A Great Fight
: Keep-well Stories For Little FolksTom, Uncle John told me last night that he was going to make a hard
fight. I thought he was going to war. He could not tell me all about
this fight then, because some one came for him, to go to see a sick
child.
When I went to bed, I dreamed Uncle John was a soldier, and that he had
on a uniform, and was riding away on a big black horse. In my dream, I
could hear the bugle blow. Then I dreamed he was figh
My! how hot I got while I was dreaming this.
This morning, when I told Uncle John about my dream, he said he was
going to fight something that did more harm than wild beasts. He told me
that, as soon as I helped mother, to come over to his office, and he
would tell me all about it.
I could scarcely eat my breakfast, I was in such a hurry to learn what
my Uncle John was going to fight. I could just see him with a sword
buckled to his side, getting on a big war-horse, galloping off to the
music of fife and drum.
After breakfast, I ran to the office. "Well, my boy," said Uncle John,
"you have come to learn about the big fight your peace-loving Uncle is
going to make. I am fighting for others, not for myself, and I hope we
will win this fight.
"I will show you the enemy, he is in ambush." My eyes were wide open
when Uncle said that. Uncle John walked quickly over to a shelf and took
down a bottle of "Soothing Syrup." I wondered what he was going to do,
when he returned and said, "This bottle holds one of the greatest
enemies of little innocent children. It contains opium. Opium is a
poison. Little babies don't need it. Sometimes a mother will give too
large a dose, and kill her little one. The mother does not know that the
'soothing' part of the syrup is opium.
"The English people have told the makers of such stuff that they must
take the opium out of it, or label the bottle poison. Much of this
kind of medicine is sold. The people do not know how harmful it is. I am
going to fight this enemy of little babies to the last ditch.
"Some of the well-known captains of regiments of these fake cures are
known as 'Compounds,' 'Bitters,' 'Kidney Cures,' 'Cough Cures,' 'Asthma
Cures' and 'Liver Regulators.' These are mighty captains, and flaunt
their false colors in the daily newspapers which come to our firesides.
Many of them contain alcohol. 'Corn Cures' and 'Skin Foods' are little
corporals in the army of the enemy.
"The great generals are the fake consumption cures which are advertised
in so many daily papers and magazines. Their shot and shell are the most
dangerous, because they attack those already weak. They rob persons of
the judgment to choose such allies as Fresh Air, Food and Rest. They are
not even brave soldiers--they strike the weak and ignorant.
"These, my boy, are the enemies I am going to fight--in the trenches
and out. I am buckling on my armor and sword. Will you join me, and help
to put down quacks and patent medicines of all kinds?"
QUESTIONS
1. Give the names of some patent medicines you
know.
2. What do nearly all patent medicines contain?
3. Will you promise to help in stopping the use of
patent medicines?
More
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