Incurable disease is one of the strongholds of the patent medicine
business. The ideal patron, viewed in the light of profitable business,
is the victim of some slow and wasting ailment in which recurrent hope
inspires to repeated experiments with any "cure" that offers. In
the columns of almost every newspaper you may find promises to cure
consumption. Consumption is a disease absolutely incurable by any
medicine, although an increasing percentage of consumptives are saved by
open air, diet and methodical living. This is thoroughly and definitely
understood by all medical and scientific men. Nevertheless there are in
the patent medicine world a set of harpies who, for their own business
interests, deliberately foster in the mind of the unfortunate sufferer
from tuberculosis the belief that he can be saved by the use of some
absolutely fraudulent nostrum. Many of these consumption cures contain
drugs which hasten the progress of the disease, such as chloroform,
opium, alcohol and hasheesh. Others are comparatively harmless in
themselves, but for their fervent promises of rescue they delude the
sufferer into misplacing his reliance, and forfeiting his only chance by
neglecting those rigidly careful habits of life which alone can conquer
the "white plague." One and all, the men who advertise medicines to cure
consumption deliberately traffic in human life.
[IMAGE ==>] {045}
Certain members of the Proprietary Association of America (the patent
medicine "combine") with whom I have talked have urged on me the claim
that there are firms in the nostrum business that are above criticism,
and have mentioned H. E. Bucklen & Co., of Chicago, who manufacture a
certain salve. The Bucklen salve did not particularly interest me.
But when I came to take up the subject of consumption cures I ran
unexpectedly on an interesting trail. In the country and small city
newspapers there is now being advertised lavishly "Dr. King's New
Discovery for Consumption." It is proclaimed to be the "only sure cure
for consumption." Further announcement is made that "it strikes terror
to the doctors." As it is a morphin and chloroform mixture, "Dr. King's
New Discovery for Consumption" is well calculated to strike terror to
the doctors or to any other class or profession, except, perhaps, the
undertakers. It is a pretty diabolical concoction to give to any one,
and particularly to a consumptive. The chloroform temporarily allays
the cough, thereby checking Nature's effort to throw off the dead
matter from the lungs. The opium drugs the patient into a deceived
cheerfulness. The combination is admirably designed to shorten the life
of any consumptive who takes it steadily. Of course, there is nothing on
the label of the bottle to warn the purchaser. That would be an example
of legitimate advertising in the consumption field.
[IMAGE ==>] {046}