QUACK MEDICINES.

Evening Star, Issue 3970, 15 November 1875, Page 2

QUACK MEDICINES.

w. c. I Roslyn, November IS. I

To the Editor. s l®»~Your correspondent “Philanthropy” has a treat deal in the facts of every day life to support what he says, b it such a sweeping condemnation of medicine as he sets up will not be tolerated in educated circles. His philosophy and philanthropy notwithstanding, I’ll guarantee that were he him elf unexpectedly seieed with an acute derangement of the inner man, lie would g'adiy resort to anything whatever either his doctor or some old woman would prescribe for him out of these doctors bottles he condemns. Your correspondent has for a period of years been blessed with uninterrupted health, I do not dou t, and speaks of a thing hs happily for himself knows nothing about. Such theorists are groat believers in cold water and such like, and are never done setting up what they call simpler methods more in accordance wi hj nature for the cure of all diseases whatever, but when anything goes wro g with them they are the greatest of all cowards—the most impatient of patients, and the most inconsolable, and will drink stuff out of any bottle, or powders out of any paper. I am neither doctor nor apothecary, and I detest quackery in every shape ami form, and am constantly on the outlook for it, but we are not all quacks any more than we are all “ Phils n thropiats,” and as your correspondent specially names “Steadman’s powders” for conlemnation, I shall sirat.ly say that he hasbeen most unfortunate in the selection h<* has made, I have used these same powders many, m my a time in my family over a period of fifteen years, for the complaints they are specially prepared to meet, and I have on all occasions found them to deserve the good recommendation that accompanies them when sold—in many cases to work like magic. They may not "uit all constitutions alike, and they may even be 'injudiciously used, but I believe the majority of mothers who have reared families and tried them, will strengthen my opinion of them —I am, &0.,

To the Editor. Slß,—' ’’’wo letters appeared in Friday and Saturday a Stab <>n the above subject. The first, signed by “ Philanthropy,” was written generally against the use of quack medicines, especially Sieedman’s powders, and the second letter was a refutation of the injurious effects caused by the use of such medicines, and challenging “ I'hilanthropy” to bring forward any individual case to prove the imputation, i bet to say that this is one of the most important questions of the day to ventilate. Thousands of young children especially ate killed every year from the use ot medicine, especially quack medicine, the c ntents of which arc unknown On such an important subject it is not, of much use further expressing my own opinions, nor is it either reliable to trust to the ideas of many chemists or druggists, or ev u some unswupuoua medical men whoso int -rest it is to keep silent ju the matter; but an extract or two from fccoguised works, written by some of the best physicians and doctors, should have every effect, and close the argument at once, Thos. J. Graham. M.D., who is a Fellow of the boyal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, and u- some useful books, among which one on the management and dis- i orders of infancy and childhood, says 1 on quack medicines in his second edition | of thas w uk, published in 18(55, page 453 | ’ Godfrey’s Cordial has been destructive of « infant life to an extent absolutely appalling. In i (837 and 1838, twelve cliil r. n were killed by ( i r , I believe, nearly in the same locality; ami i from the common use of it, and other < similar cordials and sooihing syrups at uanchester and .shtnii under-J.yne, tin ? infant mortality of those towns is nearly I twenty per cent hi. ber than the average of the t the whole kingdom.” Again, Py« txetuy 1

Charasie, Fellow of the Royal College of Sop* geons of England, Fellow of the Obstetrical Society of London, formerly Resident of Queen a College Medico Chirurgical ociety, Birmingham, and author of several very valuable works, from two of which I will now quote the Col'owing from his 11 Advice to a Vintner, ninth euuion, page OS : Godfrey's Cordial, Infants Piese vativo, and Da’by’s Carminative aie sometimes piv. n in flatulence but as most of these quack m -.Heines contain in one form or another oitln r< pium or poppy, and as opium and Poppy are both dangerous remedies for children, all rpuiek medicines must bo banished the nursery ” The same author says in his book entitled “Counsel to a '{.other,” page 74: -“Quack med.nines are most objectionable. i hev are secret reme dies; they are generally compose t of potent and dangerous drugs; they are usually concocted by charlatans who are mteriy ignorant of the human frame, and of the power and < f the action of drugs. But of all classes of quack medicine the sleeping cordials for children ate the most dangerous. These cordials, as they are called, are sold under different names ; but they aie, in one respect, all similar—they each of them contain, in one form or another, either opium or poppy, an overdose of which would cause a child ‘ to sleep that sleep that knows no breaking.’ Now, sir, though nosp ‘cial mention of Steedman's powders is made by those medical men, yet I believe that nostrum has t he same effect on the constitution as the medicines mentioned; and I know cases where it lias slowly but surely caused the de th of infants. A lady (of limited experience) in England on*e assure i me that she applied these powders every night to her children to get them to sleeo, especially when they were teething, and was very much astonished when I told her that, she was poisoning her children by degrees, which was evident by their appearance. It is high rime some conscientious qualified person should give lectures to mothers of families on the best means of preventing d sense and curing it if if. does come, and it is the honest opinion of medial men that fresh air, proper food, cleanliness, proper attention to the bowels, and suitable clothing are the best prevenratives and medicines ; and when diugs are really required—which should be very rarely-a simple lemedy, the off ct of which is well understood, should only be given. 1 am, &c , Hdmamtt. Dunedin, November 15.