Chapter XI: Part I: Council Reports (6)

Iosaline, therefore, appears to be a solidified, watery-alcoholic solution of soap containing potassium iodid, menthol and methyl salicylate. Physiologic tests carried out by rubbing the preparation on the skin and afterward testing the saliva and the urine for an iodid indicated that none of the potassium iodid is absorbed. Since Iosaline is claimed to contain 70 per cent. of alcohol and 5 per cent. of iodin, the alcohol content is but 68.7 per cent. and the iodin content but 85 per cent. of the amounts claimed. The phrase “combined iodin” is evidently meant to mislead, and adds the element of mystery on which preparations of this class rely so largely.--(_From The Journal A. M. A., March 15, 1913._)

NOURRY WINE[R][S]

Abstract of Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

[R] For the unabridged report of the Council’s action on Nourry Wine, see Reports Council Pharm. and Chem., 1914, p. 74.

[S] For reports and articles on other acetanilid mixtures, see pp. 9, 244, 268, 305.

Nourry Wine (E. Fougera and Co., New York) is a proprietary iodin preparation said to contain 12 per cent. of alcohol and 1-1/2 grains of iodin in combination with tannin to the fluidounce. Experiments made in the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory demonstrate that the iodin contained in Nourry Wine is present either in the form of iodid ions or in a form very readily yielding iodid ions and that therefore its action will be that of ordinary iodid. Yet a circular asserts:

“The Nourry Wine is the one preparation ... able to introduce into
the organism the active metalloid liberated little by little from
the organic combination....”

While Nourry Wine contains but an insignificant proportion of iodin, the circular claims that “Nourry Wine presents a high dose of iodin.” Further, the label on Nourry Wine and the circular which is wrapped with it suggests its use in a number of diseases in which iodin medication is considered of minor importance. These recommendations, bolstered up by testimonials from twelve to twenty-five years old, are likely to lead the public if not the medical profession to use this weak iodid wine where efficient treatment is called for. The attempt is made to give a further false value to Nourry Wine in the minds of those who prize everything that is foreign by the suggestion that it comes from France when in reality it is made in New York. In conclusion the Council held that, though the alcohol of the wine is the most potent constituent, the constant use in the advertising matter of the term “Nourry Wine,” unqualified by the adjective “Iodinated,” was mischievous as likely to lead to the thoughtless use of the preparation in cases unsuitable for iodin medication. The Council refused recognition to Nourry Wine.--(_From The Journal A. M. A., Dec. 12, 1914._)

LABORDINE

A Report by the Council and Some Pertinent Comments Added Thereto

The following report was submitted to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry by the subcommittee which examined Labordine:

_To the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry_:--Your subcommittee
presents the following report on Labordine, sold by the Labordine
Pharmacal Co., St. Louis.

Labordine is advertised to physicians as having the following
composition:

Apium Graveolens
(true active principle) “Process-Laborde” 35-3/8
Gaultheria Fragrantissima
(true active principle) “Process-Laborde” 25-1/8
Acete Amide-Phenyle 15-1/8
Quinina 1-1/8
Benzoyl-Sulphyonic-Imide 23-1/4

It is stated to be a “vegetable antipyretic”; that {“}it reduces
temperature without heart depression,” and physicians are warned
to “avoid acetanilid poisoning and danger from other coal-tar
antipyretics.”

While the “formula” and the statement just quoted are sufficient
evidence of the fraudulent character of the product, yet an abstract
of the reports of the chemists who analyzed it is given further to
demonstrate its character.

Taking the average of the reports of analyses, labordine contains:

Acetanilid 37.9
Free salicylic acid 6.9
Quinin present
Corn starch present
Milk sugar 34.7

This report of analysis only makes apparent that Labordine is not
what it is claimed to be. While it is claimed to contain 23-1/4 per
cent. saccharin, this substance was not present, or mere traces only.
While, in a disguised way, it is stated to contain 15-1/8 per cent.
acetanilid, it contained nearly 40 per cent.

It is recommended that Labordine be not approved and that this report be published.

The recommendation of the subcommittee was adopted by the Council, and in accordance therewith the above report is published.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

COMMENTS

A concrete illustration of some general principles previously laid down is furnished by a nostrum too unimportant to be of any value, save to “point a moral and adorn a tale.”

About thirteen years ago Labordine was advertised under the name of Analgine-Labordine, “A purely vegetable product,” “a combination of the active principles of _Camellia Thea_, _Apium Graveolens_, saccharin and carbohydrates,” “Superior to Antipyrine, Phenacetine, Antifebrine, Acetanilid”--note the use of two names for the same thing--“or any of their imitations,” and “unexcelled by any coal-tar product or their compounds.” In 1894 the name was changed to Labordine, in order, as its owner stated, to prevent its being mistaken for a coal-tar product of similar name.

What its composition was at this time we do not know, since there is no guarantee of the permanence nor stability of nostrum formulas except “the honor and reputation of the manufacturers,” which, as investigation has shown, is not always unimpeachable. There has been nothing to prevent alteration of the formula, if the proprietors desired, with every change in the moon. But the name and the general tone of the advertising has been the same. The claim of superiority over coal-tar products has been constantly made.

As to the present conditions, a circular enclosed with a sample of Labordine, recently sent from the St. Louis office, contains the formula given above in the report of the Council. In the same circular are also found these illuminating statements: “The medical profession has long appreciated the dangers involved in the administration of various mineral remedies now so commonly employed, and the value of a safe, effective and reliable vegetable antipyretic is universally recognized. Such a remedy is Labordine. It is purely vegetable in its composition and produces none of the evil after-effects of the coal-tar derivatives.... Labordine ... is a purely vegetable cardiac stimulant.... There is nothing mysterious about Labordine or its constituents.... The ‘Process-Laborde’ gives the true active principles of the Celery and Indian Wintergreen, something heretofore difficult to obtain. To this is added the fact that absolutely chemically pure Acet-Amide-Phenyle is used. The latter is the most valuable and, in fact, the only vegetable antipyretic known.”

