whatever. It is a common occurrence that samples of proprietary medicines, foods, mineral waters, plasters, etc., etc. are sent to the hospital, or to members of the house-staff for 'trial,' whereupon the subsequent advertisements of the articles in question often assert that the latter are 'used in Bellevue Hospital,' leaving the impression upon the mind of the reader that the article, or articles, have been used with the sanction of some member of the Medical Board. It is probably impossible to find a remedy for this evil, from which many other institutions of repute likewise suffer. To publish a denial of such false assertions would only aggravate the evil. The utmost that can be done appears to be, to caution the medical staff against any entanglements with, or encouragement of, the agents of the interested parties."
This report, which was adopted by the Medical Board of Bellevue Hospital, classifies proprietary preparations as "Objectionable" or "Unobjectionable" according to the following rules:—
"Unobjectionable preparations are those, the origin and composition of which is not kept secret, and which are known to serve a useful and legitimate purpose. Malted Milk is an example. Objectionable proprietary preparations, by far the largest group of the whole class, comprise all those which are aimed at under the medical code of ethics under the term 'secret nostrum,' which term may be more closely defined thus:
"A secret nostrum is a preparation, the origin or composition of which is kept secret, the therapeutic claims for which are unreasonable or unscientific, or which is not intended for a legitimate purpose.
"Examples: The various 'Soothing Syrups,' 'Female Regulators,' 'Blood Purifiers,' and thousands of others."
Dr. A. Emil Hiss, Ph. G., says of the secrecy of these preparations :—
