7144. Misbranding of Plantation Sarsaparilla, Magic Eye Salve, and 
" Femenina." U. S. * * * v. Van Vleet-Mansfield Drug Co., a 
corporation.    I'lea  of   guilty.    Fine,   $150  and   costs.     (F.   &   D.   No.
9780.    I.  S. Nos. 6113-r,6114-r, 6115-r.)
On July 15, 1919, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of 
Tennessee, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the 
District Court of the United States for said district an information against 
the Van Vleet-Mansfield Drug Co., a corporation, Memphis, Tenn., alleging 
shipment by said company, in violation of the Food and Drugs Act, as 
amended, on or about May 20, 1918 (2 shipments), and May 14, 1918, from 
the State of Tennessee into the States of Alabama and Mississippi, of quan- 
tities of articles of drugs, labeled in part " Plantation Sarsaparilla," " Magic 
Eye Salve," and " Femenina," which were misbranded.
Analyses of samples of the articles by the Bureau of Chemistry of this de- 
partment showed the Plantation Sarsaparilla to consist essentially of potas- 
sium iodid, alcohol, unidentified plant material, sugar, and water; the Magic 
Eye Salve to consist of an ointment composed essentially of zinc oxid, benzoic 
acid, and petrolatum; and the " Femenina " to consist essentially of alcohol, 
water, sugar, and unidentified material, with indications of valerian.
It was alleged in substance in the information that the Plantation Sarsa- 
parilla was misbranded for the reason that certain statements appearing on 
the labels of the bottles and cartons falsely and fraudulently represented it 
as a treatment, remedy, and cure for chronic rheumatism, cutaneous eruptions, 
scrofula, pains in the bones and joints, lumbago, glandular swellings of the 
neck, syphilis or syphilitic symptoms, chronic sore eyes and tetter, when, in 
truth and in fact, it was not. It was alleged in substance that the article 
was misbranded for the further reason that certain statements appearing in 
the circular accompanying the article falsely and fraudulently represented it 
as a treatment, remedy, and cure for cancer, rheumatism, nasal catarrh, chronic 
ulcers, pimples, blotches, and effective as a treatment, remedy, and cure for 
stoppage of menses, blood poison, congestion and chills, when, in truth and in 
fact, it was not.
It was alleged in substance in the information that the Magic Eye Salve 
was misbranded for the reason that certain statements appearing on the 
labels of the bottles and cartons falsely and fraudulently represented it as a 
treatment, remedy, and cure for sore eyes, when, i-n truth and in fact, it was 
not. It was r'Ueged in substance that the article was misbranded for the 
further reason that certain statements included in the leaflet accompanying 
the article falsely and fraudulently represented it as a treatment, remedy, 
and cure for all diseases of the eye, including granulated eyelids, both acute 
and chronic, when, in truth and in fact, it was not.
It was alleged in substance that the " Femenina " was misbranded for the 
reason that certain statements appearing on the labels of 'the bottles and 
cartons falsely and fraudulently represented it as a treatment, remedy, and cure 
for diseases peculiar to females, and effective to excite healthy action and re- 
store normal conditions and give tone and strength to the uterine functions, 
and effective as a treatment, remedy, and cure for such menstrual disturbances 
as painful menstruation, leucorrhea or whites, suppression, exaggeration, pains 
in the back and kidneys, disturbed sleep, difficult passing [of] urine, with heat or 
smarting, irritable temper, palpitation of the heart, and other debilitating dis- 
orders peculiar to females, and effective as a treatment, remedy, and cure for 
complete or partial suppression and excessive menstruation, and difficult and 
painful menstruations, when, in truth and in fact, it was not. It was alleged 
in substance that the article was misbranded for the further reason that cer-
tain statements included in the booklet accompanying the article falsely and 
fraudulently represented it as a treatment, .remedy,, and cure for making 
women strong and healthy and giving them full sexual capacity, and effective be- 
fore delivery to greatly assist the mother to be by producing the normal 
condition of the generative organs, and effective as a treatment, remedy, and 
cure for falling of the womb (prolapsus uteri), abundant discharge of the 
vagina, nausea and bad mouth, sensation of despondency, acute pains in 
the renal regions, pain in side without apparent causes, dumb pain at the 
extremity of the backbone, pain while urinating, sensation of weight in the 
groins, irregular menstruations, timidity, nervousness, and sensations of dis- 
quietude, fear of some impending sickness, irritable and contrary temper, 
flatulency in the lower intestine, pains in the left or right side of the intestines, 
sensation of annoyance, inflammation of the womb, pains on the breastbone, ex- 
cessive menstruation, hysterics, pulsations at the temples and in the ears, brief 
and perturbed slumber, whites, torpid digestion, headache, troubles in the eye- 
sight and hearing, vertigo, morbidness and melancholy, palpitation of the heart, 
sensibility and weakness of the nerves, loss of appetite, longings, weight and 
pain in the waist when exercising, difficulty in urinating, habitual constipation, 
natural tendency to miscarriage, cold extremities, ulceration of the womb and 
sterility; and when used in connection with Plantation Sarsaparilla with iodid 
of potassium as a treatment, remedy, and cure for retarded menses; and effec- 
tive as a treatment, remedy, and cure for inflammation of the ovai'ies, the 
critical age, or cessation of the menstrual period, and for tumors of the womb, 
when, in truth and in fact, it was not.
On September 10, 1919, the defendant company entered a plea of guilty to 
the information, and the court imposed a fine of $150 and costs.
E. D. BALL, 
Acting Secretary of Agriculture.