The above report of the Council shows the following facts:

1. _Apium Graveolens_ (true active principle), “Process-Laborde” is probably powdered celery seed. One chemist says: “The powder has the characteristic odor of celery, while a microscopic examination shows the presence of a substance having the characteristic structure of seeds in general.” If celery seed has any “active principle” it has never been isolated. As to its therapeutic value, nothing whatever is known. It is, we understand, highly beneficial in the case of singing canaries, but authorities in scientific therapeutics have never discovered that it possessed any remarkable medicinal qualities.

2. _Gaultheria Fragrantissima_ (true active principle), “Process-Laborde,” is probably ordinary everyday salicylic acid. One analysis showed salicylic acid to be present to the amount of about 7 per cent. The question of whether or not salicylic acid could in any way be considered the “true active principle” of _Gaultheria Fragrantissima_, was submitted to Prof. John Uri Lloyd of Cincinnati, the eminent authority on the chemistry of the proximate principles of plants, who replies:

“The advertisement is evidently so worded that, although the name of the Indian plant _Gaultheria Fragrantissima_ is employed, its true and active principle being wintergreen oil, the concoctor can mystify his patrons and at the same time use the well-known wintergreen oil, made in America, which in my opinion, so far as any chemical test might be concerned, could not be distinguished from the methyl salicylic acid (wintergreen oil) derived from the Indian plant. Concerning whether salicylic acid is a proximate constituent of _Gaultheria Fragrantissima_, in my opinion, it would be a misnomer to make such an announcement. Salicylic acid, per se, does not exist, in my opinion, in the plants mentioned, being made by chemistry.”

3. The third and most important ingredient in this “purely vegetable antipyretic” is brazenly announced as “Acet-Amide-Phenyle,” but it is only necessary to say that this imposing designation is an attempt to “Frenchify” a scientific name for acetanilid.

Analysis shows that this coal-tar product is present to the amount of 37.9 per cent., or 1.89 grains in a 5-grain tablet.[56] In other words, this imposing Labordine, made by a mysterious and elsewhere unheard of “Process-Laborde,” is simply one more of the many acetanilid powders that have been foisted on our profession and that have filled our journals for years past. The only thing in it that is of practical therapeutic value is 2 grains of acetanilid to a 5-grain tablet. The statement that Labordine is a purely vegetable preparation is probably intended by the proprietors as a good joke on the medical profession. Acetanilid is not usually regarded as a vegetable product, at least it is not ordinarily found in market gardens. The only vegetable source from which acetanilid can be obtained is the beautiful flowering coal-tar bush, from which so many other nostrum vendors obtain their “perfectly harmless, purely vegetable antipyretics,” all composed of acetanilid and something to hide it. If the statements made by one of the company’s employees and quoted below are true, Labordine is not “manufactured and made chemically pure in the laboratories of the Labordine Pharmacal Company,” for this company has no laboratory, and its product is manufactured for it.

[56] Since this article was prepared we find that the national Food and Drugs Act has forced the proprietors of Labordine to put on the label the amount of acetanilid it contains, viz., 40 per cent., or 2 grains in a 5 grain tablet.

4. Our readers will be interested to know that the important ingredient entered under the imposing name of Benzoyl-Sulphyonic-Imide is simply a highly scientific name for saccharin. Even on this point, however, the formula is misleading, since it claims 23-1/4 per cent. of this substance, whereas the analysis shows that the presence of saccharin could not be proved. If it is present at all it is in quantities much less than stated, and so small as to be difficult of recognition. Instead it appears that the product contains common starch and about 35 per cent. of milk sugar.

THE COMPANY ITSELF

One of the humiliating phases of the proprietary medicine business is that, in many instances, these preparations are foisted on our profession by men who know nothing of medicine, pharmacy or chemistry, yet who not only presume to concoct our medicines for us, but also assume to instruct us how to use them.

Gould’s Commercial Register for 1907 gives the officers of the Labordine Pharmacal Company as H. M. Coudrey, president; M. Crawley, vice-president, and D. E. Gamble, Jr., secretary and treasurer. The place of business is given as 420 Market street, St. Louis. We are informed that Harry M. Coudrey is an insurance agent and the present member of Congress from the Twelfth Missouri District; that Mark Crawley is a clerk in the insurance office of H. M. Coudrey; and that Mr. Gamble is cashier in the same office. A recent visit of a representative of The Journal to 420 Market street, St. Louis, showed that the office of the Labordine Pharmacal Company is in Room 12 on the third floor of an old dilapidated building. There was no sign on the door of the office, but on the wall next to an old elevator was a very small sign which read “Labordine Chemical Company, Room 12.” The office at the time of the visit was apparently in charge of a young woman about 20 years old. Careful scrutiny of the furniture and fixtures showed that the room contained an old oak roll-top desk in one corner and a kitchen table, on which were piled about half a dozen packages of Labordine. The floor of the room was bare and very dirty. In an adjoining room, the door of which was open, was piled a lot of broken furniture. No laboratories nor chemical apparatus were visible. The young woman in charge stated that Labordine was made by the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, at No. 3600 North Second Street, St. Louis.

