10 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 342 



"That thyroid deficiency is a common cause or the usual cause of 

 obesity. 



"That all modern physicians use thyroid in the treatment of obesity. 



"That or thyroid is the remedy indicated in and the best 



suited for the treatment of obesity. 



"That or thyroid feeds the thyroid gland or stimulates or re- 

 stores it to normal action. 



"That any weight in excess of the average weight is due to excess fat 

 and that such persons should reduce and should effect the reduction by 

 taking ." 



Reducing nostrums containing thyroid substance have been sold under a 

 variety of trade names. These may state on the label in small and incon- 

 spicuous print that they contain thyroid substance. The newspaper or radio 

 advertising of the same product may omit this valuable information and make 

 far more extravagant claims as to its virtues for reducing. Label information 

 is likely to be more conservative because the law has more teeth in enforcing 

 reliability in labeling than in advertising. In spite of claims to the contrary, 

 the advertising fails to disclose the potent and dangerous properties of desiccated 

 thyroid and the necessary precautions for its use. 



(b) Dinitrophenol Products. The drug dinitrophenol also increases the 

 metabolic rate and causes a loss of weight but it is known to have an insidious 

 and cumulative effect causing, in some people, vague and ill-defined symptoms, 

 in others, a specific injury to the lens of the eye resulting in rapid cataract 

 formation. There is no law to control the sale of products containing this drug 

 but recent publicity regarding the dangers accompanying its use have materially 

 reduced sales of such products. Reliable druggists realize the hazards of the 

 promiscuous sale of such a drug and advise against its use. A list of trade- 

 named products containing dinitrophenol 10 as an active ingredient follows: 



Dinitrole Nitra-Phen 



Dinitrolac Nitromet 



Dinitronal Nox-Ben-Ol 



Dinitriso Prescription No. 17 



Dinitrose Redusols > » 



Formula 281 Slim (N.J. 25042 and 25850) 



Tabolin 



2. LAXATIVE SALTS AND DRUGS FOR REDUCING 



(a) Laxative Salts. Common laxative salts sold under a variety of fancy 

 trade names, or laxative drugs sold as harmless remedies, or hidden in so-called 

 reducing foods, all accomplish similar results — the loss of large volumes of 

 water through the stools. The sudden weight reduction is due to loss of water, 

 not fat, and both the water and the resulting weight will be promptly regained 

 as soon as water is consumed. Furthermore, permanent injury to the intestine 

 and digestive function may result from the repeated use of such drastic treat- 

 ment. Proper laxative agents have their place in medical practice, but not 

 as obesity cures. 



Extravagant and ridiculous claims regarding the therapeutic value of such 

 products are made in the advertising literature offered to the laymen. The 

 laxative reducing salts are usually mixtures of some of the following: Glauber's 

 salt, Epsom salt, baking or washing soda, table salt, potassium chloride, tar- 



10 Current Comment. J. A.M. A. 105. 804, 1935. 

 » Bur. Inv. J.A.M.A. 106. 1587, 1936. 



