e much interested in the human race. This
advertisement or article describes some disease which may be cured by
this one remedy. As there might not be enough people who know they have
this given disease to make a profit for the manufacturer, it becomes
his business to convince others that they have this disease. Therefore,
he proceeds to enumerate a great many symptoms which he says indicate
this disease. Perhaps they might! But they are just as likely to
indicate any one of half a dozen other things. He details enough
symptoms so that some are recognized by nearly every woman as relating
to her condition, so she jumps to the conclusion that she has that
certain disease and buys a bottle of the medicine.

If you will study the large medical advertisements that appeal
especially to women you will notice that they all have certain symptoms
enumerated. No matter if the remedy advertised is for the kidneys, the
bowels, or exclusively for women, the same symptoms are claimed to
indicate the need of that certain remedy. One of the symptoms most
commonly given is backache. Of course! For nearly every person has a
backache at some time. It may be due to a strain, to rheumatism of the
lumbar muscles (lumbago), to constipation, to a displacement, or to
numerous other conditions. No one can tell the cause who is not properly
prepared to do so and who is not fully acquainted with the physical
condition. The sewing machine runs hard and perhaps makes a noise. It
requires a mechanic who is familiar with the mechanism of the machine to
find the cause of the trouble. So it is with the human body. It requires
a mechanic who is familiar with the structure of the body to discover
the cause of the trouble. And yet people will continue to pour into
their bodies drugs, harmless and otherwise, that are manufactured by
some enterprising firm and then advertised by an expert who knows
nothing of disease except a few symptoms common to almost all diseases.

The patent medicine consumers seldom realize the nature of the medicine
they take. Because some man, desirous of selling his remedy, claims it
will be beneficial, they rush in and buy. To one who knows the true
nature of some of these remedies, many laughable instances are visible.
One man recently discovered that a temperance agitator was daily dosing
herself with a certain tonic which was known to contain a larger
percentage of alcohol than did the beverages she was denouncing so
ardently.