This is a fair sample of nostrums and of the methods of exploiting them. The bitterly humiliating fact about the whole business is that a preparation, advertised under such palpably misleading claims, could actually be advertised in medical journals, even in journals of a supposedly high scientific standard, and could be bought and prescribed for years by supposedly intelligent and conscientious physicians. It is not supposed that every physician should be enough of a chemist to detect the ridiculous discrepancies between the published formula and the therapeutic claims made for such a mixture. But that members of a supposedly learned profession should fail to have enough interest in the preparations they prescribe for their confiding patients to find out that acetanilid is being masked under an obsolete and little used name, that under an imposing polysyllabic designation is hidden saccharin, that the so-called “active principle Process-Laborde” (whatever that may be), is equivalent only to one-third grain of salicylic acid in a 5-grain tablet, and that the advertising matter sent out for years by this company contained absolute falsehoods regarding the composition and therapeutic benefits of its preparation, is certainly just cause for shame and humiliation. If a physician, knowing the composition of Labordine, wishes to prescribe it and prescribes it intelligently, he has a perfect right to do so. If he wishes his patient to have 2 grains of acetanilid, 1/20 of a grain of quinin, and 1/3 of a grain of salicylic acid, and considers a mixture of ground celery seed, starch and milk sugar as a proper vehicle for this medication, no one will question his right to administer it. No physician, however, has any right, either moral or professional, to prescribe a preparation, concerning the ingredients of which he knows absolutely nothing.

Is it possible that such carelessness may be one of the causes of waning public confidence in our profession? We leave it to our readers to determine whether such a moral can be drawn from this typical nostrum story.--(_From The Journal A. M. A., March 30, 1907._)

LACTOBACILLINE OMITTED FROM N. N. R.

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

The Franco-American Ferment Company has advised the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry that, in advertising its products, it will no longer conform to the rules of the Council. This is evident. The Franco-American Ferment Company has distributed circulars in which the public is informed that auto-intoxication is the cause of innumerable ills ranging all the way from arteriosclerosis, rheumatism and gout to chronic headache, odorous perspiration, nervous disorders and melancholia; that the Bulgarian bacillus “is a wonderful corrective or remedy” for all these conditions, and that the Lactobacilline products are the only preparations of Bulgarian bacillus “to be had in America which bear his [Professor Metchnikoff’s] personal endorsement”--by inference, the only reliable products. In view of the action of the Franco-American Ferment Company, and of the tendency of their advertising to cause the public to exaggerate slight ailments into alarming conditions, the Council has voted that the several Lactobacilline products of this concern be deleted from New and Nonofficial Remedies.--(_From The Journal A. M. A., April 17, 1915._)

REEXAMINATION OF LACTOPEPTINE[T]

Report to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

[T] See also Liquid Combinations Containing Pepsin and Pancreatin, p. 157. A reprint of articles bearing on this subject, issued under the title Digestive Impossibilities, will be sent on receipt of a 2-cent stamp.

In 1907 the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry published a report on Lactopeptine. At that time it was shown that Lactopeptine did not have the composition claimed for it. The same claims as to composition are still being made for the product. In view of this fact, a second examination of Lactopeptine has been made and the result reported to the committee on chemistry. The report confirms the Council’s findings of six years ago. After adoption by the committee, it was adopted by the Council and its publication authorized.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

SECOND EXAMINATION OF LACTOPEPTINE

Two specimens of Lactopeptine in original unbroken packages were recently examined. One of these was an American preparation said to be produced by the New York Pharmaceutical Association at Yonkers and the other an English preparation from John Morgan Richards and Sons, London.

When Lactopeptine was first examined by the Council about six years ago, it was found to be little more than weak saccharated pepsin, and did not contain the other ferments which were claimed by the manufacturers to be present. A statement concerning this was published in the Council Reports for 1905-1908, p. 43. Because of claims recently made by the exploiters that this preparation contains not only pepsin but also pancreatin, diastase, lactic acid and hydrochloric acid, and that the failure to recognize these must be due to the lack of ability of the chemists making the examination, it seemed worth while to undertake a new series of tests on samples from two sources mentioned, the products on the British and American markets. The label on the British sample gives the following as the composition:

Sugar of Milk 40 ounces
Pepsin 8 ounces
Pancreatine 6 ounces
Ptyalin or Diastase 4 drachms
Lactic Acid 5 fl. drachms
Hydrochloric Acid 5 fl. drachms

The label on the American sample gives no quantities but states that it “represents a combination of the principal digestive and enzymogenic agents, Pepsin, Pancreatin, Diastase, Lactic and Hydrochloric Acids, in the proper proportion to insure best results.”

We have examined both preparations for starch-digesting power according to the methods employed in our previous examinations of such ferments and already reported. Diastase and the amylopsin of pancreatin seem to be completely absent, or, if present at all, in such minute traces that digestion of starch is not shown after one hour when quantities running from 60 mg. up to 150 mg. were allowed to act on 500 mg. of starch made up into paste. These tests were repeated, always with the same results, and were controlled by digestions of the same starch with other diastase preparations of known value.

Tryptic activity appears likewise to be absent, as in weak alkaline solution after fifteen hours’ digestion no effect on coagulated egg albumin or fibrin was observed when 100 mg. of each preparation was used with 1 gm. of the protein material.

As was found in the previous investigation the two products have some peptic activity, but this activity is comparatively weak, as about 200 mg. of each preparation are required to digest 10 gm. of coagulated egg albumin with 0.2 per cent. hydrochloric acid in three hours at 40 C. (104 F.), and 100 mg. portions were unable to completely digest 10 gm. portions of egg albumin with acid of the same strength in four hours at 50 C. (122 F.).

Hydrochloric acid is absent, as might be expected from the character of the preparation, and the amount of combined chlorid is small; but qualitative tests were obtained for organic acid resembling in behavior lactic acid, which is probably present in combined form.

It must be reaffirmed then that in digestive activity both the Lactopeptine purchased in the United States and that bought in England are essentially weak saccharated pepsins.

