SALICON
“Salicon” is marketed by the K. A. Hughes Company, Boston, as “an improved aspirin.” In a circular sent out to the public a little over a year ago the following claims were made for it:
“We rendered aspirin absolutely harmless and yet retained all its virtues as a medicine.”
“It positively will not depress the heart nor upset the stomach no matter how large amounts of it are taken.”
“... the Massachusetts state medical authorities ... adopted its use at all the state camps for fighting the Spanish influenza....”
The first two statements quoted above are obviously false. The third statement might have been true although it seemed unlikely. A letter was, therefore, written to the Department of Public Health of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the claim of the K. A. Hughes Company relative to the adoption of Salicon in all the state camps by the “state medical authorities” was brought to their attention. The reply of the department on this point was emphatic:
“The State Department of Health of Massachusetts did not endorse the use of Salicon for any purpose.”
Some Salicon was purchased on the open market and submitted to the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory for analysis. Here is the chemists’ report.
“One original bottle of ‘Salicon’ (K. A. Hughes Company, Boston) was submitted by the Propaganda department of The Journal to the Association’s Chemical Laboratory for examination. The bottle contained 100 white tablets having an average weight of 0.407 gram (6.3 grains), each. The amount of ash was 20.9 per cent. Qualitative tests indicated the presence of magnesium, carbonate, starch, acetylsalicylic acid and a trace of calcium; a very small amount of a petrolatum-like substance was present. Alkaloids and drugs used for a laxative effect were not found. The amount of acetylsalicylic acid extracted by chloroform was 50.7 per cent. The amount of magnesium present as magnesium oxid was 14.3 per cent. The amount of magnesium oxid derived from magnesium carbonate U. S. P. is variable; but calculating on the lowest limit, 14.3 per cent. of magnesium oxid is equivalent to at least 35.5 per cent. of magnesium carbonate. This figure agreed closely with that obtained from the U. S. P., method of assay. The acetylsalicylic acid was not combined with the magnesium. From the above, it may be stated that each tablet consisted essentially of a mixture of 3.2 grains of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), 2.2 grains of magnesium carbonate and some starch. Although labeled 5 grains, each tablet did not contain 5 grains of the most active ingredient, acetylsalicylic acid.”