18961. Misbranding of  lithiated   sorghum   compound.     TJ.   S.  v.   9%   Dozen
Bottles of Iiithiated Sorghum Comp. Default decree of condemna- 
tion, forfeiture, and destruction. (F. & D. No. 27061. I. S. No. 38321. 
S. No. 5280.)
Examination of a drug product, known as lithiated sorghum compound, 
from the shipment herein described having shown that the carton label and 
accompanying circular bore statements representing that the article possessed 
curative and therapeutic properties which it did not possess, the Secretary of 
Agriculture reported the matter to the United States attorney for the Southern 
District of New York.
On October 10, 1931, the United States attorney filed in the District Court 
of the United States for the district aforesaid a libel praying seizure and con- 
demnation of 9% dozen bottles of lithiated sorghum compound, remaining in 
the original unbroken packages at New York, N. Y., alleging that the article 
had been shipped by Sharp & Dohme (Inc.), from Philadelphia, Pa., on or 
about September 5, 1931, and had been transported from the State of Pennsyl- 
vania into the State of New York, and charging misbranding in violation of 
the food and drugs act as amended.
Analysis of a sample of the article by this department showed that it con- 
sisted of lithium benzoate (0.4 gram per 100 milliliters), lithium citrate (2.8 
grams per 100 milliliters), extracts of plant drugs including hydrangea, alco- 
hol, sugar, and water.
It was alleged in the libel that the article was misbranded in that the 
following statements regarding the curative and therapeutic effects of the said 
article, appearing in the labeling, were false and fraudulent, since it con- 
tained no ingredient or combination of ingredients capable of producing the 
effects claimed: (Carton) "For the treatment of acute and chronic cystitis, 
nephritic colic, pyelitis, irritable bladder, uric acid diathesis, rheumatism, gout 
and dropsy;" (circular) "This product has been effectively employed in cases 
of difficult micturition and irritability of the bladder occasioned by hyper- 
acidity of the urine.   In that form of incontinence of urine due to atony of the
sphincter of the bladder and in the nocturnal incontinence of urine in children, 
excellent results have been reported by numerous clinicians from the use of 
Lithiated Sorghum Comp."
On December 8, 1931, no claimant having appeared for the property, judg- 
ment of condemnation and forfeiture was entered, and it was ordered by the 
court that the product be destroyed by the United States marshal.
ABTHUB M. HYDE, Secretary of Agriculture.