The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2

by Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

KATHARMON

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

Following inquiries, the Council took up “Katharmon” for consideration and authorized publication of the following report.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

The Katharmon Chemical Company of St. Louis in advertising its Katharmon appeals especially to a profession whose members, should they live up to their ethical code, could not prescribe it.[124] In 1893 (when the publication of “a formula” for proprietary preparations was thought to satisfy the requirements of scientific medicine) an advertisement in The Journal of the American Medical Association gave the following “formula” for Katharmon:

“Hydrastis Canadensis, Phytolacca Decandra, Acid Salicylous C. P. (from Oil of Wintergreen), Acid Boric C. P., Mentha Arvensis, Thymus Vulgaris, Dist. Ext. Hamamelis Virg. Conc.”

In 1907 an advertisement in the Kansas City Medical Index-Lancet declared that:

“Katharmon represents in chemical combination the active principles of Hydrastis Canadensis, Gaultheria Procumbens, Hamamelis Virginica, Phytolacca Decandra, Mentha Arvensis, Thymus Vulgaris, with two grains C. P. Boric Acid to each fluid drachm.”

Now the advertisements which appear in some medical journals state:

“KATHARMON represents in combination Hydrastis Canadensis, Thymus Vulgaris, Mentha Arvensis, Phytolacca Decandra, 10¹⁄₂ grains Acid Borosalicylic, 24 grains Sodium Pyroborate to each fluid ounce of Pure Distilled Extract of Witch Hazel.”