10194. Misbranding of vitamin and mineral products. U. S. v. 30 5/12 Dozen 
Packages of American Calcium Pantothenate Tablets, lO 7/12 Dozen 
Packages of (Thiamin) Vitamin Bi Tablets, 51/12 Dozen Packages, of 
American Vitamin A and D Tablets, 55 Packages of Vitamin and Mineral 
Tablets, 214 Packages of Min-E-Vita Capsules, and. a quantity of printed 
matter. Default decree of condemnation and destruction. (F. D. C. No. 
16073.    Sample Nos. 20341-H to 20343-H, incl., 20348-H, 20349-H.)
The products were shipped between the approximate dates of September 29, 
1943, and March 16, 1945, and the printed matter was shipped on or about 
February 6 and 10 and March 7,1945.
PRODUCT: Vitamin and mineral products, as listed above, and a number of 
accompanying catalogs, display cards, and circulars entitled, "City Catalog 
No. 81," "American's Anti-Gray Hair Vitamins," and "Vitamins and Minerals," 
at Kansas City, Mo.
Examination showed that the calcium pantothenate tablets, the (thiamin) 
vitamin Bt tablets, and the vitamin A and D tablets contained the stated 
ingredients; that the vitamin and mineral tablets contained vitamins and, 
among other minerals, approximately 1 percent and 4 percent of the minimum 
daily requirements of phosphorus and calcium, respectively; and that the Min-E- 
Vita capsules contained vitamins, including thiamine and riboflavin, and 
minerals, including calcium, iron, and phosphorus.
NATURE OF CHARGE: American Calcium Pantothenate Tablets. Misbranding, 
Section 403 (a), the following statements in the catalogs and on the display 
cards were false and misleading since the product would not be of value in the 
canditions represented and suggested: (Catalog) "Anti-Gray Hair And Nail 
Vitamins (Calcium-Pantothenate Dextrorotatory) Now you can sell Calcium 
Pantothenate Vitamins to your patrons. Good Housekeeping Bureau experi- 
ments of 16 months showed that 88 per cent of men and women subjected to 
the tests showed positive evidence of a return of natural hair color. It 
revealed also definite improvement in the texture of the skin and the elasticity 
of the finger nails. * * * For Gray Hair * * * American's Anti-Gray 
Vitamin * * * Newest Vitamin Discovery. Good Housekeeping tests 
showed 88% return of hair color"; and (Display Card) "Anti-Gray Hair 
(Factor) Vitamins   *   *    *   88% Return Of Hair Color!"
Vitamin Bx Tablets. Misbranding, Section 403 (a), the following state- 
ments in the catalogs were false and misleading since the product would not 
be of value in the conditions represented and suggested: "Vitamin Bi (For 
Nerves) Combats Fatigue, Aids Digestion. Source of added energy and 
'pep'." Further misbranding, Section 403 (j), the article purported to be 
and was represented as a food for special dietary uses by reason of its vitamin 
Bi content, and its label failed to bear, as required by the regulations, a state- 
ment of the proportion of the minimum daily requirement of thiamine (vitamin 
Bi) supplied by the article when consumed in a specified quantity during a 
period of 1 day.
American Vitamin A and D Tablets. Misbranding, Section 403 (a), the 
following statements in the catalogs were false and misleading since the 
product would not be of value in the conditions represented and suggested: 
"Vitamins A & D (for eyes and teeth) Prevent nightblindness. Protects 
entire respiratory tract, lungs, nose, throat, sinus and eyes."
