21189. Misbranding of Thor's Vitamin Compound. TJ. S. v. 43 Bottles of Thor's Vitamin Compound. Default decree of condemnation, forfeiture, and destruction. (F. & D. no. 30421. Sample no. 3255J9 -A.) Examination of the drug preparation Thor's vitamin compound disclosed that it contained no ingredient or combination of ingredients capable of producing certain curative and therapeutic effects claimed on the carton label and in a cir- cular shipped with the article. On or about May 5,1933, the United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the district court a v libel praying seizure and condemnation of 43 bottles of Thor's vitamin compound at Tampa, Fla., alleging that the article had been shipped in interstate commerce, on or about April 28, 1933, by the Thor Pharmacal Co., from Atlanta. Ga., and charging misbranding in violation of the Food and Drugs Act as amended. Examination of a sample of the article by this Department showed that it consisted of tablets containing plant material including nux vomica and a laxative drug, compounds of iron and copper, phenolphthalein, and yeast. Biological examination showed that the article was worthless as a source of vitamin D. It was alleged in the libel that the article was misbranded in that the fol- lowing statements regarding the curative or therapeutic effects of the article, appearing in the labeling, were false and fraudulent: (Carton) "For use in certain types of impoverished blood, undernourished conditions, and general systemic depletion. * * * as efficacious in certain types of under-nourish- ment, impoverished blood conditions and general systemic depletion"; (circu- lar) " Tour health * * * Thor's "Vitamin Compound, how to use it to get the best results, * * * Let us first explain that the mechanism of the hu- man body is the most delicate piece of machinery ever devised. Through use and abuse from improper care, it is natural that, at times, this delicately ad- justed mechanism should get out of order. So, it is in this condition that one is exposed to all manner of onslaught from disease. But, also like other machin- ery, if the body is kept in the proper condition, it will run smoothly, day in and day out, year in and year out, until you have reached your allotted three score years and ten, and on beyond. Break-Down Gives No Warning. If you break an arm, that part of your human machinery is immediately out of commission until the break has been set and healed. But these under-par conditions do not work that way. There is nothing sudden or startling to warn us that Nature is beginning to break down, except a slow process of disintegrating energy, gradual loss of appetite, slowing, failing memory, weight decreasing, by degrees, less and less sleep at night, and a noticeable crossness and irritability. We don't seem to have any particular aches and pains, but we are just worn out in body and in mind, with a lazy liver that constantly needs prodding with strong, irritating purgatives. If this continues without correction you will soon be a sick person. If we are suffering from weak, thin blood, acid stomach, gas, constipation, bilious attacks, nervousness, weakness, loss of weight, sleep- lessness, a rundown, anaemic condition, violent headaches from indigestion, auto-intoxication, and a general depleted, anaemic condition, there is a positive cause behind it all. In many cases when we get into this weakened, ailing condition we can readily put our finger upon the cause: it may be over-work, eating hastily or irregularly, indulging in too much liquor or tobacco, not get- ting enough rest and sleep, business worries, too much or too little exercise, ill- chosen food, etc., etc. At other times the actuating cause of our feeling so terribly is more obscure: We just find ourselves in a run-down, weakened con- dition and suffering from one or more well-defined symptoms like nervous indi- gestion, a rheumatic condition, impoverished blood, lack of endurance, etc. etc. and scarcely know how it came about. No more distressing picture could be presented than that of a human being whose bodily mechanism is below par. Cross, irritable, tired, mentally anxious, such people are no pleasure to them- selves and a decided burden to their friends and loved ones. Perhaps the most common cause of such a condition is some form of anemia or mal-nutrition. Mal-nutrition does not necessarily imply a lack of life-giving food. Often in the same family two individuals will be found who are exact opposites in health— one vigorous, robust, happy, the other tired, lifeless, unhappy. One is convert- ing food in life-giving substance. The other, possibly through some metabolic deficiency, is failing to assimilate the necessary health giving elements. Appe- tite is gone, eating is attempted simply because it is meal time, interest in pleas- ure has ceased, the daily work has become a burden. It is lamentable, but true, that hundreds of thousands of men, women and children