Influenza Drug Advertisements


Many advertisements appeared in the local press for influenza remedies (7). They included patent medicines such as Snake Oil, Laxative Bromo-Quinine, Smoko Tobaccoless Cigarettes, Vick's Vaporub, Hinckle's Tablets, "77" colds, Kondon's Catarrhal Jelly, Horlick's Malted Milk, Kraft's Preventative Powder and many others (Figure 1).

The Sears, Roebuck & Company Supply House in Chicago published catalogs that included a Drug Department listing patented medicines against influenza. The Sears catalogs are a vast diary of the times. Such patented products as Dr. Pasteur's Microbe Killer was advertised to prevent La Grippe and all blood disorders if taken once or twice per day. Blackberry brandy was advertised and allowed sale without a license. Catarrh Snuff was guaranteed to give relief against colds/influenza. Other ant-influenza products advertised in the Sears catalog were Special Family Remedies such as Laudanum (a tincture of opium), Essence of Peppermint, Spirits of Camphor, Extract Witch Hazel, and Musterole laxative cold tablets containing acetanilid. Compounds containing acetanilid were used in medicine chiefly as an analgesic or antipyretic.

In 1920, a similar influenza strain appeared in Winnebago County. Talnac, a patented medicine comprised of beneficial herbs and roots, was the most advertised drug claimed to prevent the influenza by providing a powerful resistance to infection (7). Other patent medicines advertised included Dr. Bell's Pine Tar Honey, Hamlinz Wizard Oil, Cascara Quinine (Hill's Bromide), "77" for colds, and a Famous Old Recipe for Cough Syrup that listed Pinex as the major ingredient in the recipe. Pinex is a highly concentrated compound of Norway pine extract that was known for its healing effect on membranes.

The Over-the Counter Treatment Arsenal for Colds and Influenza

Today there are three categories of drugs considered safe and effective for relieving the symptoms of colds or influenza by the Federal Drug Administration. These are nasal decongestants, antitussives (cough suppressants), and expectorants (taken orally and help loosen mucus in order to make coughs productive). Most over the counter drugs contain two or more active ingredients in order to relieve multiple symptoms. Hence, often these products are confusing to consumers. Consumers would benefit from services that counsel about over the counter medications (15).
Examples of these active ingredients include acetaminophen, aspirin, chlorphiramine maleate, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, doxylamine succinate, destromethorphan HBr, and phenylephrine hydrochloride. In addition, many of the antitussives contain 5-8% alcohol (14). Prescription cough suppressants may contain codeine. Very few of these drugs are potentially hazardous if taken in moderation(15). Certain single over-the-counter medications and combinations have been shown to reduce cold symptoms in adolescents and adults but not children(16). Today's home treatment advice is to drink lots of fluids, rest, and eat chicken soup.