Cleaveland: 'Quackery' thrives in times of uncertainty


Medical doctor or physician in white gown uniform with stethoscope in hospital or clinic doctor tile clinic tile health care healthcare medicine / Getty Images
Medical doctor or physician in white gown uniform with stethoscope in hospital or clinic doctor tile clinic tile health care healthcare medicine / Getty Images

In the Middle Ages, "quack" meant to shout. "Quackery" is derived from an old Dutch term, "quacksalver," which described someone who aggressively sold medicinal salves to apply to sores. Today, a quack is someone who promotes a medical treatment of dubious value, either through ignorance or avarice.

German physician, Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), promoted the idea of "animal magnetism, a vital force that could be harnessed to cure diseases." In a typical session, affluent patients participated in a séance in which they sat around a tub of "magnetized" water, grasping metal rods that protruded from the surface. Many of Mesmer's patients claimed cures of a variety of ailments. Some of his "cures" were likely the result of hypnosis. He was forced from practice in Vienna and, later, Paris because of allegations of fraud.

American William J. A. Bailey (1884-1949), a college drop-out, convinced gullible customers that radium would cure everything from fatigue to arthritis. He founded Radium Company to manufacture radium-impregnated paperweights and belt clips. The resulting exposure to high doses of radiation often led to malignant diseases and bone marrow failure among his customers.

Another American, John R. Brinkley (1885-1941), who held a medical degree from a diploma mill, contended that the implantation of goat testicles into the scrotums of men would cure sexual impotency and other male disorders. He performed thousands of procedures, often with disastrous outcomes, due either to severe allergic reactions or wound infections. At his peak, he owned clinics and performed surgeries in several states. Numerous wrongful death lawsuits eventually wiped out his substantial fortune.

Patent medicines were largely unregulated before the founding of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products were widely promoted by quacks for their purported curative effects of many ailments. Before radio and television, quacks employed traveling shows to promote their products. In the 19th- and early 20th-century, quackery often blended elements of superstition, magic and folk medicine. Products taken by mouth sometimes contained a high alcohol content, cocaine or morphine.

Dr. W.H. Alexander's Healing Oil guaranteed a cure of skin infections and ulcers. The oil could be applied to horses as well as people. Clark Stanley's Snake Oil Liniment promised relief of pain, regardless of cause. Popular for decades, the product was finally analyzed and found to contain turpentine, mineral oil, animal fat and camphor.

The FDA gradually tightened regulations about content, purity and effectiveness of over-the-counter medications. Manufacturers can work around these regulations by attaching in fine print the statement that a product is not a medication but a dietary supplement. The disclaimers are barely legible in print and televised ads.

Quackery recently had its moment on the national stage. At his news conference on April 23, President Trump raised the question of using ultra-violet light or disinfectants internally to combat coronavirus. "I see the disinfectant - where it knocks it (coronavirus) out in a minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection or by a cleaning." The following day, the president stated that his remark was sarcastic, "just to see what would happen." Watch the recorded conference and judge for yourself.

Poison Control Centers in New York and Illinois reported a surge of calls about disinfectant use in days after the news conference. Manufacturers of disinfectants issued warnings against into internal use of their products.

Scientists methodically evaluate therapies for safety and effectiveness. A medication must meet standards for purity of ingredients. Potential side-effects must be carefully investigated. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, fear may short-circuit reason and caution, leading to use of inappropriate or dangerous drugs or other chemicals. Trust the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for guidance on prevention and treatment of coronavirus.

Contact Clif Cleaveland at ccleaveland@timesfreepress.com.

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