1188. Misbranding of Opera Tablets.    TJ. S. v. 34 Packages of Opera Tablets.
Default decree of condemnation and destruction.     (F. D. C. No. 11064.
Sample No. 51343-F.)
On November 4, 1943, the United States attorney for the District of Rhode
Island filed a libel against 34 packages of Opera Tablets at Pawtucket, R. I.,
alleging that the article had been shipped on or about September 25, 1943, from
Webster, Mass., by the Goodness Bros. Co.; and charging that it was misbranded.
Examination of a sample of the article disclosed that the tablets were composed
of a mixture of powdered plant drugs including buchu, aloe, gamboge, capsicum,
and ginger.
The article was alleged to be misbranded because of false and misleading
statements in its labeling which represented and suggested that the article was
effective in the treatment of eczema, skin diseases, general debility, obesity,
bladder trouble, blood poisoning, yellow skin, yellow blotches, liver spots, pains
in the side, blood rushing, rings around the eyes, a heavy, tired feeling, watery
blood, wind on the stomach, gases, swollen sides, headaches, fits, fainting spells,
dyspepsia, catarrh of the stomach, dropsy, sore joints, anemia, jaundice, bilious-
ness, costiveness, heart-flush spells, loss of appetite, pimples, sleeplessness, worry,
rheumatism, swollen joints, gall stones, heart trouble, bed wetting, kidney dis-
eases, backache, weakness, dizziness, vertigo, painful urination, gravel in the
urine, irritable temperament, fever, uric acid, blood poisoning, shortness of
breath, epilepsy, urinary weakness, constipation, pallor, coated tongue, yellowing
of the whites of the eyes, enlargement, hardness, and atrophy of the liver, loss of
desire for exercise, diarrhea, appendicitis, and melancholia. It was alleged to be
misbranded further in that it was fabricated from two or more ingredients and
its label failed to bear the common or usual name of each active ingredient.
On December 4, 1943, no claimant having appeared, judgment of condemnation
was entered and the product was ordered destroyed.