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More About “Viavi!”

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 12, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 11.

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More About “Viavi!”

By J. R. LEADSWORTH, M. D.

EDITOR REVIEW AND HERALD: Since sending my article concerning the Viavi preparations, I have made some investigations of laboratory reports, and find that a number of chemists declare this preparation free from opium and morphin. But referring to this same question as to these preparations containing habit-forming drugs, the California State Journal of Medicine says: “It was unnecessary to put an expensive article like morphin, and one liable to bring about trouble in the future, into their remedies, when they do not need to.”
As stated in the former communication, our information was taken from the Standard Formulary, a book published by Englehard & Co., Chicago; and so far as we know, these publishers have never made a statement other than the one given in their book and quoted in our article. What we said was not with any malicious intent, but simply to state the facts as we believed them to exist. We still protest against such a system of humbuggery, that builds up immense fortunes for a few promoters by preying upon confiding sick and suffering women.
The editor of the California State Journal of Medicine, after taking some pains to look up the standing of the promoters of Viavi and its several preparations, devotes six pages in the April issue to showing up the methods adopted by this firm. Extracts of this article were published in the American Medical Journal of April 27, from which we quote:
“It appears that two astute, and, since they have made their millions, highly respected, men on the Pacific Coast conceived the idea some years ago of instituting a ‘treatment’ for the ills peculiar to women. This ‘treatment’ practically consisted—and, in great part, still consists—of prescribing vaginal douches. But, of course, as our contemporary says, ‘No large paying business could be built up by simply selling a little good advice and a trifle of common sense.’ There must be something definite to take, some wonderful, secret, and very costly remedy that will work the result, to secure which the douche is but the merest preliminary. Hence the ‘capsules’ and the ‘cerate’ and the ‘liquid’ and the ‘royal,’ and the rest of the wonderful remedies which, collectively, leave little uncured or uncurable by Viavi.
“So Viavi is ‘bought,’ and the douche is taken. The immediate increase of personal comfort, and many times the quick relief from some annoying minor ailment, which follows this exercise of cleanliness and common sense, might so hypnotize the average woman who accepts the Viavi preachments and takes the Viavi ‘treatment,’ that she would be ready to believe almost anything the promoters care to tell her.”
Speaking of the specific ingredients which are so skilfully combined in these famous (?) preparations as to actually cure tumors by their application, the writer above referred to says: “So far as we are able to determine, they contain nothing but the extracts of hydrastis and cocoa butter.”
This seems in perfect accord with the certified statement of one of the chemists, who volunteers the information that he gave one subject two ounces of the Viavi liquid at one time, amounting to nearly one hundred ordinary doses, and the fact that no distressing effects are reported upon the patient, would seem to indicate that the substance is practically inert. There are few if any other therapeutic agents which, when active enough to produce any effect upon the body at all, can be taken with the dose multiplied a hundredfold. The most valuable and simple remedies are those which require great skill in estimating dose enough. They are just as potent for harm as for good when taken slightly in excess.
It is well known that the business of producing patent and proprietary medicines insures large returns in proportion to the number of genuine or faked testimonials that can be produced praising the specific virtues of the remedy. The Viavi Company is not behind other firms in the methods of procuring these testimonials, as will be seen by the following quotations from a letter sent out to one of their agents, urging upon them the importance of procuring testimonials. We quote from the Journal of the American Medical Association of January 18:—
“THE NORTHERN OHIO VIAVI CO., CLEVELAND, Oct. 18, 1907.
“Mrs. . . . .
“DEAR MADAM: We would like to have a few more letters from your cures, or even from the women who are vastly improved, and perhaps a suggestion from us will assist you in getting these letters. Do not be satisfied to simply try to get a cure to give you a letter, but write out a letter yourself, such as you think covers the case, briefly but fully, and submit it to her for her signature, and then if there are any changes, they can easily be made. To some women it is distinct effort to sit down and write a letter of this nature, and they will continue putting you off until finally the matter is never accomplished. You know, of course, that we will supply you with a number of these letters printed on slips without charge. They will be of great help to you in your daily work. If your cure does not care to have her name given, she can merely sign her initials; that will be sufficient. . . .
“Very cordially yours, “THE N. O. VIAVI CO.”
Any one who has given the subject even passing notice knows that it is not difficult to get testimonials for any remedy foisted upon a credulous public. Visitors to the late Dowie Church of Zion City declare that the number of crutches, canes, and braces left there by some of the faithful who were “cured” of some so-called incurable malady, makes the place resemble a modern orthopedic establishment rather than a house of worship.
Some years ago a wonderful doctor dropped into St. Petersburg. He came from one of the back provinces of Russia, and announced himself as being able to cure consumption and almost every other known disease. He had a little bottle of red medicine which he gave to every sort of case with wonderful success, until by and by one of the czar’s friends was taken sick. The doctor gave him the same medicine, and he died. The “doctor” was brought into court, and was compelled to testify as to the nature of the medicine which had apparently killed the nobleman. The man, upon his oath in court, swore that the medicine was simply water of the River Neva, the dirty water being colored with a little cochineal, and nothing more. And yet there were many who had declared themselves cured by this medicine.
J. R. LEADSWORTH, M. D.
Los Angeles, Cal.