[Editorial Note.--The report of 1907 demonstrated that Lactopeptine was at that time a weak saccharated pepsin. The present report shows that Lactopeptine, as it is sold both in the United States and Great Britain, is still the same weak pepsin preparation. By the false statements which appear on the Lactopeptine labels the exploiters lay themselves liable to prosecution under the Food and Drugs Act--just as they have laid themselves liable for the past six years. The continued exploitation of this preparation warrants a restatement of facts that have been given many times before:

1. A preparation having the composition claimed for Lactopeptine--a powder containing pepsin, pancreatin, diastase, lactic acid and hydrochloric acid--cannot be produced commercially.

2. Even if such a combination were available, the acidity of the mixture itself and of the gastric juice would in all probability destroy the pancreatin before it could reach the intestinal tract.

3. Even if every constituent could exert its proper function at the right time, the administration of such a shotgun mixture would be unscientific and uncalled for.]--(_From The Journal A. M. A., Aug. 2, 1913._)

MEAT AND BEEF JUICES[U]

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

[U] See also following report on Valentine’s Meat Juice and article on Meat Extracts and Meat Juices, p. 470.

The following was submitted to the Council by a subcommittee:

_To the Council_:--While meat extracts contain only traces of
coagulable proteids and have little food value, meat juices are
prepared by a process which ensures the presence in the finished
product of considerable quantities of coagulable proteids and they
therefore have considerable value as foods. Many preparations which
are sold as beef juices or meat juices have no right to these
designations. Since the public and physicians are likely to be misled
by the names given to these products and by the false claims which
are made for them as foods and depend on them in the nourishment of
the sick, it is important that their composition and their value as
foods should be known.

In the following report is presented the results of an examination
of some of the commercial products found on the American market.
The report shows that _Wyeth’s Beef Juice_ (John Wyeth & Bro.,
Philadelphia), _Bovinine_ (The Bovinine Co., New York), _Carnine_
(Carnine Co., Fougera & Co., New York), and _Valentine’s Meat Juice_
(M. J. Valentine, Richmond, Va.) are sold under names which are
incorrect, that their composition is not correctly stated by the
manufacturers and that false and misleading statements are made in
regard to their value as food.

It is recommended that the products named be refused recognition for
conflict with Rules 1, 6 and 8. Since these preparations are typical
of many others on the market, and as their use is a menace to the
public health it is recommended that the report be published.

This report was adopted by the Council.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

Beef or meat juices are clearly to be distinguished from beef or meat extracts. The word “juice” applies solely to the fluid portion remaining in fresh meat after proper cooling and storing and may be obtained by pressure or diffusion with or without a low degree of heat. Under heavy pressure freshly chopped meat will yield from 25 per cent. to 40 per cent. of a thick reddish juice and if the meat is previously frozen or heated to 60 C., as much as 50 per cent. may be obtained. This gives some idea as to the probable cost of preparing beef juice at home. The chief characteristics of meat juice are the presence of a considerable proportion of coagulable protein and a low content of meat bases. That above represents the nature of these commodities as usually understood by the medical profession, is clearly shown by this quotation:[57]

[57] Brunton, Sir Lauder: “Disorders of Assimilation, Digestion, etc.,” p. 183.

“One or two teaspoonfuls of this (meat juice) are added to a teacupful of cold or warm water, which, however, must not be boiling, or otherwise the albumin would be coagulated, but it may, however, be sufficiently warm to drink comfortably.”

Beef juice is considered by some physicians of much dietetic service and believed to represent liquid food in concentrated form. W. O. Atwater,[58] relative to this product says:

“Beef juice obtained from the best steak which has been merely warmed through over the coals and then entirely deprived of soluble substance by a screw press, is undoubtedly the most concentrated of the liquid foods.”

[58] Bull. No. 21, U. S. Dept. Agricult., Office of Experiment Stations.

The latter authority gives a number of analyses of beef juices prepared under known conditions.

DEFINITION OF MEAT JUICE

Meat juice is defined by the standards committee of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists as the fluid portion of muscle fiber obtained by pressure or otherwise, and may be concentrated by evaporation at a temperature below the coagulating point of the soluble protein. The solids contain not more than 15 per cent. of ash, not more than 2.5 per cent. of sodium chlorid (calculated from the total chlorin present), not more than 4 nor less than 2 per cent. of phosphoric acid (P_{2}O_{5}), and not less than 12 per cent. of nitrogen. The nitrogenous bodies contain not less than 35 per cent. of coagulable proteins and not more than 40 per cent. of meat bases.

Meat juices of commerce are supposed to be made by subjecting properly prepared meat to heavy pressure with subsequent concentration of the juice _in vacuo_ at a low temperature. The latter is necessary because if the temperature is raised to any material extent the valuable coagulable, soluble proteins referred to above are precipitated and lost. In order to establish a basis of comparison relative to the composition of natural raw beef juice a number of samples were prepared under known conditions and submitted to analysis. The results contained in the subjoined table clearly show that meat juices made under known conditions vary according to the mode of preparation, but it is evident that practically one-half of the nitrogen is present as coagulable protein.

FOOD VALUES

In order to arrive at the food value of any commodity it is necessary to consider its chemical composition, available potential energy, absorbability, etc. On referring to the analytical table it will be found that the amount of inorganic material in meat juices Nos. 7 and 10 is unduly high. It appears that sodium chlorid, per se, has been added to both Bovinine and Wyeth’s Beef Juice probably as a preservative in the latter and for condimental purposes in the former. The relative and absolute proportions of phosphatic material in both products is excessive. The other constituents present in the ash are those usually found in meat products.

The amount of sugar and glycerin in Carnine is interesting. These agents may be added for preserving purposes, but the resulting product, on account of its syrupy appearance, leads to the belief and is so represented, that it is a concentrated food. Glycerin is also present in Bovinine and Valentine’s meat juice. Bovinine in addition contains about 8 per cent. alcohol.

