Ok, just a few notes about the FDA, well sort of. The FDA (or its predecessor) actually started regulating food and drugs in 1906. That was when Congress passed the first comprehensive food and drug safety legislation. So I jumped back in time to 1902. Specifically I dug out my reproduction of a 1902 Sears Roebuck catalog and checked the medical pages. They start out with an explanation that their pharmacist has carefully studied and tested the medicines that they are selling. Here are a few of them.

Dr. Worden's Female Pills for all female diseases.

Dr. Hammond's Nerve and Brain Pills, Guaranteed the highest grade on the market. A boon for weak men.

Dr. Rose's French Arsenic Complexion Wafers.

Castroline - You need not have any other medicine in your house for your children.

Vin Vitae A new and perfect tonic and stimulant for the tired, weak and sick of all classes. A renewer of energy, a stimulant for the fatigues, a strengthener for the weak, an effective an agreeable food for the blood, brain and nerves.

White Ribbon Secret Liquor Cure - Makes them stop drinking forever.

I didn't copy out the exaggerated claims for most of them that say they will cure almost anything. It doesn't say what is in any of them. I suspect that the Vin Vitae is highly alcoholic, most tonics from the time were.

The Castroline for your children may have contained opium or laudanum.

I just think maybe the FDA does do some good for us.

Bill Gill


C is not the speed of light in a vacuum.
C is the universal speed limit.