29449. Misbranding of Pon-Tam-Pon Sliver-Iodine, Pon-Tam-l*on ichthyol- 
iodine, and Pon-Tam-Pon Zinc-ichthyol. 17. S. v. 09 Cartons and 17 
Cartons of Pon-Tam-Pon (and 2 similar seizure actions). Default 
decrees of condemnation and destruction. (F. & D. Nos. 42047, 42048, 
42217, 42218.   Sample Nos. 3210-D, 3211-D, 17679-D, 17680-D.)
The labeling of all these products bore false and fraudulent curative and 
therapeutic claims, and that of the silver-iodine and ichthyol-iodine tampons 
bore false and misleading representations that they contained free iodine.
On March 28 and April 18, 1938, the United States attorney for the Northern 
District of California, acting upon reports by the Secretary of Agriculture, 
filed in the district court three libels praying seizure and condemnation of 134 
cartons of Pon-Tam-Pon at San Francisco, Calif.; alleging that the articles 
had been shipped in interstate commerce on or about October 4 and November 4, 
11, and 23, 1937, from Rutland, Vt, by the Pond Manufacturing Co.; and 
charging misbranding in violation of the Food and Drugs Act as amended. 
Each carton contained six tampons and a tube labeled: "Glycerant."
Analyses showed that the tube labeled "Glycerant" contained glycerite of 
starch, or glycerite of starch and boric acid; that the silver-iodine tampons 
consisted essentially of a gelatin shell containing a jelly composed of glycerated 
gelatin, boric acid, and an iodide, a layer of powder composed of silver nitrate 
and boric acid, and a bundle of wool fibers; that the ichthyol-iodine tampons 
consisted essentially of a gelatin shell containing a jelly composed of gelatin, 
glycerin, boric acid, ichthammol, an iodide, and a bundle of wool fibers; and 
that the zinc-ichthyol tampons consisted essentially of a gelatin shell containing 
glycerin, boric acid, ichthammiol and compounds of zinc and salicylic acid, and 
a bundle of wool fibers.
The silver-iodine and ichthyol-iodine tampons were alleged to be misbranded 
In that the statements, (silver-iodine) "* * * original an pure state 
* * * Iodine * * * with Iodine equivalent of 20 percent of the Tinc- 
ture * * * Iodine," and (ichthyol-iodine) "Ichthyol-iodine * * * Iodine 
with tr. of iodine 13 percent," were false and misleading since the tampons 
contained no free iodine.
All the products were alleged to be misbranded in that statements in the 
labeling falsely and fraudulently represented their curative and therapeutic 
effectiveness as follows: (Silver-iodine) in the treatment of gonorrhea in 
women; (ichthyol-iodine and zinc-ichthyol) in the treatment of leucorrhea, 
painful menstruation, profuse and irregular menstruation, diseased tubes and 
ovaries and pelvic peritonitis, displacement of the uterus, fibroid tumors, steril- 
ity, to prevent miscarriage; as a treatment after miscarriage and confinement, 
and in complications after operations; in the treatment of headache, indiges- 
tion, backache, nervous prostration, disease of the uterus in young girls, and 
lacerations; (zinc-ichthyol only) in the treatment of prolapse, prolapse 
cystocele, and rectocele; (Glycerant) in the treatment of inflammation, skin 
diseases, hemorrhoids, sores, and sore gums.
On July 21, 1938, no claimant having appeared, judgments of condemnation 
were entered and the products were ordered destroyed.
HAEET L. BEOWN, Acting Secretary of Agriculture.