The total nitrogen content of the trade products excepting Carnine, is greater than the amount of nitrogen present in meat juices proper, but the relative amount of nitrogen present as coagulable protein--the valuable part of meat juice--is much greater in the latter. In fact, the amount of coagulable protein present in Valentine’s Meat Juice may be considered _nil_, which indicates that an unduly high temperature is used in its preparation. In this connection it should also be noted that even a moderate elevation of temperature influences the chemical composition of meat juices. For example, the coagulable matter present in Nos. 3, 4 and 5, is approximately one-half that present in Nos. 1 and 2, which appears to indicate that the best product can be made without the use of any heat whatever. Several of the trade products, namely Nos. 7, 8 and 9, contain about as much coagulable material as meat juice made by heating beef to 60 C. According to the formula appearing in a circular of the Bovinine Company, a part of the coagulable matter is present in the form of egg albumin, but the company claims egg albumin is not used at present. In the case of Carnine, the coagulable matter appears to be introduced by the use of blood itself. The exact nature of the coagulable protein matter in Wyeth’s Beef Juice has not been ascertained. It is well known to manufacturers and physiologic chemists that it is practically impossible to manufacture a genuine meat juice possessing a reasonable amount of coagulable proteins, which is stable without a preservative.

Meat juices, in addition to the coagulable protein material, contain other protein bodies such as albumoses and peptones. These bodies are largely formed from the original protein bodies present in the meat juice during the process of manufacture. They are highly nutritious and largely and readily absorbed from the alimentary canal, but the amount of these bodies present in the trade products is relatively small excepting in Bovinine, which is not a meat juice, particularly when the high prices are considered.

A considerable proportion of the nitrogenous matter contained in Valentine’s and Wyeth’s products is present in the form of amino bodies frequently included in the general term, “extractives.” These bodies may be oxidized in the body and thus supply heat in a manner similar to alcohol, but it should be remembered that there still appears to be a wide difference of opinion among various observers on this point. Some appear to be of the opinion that the amino bodies are devoid of food value in that these bodies appear in the urine practically unchanged. It would, therefore, appear that the value of the amino bodies is largely of a stimulant character.

The food value of meat juices, therefore, resides largely, if not solely, in the coagulable and other protein material present. Comparing the calorific value or potential energy available in meat juices proper on this basis with that present in the commercial products, excluding Bovinine, it will be seen that on the average the genuine meat juices--that is, those made by pressure, direct from the meat itself as wanted--are much superior to the commercial products, notwithstanding the marked concentration in some cases. The calories given in the accompanying table do not include sugar, alcohol or any other added material of this character.

WYETH’S BEEF JUICE

“Wyeth’s Beef Juice” is not a true beef juice, but resembles rather a diluted meat extract. It contains much added inorganic matter, is low in coagulable proteins, and considering the degree of concentration, relatively deficient in nutritive value. Some of the claims contained in the circular accompanying this preparation, in view of its composition set forth above, may be of interest:

“Wyeth’s Beef Juice ..., containing two fluid ounces and
representing three pounds of prime lean beef,...”

“... beef extracts made by the Liebig process are utterly devoid of
the valuable and nutritious albuminous constituents of meat,...”

[Wyeth’s Beef Juice] “should not be compared with ordinary beef
extract,...”

COMPOSITION OF MEAT JUICES

COLUMN HEADINGS:
1 = Name of Preparation
2 = Per cent. volatile matter 100 C.
3 = Per cent. inorganic matter
4 = Per cent. sodium chlorid
5 = Per cent. phosphoric pentoxid (P_{2}O_{5})
6 = Per cent. ether extract, glycerol and undetermined matter
7 = Per cent. total nitrogen
8 = Per cent. coagulable proteins (N × 6.25)
9 = Per cent. other proteins (N × 6.25)
10 = Amino bodies (N × 3.12)
11 = Calories per 500 gm. obtained from protein factor 4.8
12 = Calories per 500 gm. obtained from amino bodies factor 0.56

==================+=====+=====+====+====+=====+====+====+=====+====+======+=====
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
------------------+-----+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+----+------+-----
TRADE PRODUCTS: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Chuck beef, | | | | | | | | | | |
cold pressed |86.85| 1.86| .20| .31| 1.32|1.74|6.13| 2.94| .90|217.68| 2.52
| | | | | | | | | | |
Round beef, | | | | | | | | | | |
cold pressed |85.76| 1.53| .12| .37| .75|2.08|8.56| 2.37|1.03|262.32| 2.88
| | | | | | | | | | |
Chuck beef | | | | | | | | | | |
pressed at 60 C. |91.90| 1.29| .19| .29| .81|1.09|2.56| 2.50| .84|121.44| 2.35
| | | | | | | | | | |
Chuck beef | | | | | | | | | | |
pressed at 60 C. |89.56| 1.27| .16| .37| 2.98|1.09|3.00| 2.63| .56|135.12| 1.57
| | | | | | | | | | |
Round beef | | | | | | | | | | |
pressed at 60 C. |90.65| 1.36| .16| .36| 2.09|1.16|4.25| .31|1.34|109.44| 3.75
| | | | | | | | | | |
Chuck beef | | | | | | | | | | |
heated six hours | | | | | | | | | | |
before pressing |98.11| .39| .05| .12| .25| .24|....| 1.00| .25| 24.00| .70
60-100 C. | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
MADE IN | | | | | | | | | | |
LABORATORY: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Beef Juice, | | | | | | | | | | |
John Wyeth & Bro.,|58.84|16.21|6.71|3.27|12.51|3.15|2.88| 3.56|6.00|154.56|16.80
Philadelphia, Pa. | | | | | | [V]| | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Bovinine, | | | | | | | | | | |
The Bovinine Co., | | | | | | | | | | |
75 W. Houston St.,|80.40| 1.55|1.05| .09| 3.64|2.36|3.38|10.75| .28|339.12| .78
New York City | [W] | | | | [X] | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Carmine Co., | | | | | | | | | | |
Lefranco, Paris, | | | | | | | | | | |
France; Imported | | | | | | | | | | |
by Fougera & Co., | | | | | | | | | | |
Agents, New York |24.80| .86| .09| .33|68.94| .96|2.25| 2.56| .59|115.44| 1.65
City | [Y] | | | | [Z] | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Meat Juice, | | | | | | | | | | |
M. J. Valentine, |57.64|10.26|1.77|3.41|20.41|3.06| .19| 5.44|6.06|135.12|16.97
Richmond, Va. | | | | |[AA] |[AB]| | | | |
------------------+-----+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+----+------+-----

