“According to the information submitted, this is a tincture of iodin; differing from the official tincture in that it is more dilute and in that hydrogen and ethyl iodid is the solvent in place of potassium iodid. It is practically immaterial for internal administration, whether the cation of the solvent iodid is hydrogen, ethyl, potassium or sodium. It would certainly be inadvisable to inject a preparation containing free iodin hypodermically. It is not ‘a safe remedy’ for intravenous injection and it would not be nonirritant. The statement that ‘it has none of the undesirable features’ of other iodin compounds is inherently impossible. Apparent freedom of any iodin preparation from undesirable effects is generally due to the use of small doses. Such claims are plainly therapeutic exaggerations and therefore in conflict with Rule 6. Even should these be removed, the preparation must be held an unessential modification of the official tincture, and therefore in conflict with Rule 10.”
The report was agreed to by the committee and adopted by the Council and Minson’s Soluble Iodin “Kelpidine” declared inadmissible to New and Nonofficial Remedies.—(From Reports of Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, 1917, p. 152.)
NUTONE
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
NuTone (NuTone Company, Lowell, Mass.) is a “nutritive tonic” said to have the following complex composition:
Cod Liver Oil, Pure Norwegian, 25 per cent.
Malt Extract, 91⁄3 per cent.
Beef juice,
Glycerine,
Hypophosphite Lime, Hypophosphite Soda, Chemically pure, 11⁄2 grs. each to the oz.
Fl. Ext. Nux Vomica, 3⁄64 of a minim in each teaspoonful.
It is advertised with claims that will lead thoughtless physicians and a confiding public to depend on it in cases in which fresh air, hygienic surroundings and nutritious food are of prime importance.
A sample package (the phrase “as recommended by your physician” and other statements suggest that it is expected to be given the patient by the physician and thus effectively advertise NuTone to the public) describes NuTone as an “Agreeable Concentrated Nutritive Tonic Emulsion of Malt Extract, Beef Juice and Cod Liver Oil, Combined with Nerve Tonics and Bone Nutrients.” Emphasizing the nutritive value of this “Malt Extract, Beef Juice, and Cod Liver Oil” preparation, it is advised, “As NuTone is rich in nutritive properties, it is well to begin with one-fourth teaspoonful, gradually increasing to regular dose, which is: Adults, 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls after meals and at bedtime. Children according to age.” It thus appears that adults are to take this preparation as a “nutritive” in doses which represent from 3 to 12 grains of sugar (on the assumption that malt extract may contain as much as 50 per cent. sugar) and 8 to 30 minims of cod liver oil with unstated, but probably equally small, amounts of beef juice.
A consideration of the negligible food value of NuTone as well as of the inefficiency of the other components and the claim that it is indicated in “malnutrition,” “wasting diseases” and “incipient phthisis” classes NuTone with that large group of shotgun mixtures which do harm in that dependence is placed on them in conditions in which the patient will probably be restored to health if proper medical and hygienic measures are adopted in time.