A great show of frankness was recently made by a certain "patent
medicine." The makers advertised that they had concluded to take the
public into their confidence, and that thereafter they would print a
formula of the medicine on each bottle manufactured.
"There is nothing secretive about our medicine," was the cry. "We have
nothing to hide. Here is the formula. Show it to your physician."
Then comes the formula: This herb and that herb, this ingredient
and that ingredient, and the formula winds up, "etc." All good,
old-fashioned, well recognized drugs were those which were
mentioned--all except the "etc."
A certain Board of Pharmacy had never heard of a drug called "etc.," and
so made up Its mind to find out.
And the "etc." was found to be 3.76 per cent of cocain!--just the
simple, death-dealing cocain!--From _The Ladies' Home Journal_,
February, 1906.