AGAR-LAC
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
Agar-lac, said to be the product of “Agar-lac, Inc.,” is sold by E. Fougera and Company, New York. The following “formula” for Agar-lac is published:
| “Agar-Agar with Lactic Ferments | Grs. | 41⁄2 |
| Phenolphthalein | Grs. | 1⁄2” |
Regarding the “lactic ferment,” the identity of which is not declared by the manufacturer and for the viability of which no precautions appear to be taken, the Council’s expert on lactic acid ferments reported that Bacillus bulgaricus was present in small numbers only and that there were at least two other bacteria present, one of which is a gas-former of the Bacillus coli type.
The Council found that the amount of agar-agar in Agar-lac and the identity of the “lactic ferment” are not declared; that the name “Agar-lac” is blown in the glass and that the method of its exploitation will lead laymen to use it to their detriment; that the claims that it “facilitates assimilation of proteids” and that it is of value as an aid to “gastro-intestinal digestion” give a false value to the mixture and that the claims emphasize the action of agar-agar when from the composition it is evident that the phenolphthalein action will predominate; that the name does not indicate its predominating constituent, phenolphthalein, and that the use of a ready-made combination of cathartic drugs, such as agar-agar and phenolphthalein with lactic acid ferments, is unscientific. The Council therefore refused recognition to Agar-lac.—(From The Journal A. M. A., Nov. 14, 1914.)