[V] Including 0.20 per cent. as NH_{3};

[W] 8.17 per cent. alcohol found;

[X] 3.1 per cent. glycerol found;

[Y] vacuum 70 C.;

[Z] 47.50 per cent. cane sugar--14.2 per cent. glycerol found;

[AA] 8 per cent. of glycerol found.

[AB] including 0.22 per cent. NH_{3};

The several samples of beef juice were prepared from practically fat
free, finely comminuted, chuck and round beef, first by pressure at
the ordinary temperature; second, by heating the prepared meat for
several hours at 60 C., then submitting to pressure. Sample No. 6
was made from chuck beef, prepared as above, by heating six hours at
from 60 to 100 C., and expressing after cooling. It is not a beef
juice proper but was prepared, analyzed and added to the list for
information. Its composition resembles several commercial articles
closely. A number of products represented and sold as meat juice
in the United States were analyzed and the results recorded in the
accompanying table.

BOVININE

Bovinine, advertised as a “condensed beef juice prepared by a cold process” is a mixture of alcohol, glycerin, added sodium chlorid, and apparently some form of defibrinated blood. According to the manufacturer’s literature egg albumin was used formerly but this ingredient is said to be no longer employed. It is not a meat juice in any sense of the word. Numerous misrepresentations will be found on the label and in the literature of Bovinine, of which the following are typical:

“The blood of selected steers prepared by a cold process,
furnishing a perfect food, free from insoluble elements.”

“The rapidity with which Bovinine is absorbed and assimilated in
the stomach ...”

“It supplies complete nutrition to the patient.”

“Bovinine contains all the elements of the animal, vegetable
and mineral kingdoms for the production of new blood with great
rapidity. Its principal constituents have been selected with a view
to furnish the largest amount of nutriment in the most condensed
form and all the resources of modern chemical analysis have been
brought to bear on this important problem.”

A series of experiments carried out with dogs under anesthesia, by injecting Bovinine into the stomach, the pyloric end of which was ligated, shows that Bovinine is not readily absorbed and assimilated by the stomach as claimed. The amount of protein material found in the stomach at the end of one-half hour to one hour and a quarter was practically equal to the amount introduced by the Bovinine.

It is also represented that Bovinine is of great service in case of an irritable stomach. This is not borne out by experiment. Bovinine fed to dogs by the mouth, either alone or mixed with food, induced vomiting, which was less marked when Bovinine was given with the regular diet. An examination of the urine of these animals showed a marked diminution of the amount of indican, while the ethereal sulphates were enormously increased, both absolutely and relatively, when Bovinine was given. Experiments on rabbits have shown that Bovinine injected into the peritoneal cavity was invariably followed by large quantities of albumin in the urine, which persisted for from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Thirty to 50 c.c. per kilo given by mouth daily caused emaciation and weakness; in some cases, irritation of the gastro-intestinal canal, with death of the animal in from seven to twelve days.

CARNINE

Carnine is a French preparation imported into the United States by Fougera & Co., of New York City. In physical appearance it looks like highly concentrated food, but analysis shows that it consists of a small proportion of defibrinated blood dissolved in a mixture of syrup and glycerol, the whole agreeably flavored. It is represented as a “juice of rare meat, prepared by cold process. Each tablespoonful represents 100 gm. of raw meat, or 3-1/2 ounces.” It is clear that Carnine is not a meat juice in any sense of the word.

VALENTINE’S MEAT JUICE

Valentine’s Meat Juice resembles in physical appearance taste, odor and by chemical analysis a diluted meat extract. The nutritive value of meat extracts is virtually _nil_, as is well known by the medical profession. Notwithstanding the composition of Valentine’s Meat Juice and the fact that beef extract represents little nutritive value, the manufacturer makes the following misleading representations:

“The two-ounce oval bottle, adopted for the Meat Juice contains
the concentrated juice of four pounds of the best beef, exclusive
of fat; or the condensed essence of one and a half pints of pure
liquid juice which is obtained from the flesh of beef.”

“The use of _hot water_ with the Meat Juice _changes its character
and impairs its value_.” [Italics in original.--Ed.]

The company must certainly be aware of the fact that its product contains little, if any, coagulable proteids.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion: Neither Bovinine nor Carnine is a meat juice, the former is anything but palatable and the latter soon cloys. “Valentine’s Meat Juice” and “Wyeth’s Beef Juice” are virtually diluted meat extracts, which are known to possess little food value. A physician depending on any of the foregoing products to supply material nourishment, in case of serious illness, is deceiving himself, starving his patients, and may be lessening their chances for recovery. If a patient recovers while using these commodities, it is certainly not due to the food value contained in them--(_From The Journal A. M. A., Nov. 20, 1909._)

VALENTINE’S MEAT JUICE[AC]

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

[AC] See also preceding report on Meat and Beef Juices, and article on Meat Extracts and Meat Juices, p. 470.

