Page:The Great American Fraud (Adams).djvu/10

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purpose, several of them afterward admitted that they had never tasted the "Compound," but that they were willing to sign the testimonials for the joy of appearing in print as "prominent citizens." Another Chicago newspaper compelled its political editor to tout for fake indorsements of a nostrum. A man with an inside knowledge of the patent-medicine business made some investigations into this phase of the matter, and he declares that such procurement of testimonials became so established as to have the force of a system, only two Chicago papers being free from it. To-day,

A CONTRACT CONTAINING THE RED CLAUSE.

The "Red Clause" is shown in heavy type, beginning with the words "It is mutually agreed . . ." The Gazette has recently decided to exclude all patent-medicine advertising from its columns.

he adds, a similar "deal" could be made with half a dozen of that city's dailies. It is disheartening to note that in the case of one important and high-class daily, the Pittsburg Gazette, a trial rejection of all patent-medicine advertising received absolutely no support or encouragement from the public; so the paper reverted to its old policy.

One might expect from the medical press freedom from such influences.