444 ANNUAL. REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



MEDICATED SOFT DRINKS. 



In the summer of 1007 an investigation was begun with the view 

 of determining the number of medicated soft drinks containing 

 either cocain or catFein or both. Since that time over 100 brands 

 haNe been fomid containing smaller or greater quantities of cafl'ein, 

 and approximately one-third were found to contain small quantities 

 of cocain. During the past fiscal year 15 samples, representing 

 mostly new brands, were examined, all of which contained caft'ein 

 and G contained small quantities of cocain. The amount of cocain, 

 to be sure, was small in each case, but the presence of such a deleteri- 

 ous agent, sold without restraint to children as well as adults, must 

 be considered a very undesirable practice which brings harm to all 

 consumers. It is not uncommon to find persons addicted to the use 

 of these drinks, especially factory employees, stenographers, type- 

 writers, and others subjected to mental or nervous strain, many of 

 whom, it is reported, spend a large part of their earnings for these 

 drinks. Life insurance companies are considering the status of 

 soft-drink habitues as future risks, and undoubtedly very small 

 quantities of cocain affect the nervous system of many individuals, 

 especially those w^ho have been addicted to the drug habit. Even in 

 the few instances in which the quantity of cocain present is declared 

 upon the container, this information does not come to the attention 

 of the public. During the year a farmers' bulletin (No. 393) on 

 habit-forming agents has been published for the purpose of warning 

 people in general against all beverages and remedies containing suclt 

 materials, and explaining the menace that they bear to the public 

 health. 



SO-CALLED DRUG-ADDICTION CURES. 



At the beginning of the last fiscal year the division was in com- 

 munication with 35 institutions, combinations, or individuals en- 

 gaged in the practice of treating drug addiction, opium, morphin, 

 and cocain addiction, by furnishing treatment with instructions. As 

 a rule the preparations contain, in large quantities, the very drug for 

 which the treatment is to be taken. They are sent indiscriminately 

 into any home, without any warning whatever relative to their poison- 

 ous character. Some of the promoters themselves have little knowl- 

 edge of the dangerous character of the mixtures they are handling. 

 For example, one of these treatments was found to be handled by a 

 groceryman who had neither medical nor pharmaceutical knowledge, 

 but distributed several treatments to anyone asking for them, 

 Phj^sicians very well understand that there are at present no sub- 

 stances known to the medical profession which can be used success- 

 fully for the treatment of drug addiction without the careful super- 

 vision and restraining influence of the doctor himself and the con- 

 stant attendance of a nurse. It is also well known that drug addicts 

 are incapable of curing themselves. The chief object of these treat- 

 ments appears to be to extract money from the unfortunate victims, 

 as is indicated by the fact that in some instances the treatment is 

 supplied to the same individual over a period of years. A number 

 of cases against products of this character are pending, but these 

 dangerous commodities continue to be sent through the mails and 

 especially by express from one State to another. 