Some time ago the Council authorized publication of a report[AC] dealing with the composition and claims made for a number of the more generally advertised meat and beef juices. Among these was Valentine’s Meat Juice. This it was shown was sold under an incorrect name, the claims for its composition were not truthfully stated and its exploiters made false and misleading claims in regard to its food value. As Valentine’s Meat Juice is still widely advertised the referee in charge of this class of products deemed a reexamination of the product advisable. This was made and on it was based the following report which has been submitted to the Council, adopted, and its publication authorized.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

Your referee has had examined recently purchased specimens of Valentine’s Meat Juice (Valentine’s Meat Juice Company, Richmond, Va.). The examination shows that it has virtually the same composition as that given in the report of the Council “Meat and Beef Juices” published in The Journal, Nov. 20, 1909. It contains practically no coagulable protein material, one of the products characteristic of a meat juice. It is essentially a diluted meat extract.

The following statement found in former circulars now seems to have been eliminated:

“The two-ounce oval bottle, adopted for the Meat Juice contains
the concentrated juice of four pounds of the best beef, exclusive
of fat; or the condensed essence of one and a half pints of pure
liquid juice which is obtained from the flesh of beef.”

An endeavor is still made, however, to convey the idea that the product contains coagulable protein, as shown by the following:

“Boiling water changes the character of the preparation.”

“The use of boiling water with the Meat-Juice changes the character
of the Preparation.”

The proprietors undoubtedly know that the product does not contain any coagulable material and that the statements just quoted are plain misrepresentations.

The advertising circular contains a large number of “Testimonials of the Medical Profession.” As all are undated, one cannot tell how old these testimonials are. One physician recommends it highly for hypodermic use; another says, “I have kept cases on it and it alone for days, without attempting to give any other food, and the results have been entirely satisfactory.” According to another, it is “most invaluable in typhoid fever and also in diphtheria.”

Valentine’s Meat Juice conflicts with the following rules of the Council:

_Rule 1_, in that its composition is not correctly given;

_Rule 6_, in that unwarranted therapeutic claims are made, the profession being led to believe that the product is highly nutritious and is valuable in the treatment of pneumonia, diphtheria and typhoid fever;

_Rule 8_, in that the name is objectionable, for while sold as a meat juice, in reality it has the character of a meat extract.

Valentine’s Meat Juice is a fraud on the public, and in view of its continued exploitation under false claims, the referee recommends that the Council reiterate its former condemnation and authorize the publication of this report.

[Editor’s Note.--The difference between meat extracts and meat juices was fully discussed in the previous report of the Council, Meat “juices” are made by the cold expression of meat with subsequent evaporation, in such a way that the nutritious coagulable proteins remain in solution. In making meat “extracts,” heat is used which almost completely removes the coagulable proteins and thus renders it practically devoid of nutrient qualities.

A list of some of the medical journals that carry advertisements of Valentine’s Meat Juice, follows:

_Pediatrics_
_Old Dominion Journal of Medicine & Surgery_
_Medical World_
_Virginia Medical Semi-Monthly_
_Medical Times_
_American Medicine._]--(_From The Journal A. M. A., May 2, 1914._)

MEDICINAL FOODS

A report, of which the following is an abstract, was submitted to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry by the subcommittee which examined the medicinal foods:

In order to determine the food value of any food product it is
necessary to consider the following points: Chemical composition;
available potential energy; absorbability and cost. No attempt is
made in this article to discuss each of these features separately,
but they are utilized as required.

The ingredients on which the food value of any article of food
depends are the proteid substances, carbohydrates, fats, certain
inorganic bodies and--under certain conditions--alcohol. The amount
of each of these present in a preparation must be established by
chemical analysis. From the results thus obtained it is possible to
calculate the potential energy represented by a given food product.
In this report the potential or food value is expressed in the large
or kilocalorie, that is, the amount of heat required to raise the
temperature of one kilogram of water one degree centigrade.

The factors employed in this report for expressing in calories the
actual amount of energy utilized by the system are 4.8 for proteid
substances, 4.1 for carbohydrates, and 9.2 for fats.

The accompanying table embodies the results obtained by submitting
all the well-known so-called “predigested foods” to chemical
examination. The table as published in The Journal included columns
on: Price of bottle, number of cubic centimeters in a bottle, cost
per 500 cubic centimeters, reaction, specific gravity, percentage
of non-volatile residue, ash, percentage of nitrogen, calories as
proteids in 500 grams, carbohydrates before inversion, alcohol by
volume, average recommended adult dose per diem in cubic centimeters,
cost per diem to supply 1,430 calories. These columns were eliminated
from this abstract, as they were unessential, so far as the practical
value of the article is concerned. In most cases two samples of the
same brand were purchased at an interval of about six months. All
the analyses were made before Jan. 1, 1907. Some of the preparations
contain much glycerin which does not, so far as known at present,
possess any recognized food value, although there are a number of
experiments on record to indicate that it influences metabolism.

The percentage of nitrogen accredited to each of these products
represents the total amount of nitrogen, irrespective of the nature
of the nitrogenous substances, although some of this nitrogen has no
nutritive value.

By multiplying the percentage of nitrogen found by the factor 6.25
we obtain the percentage of nitrogenous matter (proteids) contained
in the various preparations. By multiplying the number of grams of
nitrogenous matter present in 500 grams of material by the factor 4.8
it is found that the potential energy available by the nitrogenous
matter varies from 10.3 calories to 153.1 calories. Five hundred
grams of the material is made the basis of calculation, because it
approximates a pint, the amount usually believed to be present in
the various trade packages, and because it affords a ready basis of
calculation.

