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University Daily Kansan
Monday, April 20,1964
Fountain of Youth Leads to Major U.S. Swindle
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — Millions of Americans cling stubbornly to the belief that there is a fountain of youth somewhere over the rainbow, and they are swindled out of $500 million annually.
They buy things that not only cannot possibly help them but actually endanger their health and in some cases their lives. Take, for instance, Mme. Cora Galenti-Smith and her "fountain of beauty ranch." Before she was fined and sentenced to prison for mail fraud she had separated gullible American women from $1 million.
What she advertised was "a glorious facial rejuvenation," which turned out to be some sort of skin peeling process. What she used was a strong solution of carbolic acid which left many of her victims disfigured for life.
- **TAKE THE CASE of Mrs. Alice Hill cited by the Federal Food and Drug Administration. She drove 165 miles to see a man who advertised a cure-all herb tonic. He examined her left foot and then advised her she had a tumor in the right breast, diabetes, arthritis, a malfunction of the gall bladder and possibly cancer of the colon. She bought $185 worth of tonic before she realized it wasn't helping her.
No federal expert even attempts to guess what Americans spend annually on things they believe have nutritional value, the so-called diet supplements. Some of them are valuable and needed when taken under the supervision of a physician. Others are a waste of money.
Commissioner George P. Larrick of the Food and Drug Administration believes so many persons, particularly in the higher age brackets, waste their money because they accept as truth at least one of the following four myths.
- That all diseases are due to faulty diet.
- That our food is nutritional inferior because the American soil is impoverished from long use.
- That commercial food processing destroys nutritional value. Larkrick says the fact is that processing reduces the values of some foods, preserves it intact in some and in others actually adds to it.
AID to Help Private Companies Explore Business Opportunities
WASHINGTON — (UPI)— The Agency for International Development (AID) has earmarked $715,500 to help private U.S. companies explore business opportunities in Asia, Latin America and Africa.
Asian nations receive by far the greatest attention. Up to $395,500 can be spent in Asia. $250,000 in Africa, $234,000 in Latin America and $61,000 in Turkey.
This is only half the total available. Every dollar put up by the U.S. government agency must be matched by a dollar from the private U.S. business concerned.
AID'S OFFICE of Development Finance and Private Enterprise, which conducts the program, said the rate of investment survey agreements signed by AID and U.S. businessmen has more than doubled during the current fiscal year.
At present AID is participating with private firms in 59 studies in developing nations of the world.
Under the program, AID helps private industry investigate specific commercial opportunities that would also contribute to economic growth in "friendly" developing countries. The agency will pay up
to 50 per cent of the costs of such surveys. AID pays its share only if the firm decides not to go ahead with the venture after the survey is completed. In that event, the survey report becomes the property of the U.S. Government and may be made available to other prospective investors. If the firm goes ahead with the project, it pays all survey costs.
- *That minor aches and fatigue mean a person is eating the wrong thing or not enough for the right thing.*
OF THE 12 surveys which have been completed so far, two have resulted in positive decisions by sponsoring firms to invest in the country. Several others have indicated they probably would go ahead, and three have decided not to invest.
Pakistan, the number two recipient (next to India) of U.S. foreign aid, was carmarked for the most surveys—nine totaling $130,00. India had six for $63,100 and Turkey two for $61,000.
The Philippines also was high on the list. Programmed for the Philippines was a $40,000 survey of the transportation system by the D.C. Transit Company of Washington D.C., and a $28,200 look by the Padoo Company into the possi-
billies of a chain of supermarkets in the island nation.
THE LIST OF possible business ventures being investigated includes hotels, motels, book distribution, fruit processing, paper mills, plastic fabrication, furniture manufacturing, silk processing, carpet manufacturing, foundries, housing, mushroom culture, a land whaling station and manufacturing of plywood, cheese, cement, machine tools, pesticides and paint resins.
What do researchers look for to determine whether a particular product could be manufactured economically in a particular country? Again the list is long.
They investigate the potential market for the product, both immediate and future; methods of using the product in the host country, the necessity of training consumers in the proper use of the product, the availability of skilled and semi-skilled workers, possible plant sites, construction costs of plants or warehouses, availability of raw materials and their transportation costs, government regulations that would affect a new business, and possible sources of local financing
THOUSANDS OF persons still are being swindled as a result of Dr. Elisha Perkins and his "metallic tractor." He obtained a patent in 1796 on two metal rods about three inches. By pulling them downward over the affected part of the body, the disease was supposed to be vanked out.
George Washington was one of Perkins' patients, but there is no record of a cure.
"Perkins' theories were widely disseminated in this country and abroad," says the Food and Drug Administration. "They still persist today. We see them in the magnetic belts, agnetic bracelets and many types of complicated-looking contraptions. There is no scientific evidence to support the theories of Dr. Perkins and all devices based on his theories are considered worthless for any medical purpose."
Currently there is much interest in sea water on the theory it contains minerals not available elsewhere, and the going price seems to be $3.75 a gallon. The Food and Drug Administration rules that sea water is useless and, in the case of heart patients, can be dangerous. It made a six-state roundup of persons who were selling it and advertising it would help or cure persons suffering from cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, arthritis, insanity, cataracts, high blood pressure, baldness, sterility, split finger nails, goiter, and gray hair.
Chance fights ever on the side of the prudent — EURIPIDES
Prudence has a way of bringing good luck. Euripides knew it way back when, and it's true as ever today.
Are you being prudent about your financial future? It's never too early to start and it's wise to begin with a foundation of life insurance. Delay could be costly.
Our campus office specializes in life insurance programming for young people. Stop by to see us or telephone.
Kermit D. Hoffmeier
1722 W 9th
VI 3-5692
PROVIDENT MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
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