are in this con- dition; lamentable, because so often it is needless, for science has provided a way to the restoration of health, and with it happiness. How Blood Affects Health. The blood exercises a tremendous influence over the health of the body. The two main divisions of the blood are hemoglobin (red Mood corpus- cles) and leucocytes (white blood corpuscles). Ked blood indicates energy. The white blood corpuscles act as sentinels to guard the body against germ attacks. Unless there is a sufficiency of strong, red blood corpuscles, there cannot be the necessary vigor for health and happiness. Strong red blood corpuscles maintain strength and vigor in the bodily mechanism. Those who possess it are alert, active, energetic and constantly feel fit-ready for any enter- prise, whether it be work or play. Difficulties In Treating. Those who lack strong, red blood corpuscles are apt to be pale, indecisive, nervous, cross, easily irritated, subject to mental anxiety, unable to sleep soundly, and consequently, unrefreshed on arising. They drag themselves through the day, tired when they begin and utterly exhausted when evening falls. Often the cause of this condition baffles the best physicKans. It may not be due entirely to dietetics, for, as stated above, sometime in the same family one member will be in perfect health, while another, following the same general habits, may be miserable. It probably is due to a difference in metabolism. Thus one person may thrive oh certain foods, while another, with faulty metabolism, may starve on the same diet. It often happens that a general run-down system is more difficult to cope with than some of the dreaded diseases. In the case of definite disease, there is (except in a few instances), a definite treatment. Malaria, typhoid, diphtheria, certain heart diseases and so forth have a known, definite treatment. But this ailment known as a ' run down condition' is different, in that so many parts of the vital organs and anatomy are involved. For years several of the main ingredients in Thor's Vitamin Compound have been successfully used in treating rundown systems. While these ingredients worked successfully in the majority of cases, yet the response by the body was not always positive until the discovery made by an eminent chemist and bacteriologist in one of America's outstanding Universities of the addition of other ingredients. Clin- ical tests conducted by him with the combined ingredients showed that prac- tically every case responded favorably. This discovery is incorporated in Thor's Vitamin Compound with several other aid-giving ingredients and it is this combination (based on the latest scientific knowledge, supported by actual clinical tests) that enables Thor's Vitamin Compound to aid those suffering from certain types of under nourishment, impoverished blood conditions and general systemic depletion by aiding Nature to do Her reconstructive work. When you are thirsty, Nature calls for water * * * drink anything you please, yet your thirst is not satisfied and Nature still demands water. That's the principle on which Thor's Vitamin Compound was planned. It is intended to help the assimilation processes and assist the digestive eliminative and con- structive work that must be done before the system can again enjoy its normal health. Continue The Treatment. Now don't allow what we are about to say discourage you, but rather take heart, because with Thor's Vitamin Compound you have taken the first step on the path that should lead to recovery. How- ever, you must know that in general systemic depletion, the destructive and re- tarding processes have been going on for weeks, possibly months or years. It is therefore too much to expect any one package of anything to bring the system back to normalcy. * * * Some systems will respond to the treatment more quickly than others. Should your system be particularly responsive, at the end of the week's treatment you should see a marked improvement in your condi- tion; but, if you have allowed yourself to get too far below par, do not expect one package of Thor's Vitamin Compound (or any other treatment) to set you right * * * if you will continue the treatment for a few weeks if neces- sary * * * you should join the multitude of other once sick, worn out, run- down folks who declare Thor's Vitamin Compound almost a miracle of modern medicine . . . when you feel the return of tingling health, a rosy glow to your complexion, a firm, solid (not fat) flesh, keen alert mind, regular bowel habits, real vim and vigor and a happy disposition you will again find life thoroughly enjoyable and quite worth while! Take your Thor's Vitamin Compound regularly . . . stick to it persistently." On May -9, 1933, no claimant having appeared for the property, judgment of condemnation and forfeiture was entered, and it was ordered by the court that the product be destroyed by the United States marshal. M. L. WILSON, Acting Secretary of Agriculture.