Vitamin and Mineral Tablets. Misbranding, Section 403 (a), the following 
label statements were misleading since they failed to reveal the material fact 
that the product would not supply significant amounts of the statedminerals: 
"Supplies 4% Calcium * * * %% Phosphorus * * * of the minimum 
daily requirement of these minerals. The needs of Sodium, Potassium, Alu- 
minum, Copper and Manganese in human nutrition are not established but sug- 
gested dosage will supply %s Milligram of each." . Further misbranding, Sec- 
tion 403 (a), certain statements on the packages and in the catalogs were 
misleading since they represented and suggested that the product would be 
efficacious in the cure, mitigation, treatment, and prevention of lowered re- 
sistance to colds, hay fever, asthma, pimples, acne, eczema, general depression, 
tiredness, listlessness, nervousness, hyperacidity, arthritic conditions, painful 
menstruation, general lack of vitality, peptic ulcer, neuritis, arthritis, heart 
disease, tooth and gum infections, low grade infections, cancer, pernicious
anemia, digestive disturbances, retarded growth, general weakening of the 
body in adults, night blindness, sinusitis, colds, respiratory disorders (lungs, 
nose, throat, bronchial tubes), xerophthalmia (drying of eyelids and inflam- 
mation of lid and eyeball), corneal ulcer, tear duct infection, weak, lifeless hair, 
defective dentine and tooth enamel, failure of blood regeneration in pernicious 
anemia, kidney inflammation and kidney stones, improper muscular function, 
abscessed ear, inflammation and swelling of tongue, lack of growth of thyroid 
(male), enlarged thyroid (female), edema colitis ulcerative, sexual degenera- 
tion, palpitation and enlargement of the heart, labored breathing, loss of 
weight, intestinal and colonic disturbances, peripheral neuritis, beriberi, ner- 
vousness, irritability, poor appetite, constipation, diarrhea, convulsions, paraly- 
sis, muscular soreness, dry, scaly skin, decreased reproductive power, bone 
marrow degeneration, subcutaneous bleeding, cataract of eyes, tendency to 
bleed from the capillaries or small blood vessels, defective calcification of both 
bones and teeth, weakening of supporting cartilage and consequent displace- 
ment of bones, anemia, damage to heart and general muscular system, injury 
to sex organs, scurvy, low blood pressure, reduced secretion of thyroid, rapid 
respiration, rapid heart action, duodenal ulcers, miscarriage, brittle bones, 
joint pains, swelling joints, bone abscess, arthritis, improper growth and 
formation of bones and teeth, enlarged joints, low concentration of calcium 
or phosphorus, or both, in the blood, low acidity of the intestinal tract, rickets, 
tuberculosis, skin disorders, sore mouth and tongue, nervous depression, and 
pellagra. The article would, not be of value in the conditions stated and im- 
plied. Further misbranding, Section 403 (f), the information concerning the 
vitamin and mineral properties of the article required by Section 403 (j) was 
not prominently placed on the label with such conspicuousness as to render it 
likely to be read and understood under customary conditions of purchase and 
use, since the information appeared on the bottom of the package and was 
printed in type of minute size on the label of the bottle containing the product. 
MirirE-Vita, Capsules. Misbranding, Section 403 (a),1 certain statements on 
the package of the article and in a leaflet entitled "Why Min-E-Vita," enclosed 
in the package, were false and misleading since they represented or suggested 
that the article would supply vitamins and minerals effective in the restoration 
of color to gray hair; that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain 
adequate amounts of minerals from common foods; and that the purchaser 
might reasonably expect to obtain health, growth, long life, and resistance 
to disease through the use of the product, all of which was contrary to fact. 
Further misbranding, Section 403 (j), the article purported to be and was 
represented as a food for special dietary uses by reason of its vitamins A, B, 
, C, D, B2 (riboflavin), and E, and its calcium pantothenate, calcium, phosphorus, 
iron, sodium, magnesium, potassium, aluminum, copper, iodine, and manganese 
content; and its label failed to bear, as required by the regulations, a statement 
of the proportion of the minimum daily requirements of the vitamins, A, B, O, 
D, and B2, and calcium, phosphorus, iron, and iodine, and the amounts of vita- 
min E, sodium, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, and aluminum fur- 
nished by a specified quantity of the article when consumed during a period 
of 1 day; and, since the need in human nutrition for vitamin E, calcium 
pantothenate, aluminum, and manganese has not been established, its label also 
failed to bear, as required by the regulations, the statement that the need for 
vitamin E, calcium pantothenate, aluminum, and manganese in human nutri- 
tion has not been established.
DISPOSITION: June 26, 1945. No claimant having appeared, judgment of con- 
demnation was entered and the products and printed matter were ordered 
destroyed.