The carbohydrates are represented by cane sugar, maltose, dextrin and
invert sugar. Lactose is probably also present in some, but it is
impossible to establish this. By multiplying the number of grams of
carbohydrates present in 500 grams of the foods by the factor 4.1 we
obtain the potential energy represented by the carbohydrate, which
varies from 11.3 to 319.2 calories. The total calorific value of
both proteids and carbohydrates ranges from 54.7 to 397.5 calories.
The total food value of an equal quantity of milk, including fat,
approximates 360 calories.

The value of alcohol as a food product pure and simple in disease
is, however, an open question. There is no doubt whatever but that
it acts to a certain degree as a food even here, not as a tissue
builder, but as a saver of fat and carbohydrate material, and in
order to give the preparations in question full value as food
products, the calories represented by the alcohol, are credited to
each preparation, as are the proteids and carbohydrates. The factor
usually recognized for expressing the calorific value of alcohol is
7. By multiplying the number of grams of alcohol present in 500 grams
of material by 7, the number of calories varies from 420 to 658.

On looking over the literature and printed matter distributed by some
manufacturers, the physician is frequently left under the impression
that these preparations contain all the essential constituents
necessary for maintaining normal nutrition of the body, as is clearly
shown by the following quotation: “Contains sufficient nutritive
material to maintain normal nutrition of the body, a valuable food in
typhoid fever, pneumonia, tuberculosis, ... and all the conditions of
the system associated with enfeebled digestion and malnutrition.”

In order to show the insidiousness of such representations it is only
necessary to give the actual food value of the average daily dose
(the average amount to be taken for twenty-four hours) recommended
by the various manufacturers for their products. The average adult
daily dose recommended varies from 50 to 150 c.c. The total available
calories per daily dose based on the proteid and carbohydrate bodies
varies from 9.8 to 110.5. Adding to these figures the amount of
energy represented by the alcohol, in each case, the total available
calories varies from 55.0 to 299.5. The number of calories per diem
in sickness should not fall much below 1,500 during twenty-four
hours.

TABULATED RESULTS OF EXAMINATIONS OF MEDICINAL FOODS

COLUMN HEADINGS:
1 = Name of Preparation and Manufacturer
2 = Glycerin and undetermined matter
3 = Per cent nitrogenous matter (6.26)
4 = Calories as proteids in 500 grams
5 = Carbohydrates after inversion
6 = Calories as carbohydrates in 500 grams
7 = Calories as proteids and carbohydrates in 500 grams
8 = Alcohol, by weight
9 = Calories as alcohol in 500 grams
10 = Calories as proteids and carbohydrates per diem dose
11 = Total calories in per diem dose[AD]
12 = Number c.c. required per diem to supply 1,430 calories

=================+=====+====+=====+=====+=====+=====+====+=====+=====+=======+=======
| | | | | | | | | | |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
| | | | | | | | | | |
----------------+-----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+-------+-------
Carpanutrine | | | | | | | | | | |
--John Wyeth |28.45|4.28|102.7| 5.34|109.5|212.2|12.5|437.5| 25.5| 78.0|1,100.7
& Brother | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Carpanutrine | | | | | | | | | | |
--John Wyeth |21.29|6.24|149.8| 5.78|118.5|268.3|14.0|490.0| 32.2| 91.0| 942.9
& Brother | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Liquid Peptones | | | | | | | | | | |
--Eli Lilly & | 3.63|4.50|108.0| 6.05|124.0|232.0|18.0|630.0| 69.6| 258.6| 829.4
Company. | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Liquid Peptones,| | | | | | | | | | |
with Creosote | | | | | | | | | | |
--Eli Lilly & | 4.34|3.84| 92.2|13.47|276.1|368.3|18.0|630.0|110.5| 299.5| 716.2
Company | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Nutrient Wine of| | | | | | | | | | |
Beef Peptone-- |14.97|0.64| 15.4|15.43|316.3|331.7|17.5|612.5| 66.3| 188.8| 757.4
Armour & Company| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Nutrient Wine of| | | | | | | | | | |
Beef Peptone-- |13.70|0.43| 10.3|15.57|319.2|329.5|17.0|595.0| 65.9| 184.9| 773.3
Armour & Company| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Nutritive Liquid| | | | | | | | | | |
Peptone--Parke, | 1.02|1.86| 44.6|12.89|264.2|308.8|18.8|658.0| 74.2| 232.1| 739.5
Davis & Company | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Nutritive Liquid| | | | | | | | | | |
Peptone--Parke, | 1.95|1.16| 27.8|13.19|270.4|298.2|17.7|619.5| 71.5| 220.2| 779.2
Davis & Company | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Peptonic Elixir | | | | | | | | | | |
--Wm. Merrell | 3.21|2.54| 61.0|11.46|234.9|295.9|16.5|577.5| 53.3| 157.2| 818.6
Chemical Company| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Tonic Beef | | | | | | | | | | |
S. & D.-- |12.91|3.40| 81.6| 2.36| 48.4|130.0|12.0|420.0| 13.0| 55.0|1,300.0
Sharp & Dohme | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Tonic Beef | | | | | | | | | | |
S. & D.-- |12.63|3.28| 78.7| 2.22| 45.5|124.2|13.0|455.0| 12.4| 57.9|1,234.4
Sharp & Dohme | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Liquid Peptone | | | | | | | | | | |
--Stevenson & | 0.44|1.81| 43.4| 0.55| 11.3| 54.7|12.0|420.0| 9.8| 85.4|1,506.8
Jester Company | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Cow’s Milk | | | | | | | | | | |
(3.8 per cent. | -- |3.50| 84.0| 4.80| 98.4|182.4| -- | -- | 7.3|1,429.6|2,000.0
fat) | | | | | | | | | | |
----------------+-----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+-------+-------

[AD] Total calories per diem dose includes the calories of alcohol in the liquid medicinal foods and the calories of the fat in milk.