Page 1 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1990, 28 January 1907, Page 1

trade secrets. PROTEST AGAINST COLONIAL LEGISLATION. LONDON, Deo. 14. Tlio ease for the makers of proprioa articles is set forth in the folg statement regarding the proposed bills which, in Australia and New Zealand, require formulao to bo given on the packages of all proprietary medicines and foods .Lhe statement has been drafted by representatives of the manufacturers: — “Xf the authorities held a brief for the doctors they could do no more. The anxiety appears to bo to pass nil inquiries for remedies, no matter how trivial, through their hands. T'lio recommendations mean confiscation of tho rights and property of all patent medicine proprietors alike, and vvo would ask what wrong has been done by British manufacturers, who have been before tho British public at home and in the colonies, many for twontv years and upwards Tho public don’t want this interference, and there is no ’justification in wholesale confiscation. In every fold there are black sheep (the doctors themselves are not immaculate), and it, is outrageous to condemn the reliable manufacturer who has a good and harmless speciality bocauso some of the newer men have come on the market with dangerous, harmful preparations. Will the Ministers of Public Health discriminate between tlio harmful and harmless, and take such steps as will preclude from the colony drugs used for ‘preventive* purposes, poisons and drug dopes, or require the medicines containing these, and those containing more alcohol than requisite for preservative purposes, to stato name and quantity of such drug, poison, or alcohol ? “Such a list should control such frauds as electric belts and lost-man-hood cures; also consumption, cancer, and other impossible cures.

“The desire of the authorities to protect that gullible section of the community who are not competent'to judge for themselves whether an advertisement is a lying - one or not, may he all very well, hut why do they it the. same time dictate to the com-mon-sense majority what they- shall take, when these people by their experience found out good old remedies that suit them, and which have stood the light of day for years and years, md against which no exception can he taken, as their announcements are kept within proper limits, and they do not promise more than they can oerform.

“Men nnil women in the interior cannot take a doctor or chemist about wit'll them, and would be caused much serious inconvenience, and often danger, if they arc deprived of having theii tried remedy with them, and would often be driven to the proscribing herbalist and unqualified practitioners. whos enumber would lie increased by the proposed legislation. “Tlio people, especially those in the backwoods, far away from cither doctor or chemist, have been accustomed t.i keep at hand a reliable cough medicine, a •rub,’ an aperient medicine, and an ointment, and those have constituted the family medicine chest to correct ailments in the first stages. The doctors seek to deprive the pooole of theso handy remedies; if they do so the consequence will he that fear of expense will cause the people to allow ailments to develop into serious illness. “A medicine that, suits one man often does not suit 1 another. People have tried these genuine proprietary medicines when ailing, and now know which particular medicine suits them, and the dose, and it is a convenience as well as a security to ho able to resort to snob medicine oil the first sign of anything being wrong. Colonials have for years discovered which remedy is best for their particular trouble, and it would lie a great inconvenience and hardship to debar them from getting these remedies.

"Mention lias boon made of proprietary medicines not. costing anything like the amount charged for them Do the ingredients used in filling a prescription, for which 2s Cd is charged, cost the amount? A proprietary medicine is retailed in Australia for Is to Is 3d; would the proscription he filled by a chemist for a less amount?” "Those remedies, which have been tried by time, and do wliat is claimed for them, must’ he well made of bestdrugs ; the manufacturer dare not have it otherwise, or the article would have lost its efficacy and its hold on the public in consequence. These old valuable formulas are the sole right of individuals, and it is not to be expected that their owners will divulge their trade secrets, and so give away their right to the whole world; rather than do so they will cease to do business with Australia. The formula is what all would like to know, especially those who prescribe, “The proprietors of reputable standby home remedies in Australia for years past absolutely refuse fq give away their formula; hfor. will they deposit their formula with a Government official—Government secrets do leak out, and officials and their staffs are constantly changing. Even if there were no leakage some unscrupulous persons would say there had been, and offer goods 'made from the original formula.’ While the proprietors are not ‘ashamed of their formula,’ as it has been absurdly suggested, they are not such idiots as to give away their valuable rights. “Many of the foreign manufacturers who profess to give their formula do no such thing, and there is no reason why unprincipled manufacturers should not do this, to the detriment of English manufacturers, who do not stoop to such trickery. “The proprietors of successful proprietaries have risked money, and are deserving of wliat- they have got—others have spent money and lost- it. The starting of a proprietary is very speculative. Many of these popular Tomedies have been advertised for years, and the demand has grown annually, because they have done wliat is claimed for them, or tho public would not continue to buy them. ‘ Our own colonies are asking for trade secrets which would he tantamount to giving them to the whole world. Divulging formulas by manufacturers would render t-lieir trade marks valueless. This legislation strikes at vested interests; the proprietors have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds in advertising and working up their business, and are entitled to the cumulative benefits from snob enterprise, “The Australian Commerce Act recognises trade secrets, yot the resolutions passed in the House of Representatives on August 2 propose to abolish them. Dr. Mason, of New Zealand, says he would only ask for names of ingredients and quantities, but not method of manufacture. The method of manufacture is worth little, tho formula is tile thing. “If the formula were published, trashy, worthless imitations made from inferior drugs would be offered to the public as ‘the same article, but at a cheaper price.’ “There is security for the public in an old establisbecr proprietary medicine. It, is made, from a formula which has been found reliable and valuable, either bv physicians (hi years of practice, or by chemists 'in experience.

“The host drugs are used; those which should he used fresh are never allowed to become stale, and those which should be matured are kept until in their primest condition. The manufacturers being large buyers and good judges of the drugs required, the pick of the market is obtained. The mixing is clone by the very host mnehinery, under competent' supervision. and the medicine is always uniform. “In regard to the legal aspect oF the question, it is the opinion that any divulpence of the formula would sooner or later end in tho uropriotor losing his right in toto.”—Stay.

ANXIOUS MOMENTS. Ono of the most anxious times of a mother’s life is when her little ones have croup. There is no other medicine so effective in this terrible malady as Dr. Sheldon’s New Discovery. It' can bo safely given and depended upon. No mother should ever be without a bottle in the house. For sale by A. W. J. Mann, Agent, Chemist. A MODERN DIGESTIVE. ■ One of Dr. Sheldon’s Digestive Tabules will digest 1500 grains of meats, eggs, and other wholesome food. They are a genuine tonic, because they bring about in the only natural way a restoration of norve power, a building up of lost tissue and appetite by the digestion and assimilation of wholesome food. They can’t help but do you good. For sale, by A. TV. J. Maun, Agent, Chemist.