In order to learn the estimate placed on the therapeutic value of the “balsams,” an inquiry was sent to the authors of the papers presented to the section of Genito-Urinary Diseases at the recent meeting of the American Medical Association in New York. The inquiry read:
“Dear Doctor:—An advertising circular for Gonosan ‘Riedel’ which is now being distributed begins thus:
‘The old-established balsamic treatment of gonorrhea, for some years neglected in favor of the local injection of organic silver and other germicidal salts, has, with the increasing knowledge and attention paid to the composition and purity of the balsams, regained to a large extent the confidence formerly reposed in them.’
‘It may now be said that the combined treatment with local injections and internal administration of natural balsamic products completely dominates modern gonorrheal therapy.’
“Is the statement correct that the combined treatment with local injections and internal administration of natural balsamic products completely dominates modern gonorrheal therapy? Your reply to the above will be appreciated by the Council.”
Seventeen replies were received. They bear out the position that has been outlined. Only one writer considered the statement even approximately justified, and this in the sense that “the majority of cases receive no other treatment” than a combination of local applications and systemic medication. Another stated that, “in a general way their statement is true though a trifle too sweeping,” and then added that the field of the balsams is rather restricted. With the exception of these qualified endorsements the remaining (fifteen) replies characterized the statement as incorrect and misleading. The replies are a valuable contribution to the status of the “balsam” treatment of gonorrhea, and extracts of them are appended to this report.
It is recommended that the Council declare Gonosan inadmissible to New and Nonofficial Remedies, because the therapeutic claims are exaggerated (Rule 6); because there is no evidence that the combination of kava resin with oil of santal is superior to oil of santal alone (Rule 10); and because the therapeutically suggestive name is conducive of indiscriminate and unwarranted use of the preparation both by the profession and the public (Rules 4 and 8).
Appendix
The extracts from replies received to the inquiry above referred to, follow:
Dr. B., Penn., wrote: