194 DRUGS AND PATENT MEDICINES 



chaser and to restrict the manufacture of harmful patent 

 remedies, the sale of preparations containing narcotics should 

 be limited. 



Soothing sirups ; soft drinks. The development of a race 

 is limited by the mental and physical growth of its children, and 

 yet thousands of children are annually stunted and weakened 

 by drugs, because most colic cures, teething concoctions, and 

 soothing sirups are merely agreeably flavored drug mixtures. 

 Those who have used such preparations know that a child 

 usually becomes fretful and irritable between doses, and 

 can be quieted only by larger and more frequent supplies. A 

 habit formed in this way is difficult to overcome, and many a 

 child when scarcely over its babyhood has a craving which in 

 later years may lead to drug taking. Even though the drug 

 craving is not created, considerable harm is done to the child, 

 because its body is left weak and non-resistant to diseases of 

 infancy and childhood. 



Many of our soft drinks contain narcotics. The use of the 

 coca leaf and the kola nut for such preparations has increasec 

 very greatly within the last few years, and doubtless legislation 

 will soon be instituted against the sale of harmful soft drinks 



Headache powders. The stress and strain of modern life 

 cause many headaches. Work must be done and business at- 

 tended to, and the average sufferer grasps at any remedy which 

 removes the immediate pain. The relief afforded by most head- 

 ache mixtures is due to antipyrine or acetanilide. These drugs 

 weaken heart action, diminish circulation, reduce the number 

 of red corpuscles in the blood, and bring on chronic anaemia. 

 Pallid cheeks and blue lips are visible evidence of the too fre- 

 quent use of headache powders. 



The labels required by law are often deceptive and convey no 

 adequate idea of the amount of drug consumed. For example, 

 240 grains of acetanilide to an ounce seems a small quantity of 



