QUACKS AND PROPRIETARY MEDICINES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8524, 29 August 1907, Page 3

QUACKS AND PROPRIETARY MEDICINES.

WHERE DISTINCTIONS SHOULD BE MADE. ' / r v4t. A copy of the following letter has \ * been sent by Mr W. G. Hearne, proprietor and manufacturer of Hearne's medicines, to every Member of Parliament Head Office: Ryrie Street, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. August 51st, 1907. Dear Sir,--With regard to legislation under consideration by you for the suppression of medical quacks and fraudulent practices, I have the honour of addressing you on the subject. I respectfully submit that a really good, useful and legitimate medicine that has positively a curing power—tne particulars of which it is iiecessary to announce to these whom it may concern, stating its exact use in correct language by means of truthful advertisements—should not be restricted or interfered with—it being of a great public service and benefit to the community generally, and particularly, to those living in the country away from the reach of medical practitioners. The money value of a medicine is not in proportion to its quantity, butis ill proporion to its rapid efficacy in effecting a cure. A medicine, each dose of which greatly benefits the patient, is more valuable than one of which a bottleful does but little or no good at all; for the quickest cure is the best cure, and the quickest cure means the saving of life in many cases where with a slow, doubtful or bad treatment the life would be lost. My experience is that people are. quite satisfied to pay the market prices of any of Hearne's medicines.

The success of a medicine in healing an illness depends upon its nature and quality, the exactness of every detail of its preparation and manufacture, and the particular proportions and way in which these proportions are combined. Some of the most valuable of the preparations in the present British Pharmacopoeia were originally secret medicines. In some, cases, the . discoverers were handsomely rewarded by the Governments and other authorities of their day. Considering that this is the case', it would be manifestly unfair to attempt to compel the owner of such a medicine to reveal the secrets of its manufacture; and unwise, because most probably harm would result if such a course were adopted, for either the proprietor of such a medicine wo"uld prefer to withdraw his medicine from that country, or, if even he

\ . did reveal the formula, unj>rincipled £-V:persons in all directions would un- " ceasingly endeavour to get the details, and make imitations which in such cases generally lack the scrupulous exactitude that the original discoverer prides himself upon. There are at the present time persons imitating my medicines as nearly as they can. One has imitated my labels word for word, using the same face type and lettering and arrangement of label, ana another the exact colour of the wrapping paper, while in each of the bottles was a slovenly and bad imitation of the appearance of my medicine. It is easy to see .what mignt be expected if it made compulsory to reveal the formula of a valuable medicine. It may be advanced that a leakage Of the details revealed to a Government officer or Board could not occur, but I respectfully submit that the only safety of the details is when they are in the sole possession of the rightful owner; and that the product of his brain has always been considered the high-born right of a Britisher. Hearne's medicines have been in the hands of the public for tthe last twenty years, during which time their reputation has steadily risen year by year. The exact use of each of Hearne's medicines 'is clearly defined on its labels, and every advertisement in connection with them is strictly truthful. Every testimonial for Hearne's, medicines has been tendered to the proprietor from a sense of duty and feeling of gratitude voluntarily, without solicitation, and without remuneration of any kind. . Assuming that your object is the suppression of medical quacks,,extortionists, and frauds —and at the same time to refrain from interfering with good and legitimate proprietary medicines now doing a public service—-I respectfully submit that this will be effectually attained by actively enforcing the law dealing .with a" person obtaining money under false pretences, and by making it an offence punishable by a heavy penalty of say £IOO, or not less than £SO, to be enforced against any-person or persons, or any one of a numner of persons who directly or indirectly pay or offer to pay for a testimonial or recommendation —or pays or offers payment to any person to recommend any preparation, medical or electric appliance, treatment or advice, etc. —or who, having committed such an offence, continues to carry on the profession, business, or occupation in connection with which such fraudulent testimonials were , obtained; and against any person or persons who ""use the title "Doctor" or "Dr." before the name of any preparation, etc., in a fictitious irianner'calculated to deceive the general public; and against any person or, persons who charge large sums of money, such as £lO, £2O, or £SO, .and similar extortionate amounts for treatment, as some herbalists and mfedical quacks do. The medicines which these persons make are not patent or proprietary medicines in the ordinary acceptation of the term.