25091. Misbranding of Nature's Mineral Food.     U. S. v. Nature's Mineral Food 
Co., Inc., and Perry B. Smith.    Plea of guilty.    Fine, $25.    (F. & D. no.
33988.    Sample no. 3327-B.)
This case was based on an interstate shipment of a drug preparation which 
was misbranded because of unwarranted curative and therapeutic claims in the 
labeling and because of false and misleading claims to the effect that it was a 
natural food, that it consisted essentially of minerals and contained no drugs.
On May 20, 1935, the United States attorney for the Southern District of 
Indiana, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the 
district court an information against Nature's Mineral Food Co., Inc., and 
Perry B. Smith, of Indianapolis, Ind., alleging shipment by said defendants, 
in violation of the Food and Drugs Act, as amended, on or about July 5, 1934, 
from the State of Indiana into the State of Missouri, of a quantity of Nature's 
Mineral Food which was misbranded. The article was labeled in part: "Na- 
ture's Mineral Food Co., Inc.,   *   *    *    Indianapolis, Ind."
Analysis showed that the article consisted essentially of calcium phosphate, 
calcium  carbonate, calcium  chloride,  magnesium  sulphate,  sodium   chloride.
and small amounts of iron sulphate, potassium iodide, sodium salicylate, and 
free sulphur.
The article was alleged to be misbranded in that certain statements, designs, 
and devices regarding its therapeutic and curative effects, appearing on the 
carton label, falsely and fraudulently represented that it was effective to 
promote perfect health and physical loveliness, to purify the blood, to elimi- 
nate all poisons, and to clear the complexion; effective as a short cut to 
health, to insure health and vitality, to rebuild the body, and to give health 
to all; effective as a treatment, remedy, and cure for all diseased conditions 
of the blood, stomach, and kidneys, anemia, colitis, diabetes, gall bladder, 
acidity, arthritis, neuritis, high blood pressure, all forms of rheumatism, and 
undernourished children. Misbranding was alleged for the further reason that 
the statements, "Nature's * * * Food", "Essential Minerals", Nature's 
Way", "All the Essential Minerals", "Without Drugs", and "Guaranteed to 
conform to all pure food and drug laws", borne on the label, were false and 
misleading in that they represented that the article was composed essentially 
of minerals, that it was a food, that it contained no drugs, and that it con- 
formed to the Federal Food and Drugs Act; whereas it was not composed 
essentially of minerals, it was not a food, it did contain drugs, and did 
not conform to the Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906.
On October 11, 1935, a plea of guilty was entered and the court imposed a 
fine of $25.
W. R. GBEGG, Acting Secretary of Agriculture.