Parnell Resident Featured in 1920 Drug Advertisement

Frank Berg, long-time institution in Parnell, once gave a testimonial for Tanlac, a drug that was widely sold between 1915 and 1925. The advertisement read as follows. “Frank Berg, at 72, says he feels like a youngster. He gives Tanlac credit for restoring his health.” His testimonial read as follows:

“I am 72 years old, but Tanlac has fixed me up so fine I believe I could get busy with my trowel and lay brick as well as I ever did,” recently stated Frank Berg, well known resident of Parnell, Missouri.

“Before taking Tanlac, stomach trouble, constipation, headaches, dizziness, nervousness, and sleeplessness were making life miserable for me and I was all run down.”

“But the Tanlac treatment just tore down the old wall between me and good health and I’m mighty glad my wife is a good cook, for I have a rousing appetite now. My nerves have been steadied down, too, and I’m sleeping and feeling fine. It’s a pleasure to tell folks how good Tanlac is.”

The advertisement concluded, “Tanlac is for sale by all good druggists. Accept no substitute. Over 37 million bottles sold.”

Tanlac was sold as a drug for rheumatism and gout. It was made between 1915 and 1925, but it was sold as late as the 1940’s. A June 5th, 1915 entry by the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the drug and found that it contained 15.7% alcohol by volume, “a bitter drug,” “an emodian-bearing drug,” “a berine-bearing drug devoid of hydrastine,” glycyrrhizic acid, wild cherry flavor, and glycerine. Also sold were “Tanlac Laxative Tablets,” which contained phenolphthalein.

In 1933, Tanlac and numerous other such drugs were featured in “The American Chamber of Horrors,” a traveling medicine show in reverse, highlighting 100 drugs that the FDA said were dangerous, yet lacked the authority to remove from the market. As a result, in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. That law gave the FDA power to regulate medical devices and cosmetics and establish standards for foods. Drugs and devices were required to provide directions for use, and all new drugs had to be proven safe for use before being marketed. It became illegal to market drugs that inherently endangered health.