regarded by many, both here and abroad, as a common, generic name does not alter the fact that it is claimed as a trade name by a commercial house and, therefore, presumably at least, cannot be used except as such.