616 AMERICAN INVENTIONS 



is uow Ivhowii. These four are all i)owevtnl and <1aiigerous, and sliould 

 only be used on the advice of a. skilled physician. Most of such reme- 

 dies have little value as curative agents, and some of them are prepared 

 and purchased almost exclusively for immoral or criminal purposes. 



lu Prance the sale of secret and patent medicines is not allowed 

 unless they have been examined and approved by the National Academy 

 of Medicine, and the samti general rule holds good in Italy and Sj)ain. 



The Japanese have followed the Frensh method, and their experience 

 is interesting. The Central Sanitary Bureau established a public lab- 

 oratory for the analysis of chemicals as a medicine. The proprietors of 

 each of such meditanes were bound to present samples, and the names 

 and proportions of the ingredients, directions for its use, and explana- 

 tions of its supposed efficacy. According to a report in the British 

 Medical Journal, during the first year there were 11,904 applicants for 

 license to prepare and sell 148,091 patent and secret medicines. Per- 

 mission for the preparation and sale of 58,(138 different kinds were 

 granted, 8,592 were prohibited, 9,918 were ordered to be discounte- 

 nanced, and 70,943 remained to be reported on. The great majority of 

 those which were authorized were of no ctticucy, but few being reme- 

 dial agents; but their sale was not ])rohibited, as they were not found 

 to be dangerous to the health of the people.* I do uot vouch for these 

 figures, which throw our records entirely in the shade. 



In 1849 a special committee of the U. S. House of Ite]u^esentatives 

 reported to the House a bill to prevent the patenting of medicines, 

 accompanied by a report. This bill ])rovided that after the passage 

 o# the act letters patent shall not be granted for any article whatever 

 as a medicine, provided that this shall not apply to machines, instru- 

 ments, or apparatus. AVhen the matter came before the House for 

 consideration the bill was laid on tlie table, t 



You are all aware that the great majority of the medical profession 

 consider it to be improper and discreditable for a physician to patent a 

 remedy. The medical code of ethics declares that it is derogatory to 

 professional character "for a])hysican to hold a patent for any surgical 

 instrument or medicine; or to dispense a secret nostrum whether it be 

 the composition or exclusive property of himself or others. For if sucli 

 nostrum be of real eflicacy, any concealment regarding it is inconsist- 

 ent with beneficence and professional liberality; and if mystery alone 

 give it value and imjiortance, such craft implies either disgraceful 

 ignorance or fraudulent avarice. It is also reprehensible for physicians 

 to give certificates attesting the efficacy of patent or secret medicines, 

 or in any way to promote the use of them." Like all legislation, this is 

 a formal declaration of the customs of the j^rofession, which customs 

 are of great antiquity. The principle upon which it is founded is thus 

 expressed by Lord Bacon: ''I hold every man a debtor to his profes- 



* Briiish Medical Journal, .July 3, 1880, vol. ii, p. 24. 

 t Congressional Globe, March B, 1849, p. 697. 



