Patent medicines may benefit some, but in the majority of cases, the
consumer is like a man who boards the nearest street-car hoping it will
take him to his destination. It may! But it is just as likely to take
him in the opposite direction.

Some people become veritable drug fiends, slaves to certain drugs
without in the least realizing their condition. How many are slaves to
certain laxatives or headache powders! With them the daily dose of
"harmless" teas or waters or even of pills cannot be neglected. And yet
such a person would be indignant at the suggestion that she was the
victim of a drug habit. What are drugs, anyhow? The majority are simply
extracts of herbs and vegetables. And yet people imagine that they are
avoiding the use of drugs and medicines when they take "simple herb
remedies, prepared at home."

Another lure of the advertiser is to state that all letters are
"strictly confidential and answered by women only." Perhaps they are!
But he neglects to add that the women who answer these letters are
simply stenographers with no medical knowledge, employed to write
according to dictation, that the letters are all written according to
certain forms which have been dictated by the manager. A short time ago
a young woman wrote me regarding her condition. Among other things, she
said she had written to a certain woman whose name is much advertised by
a patent medicine concern and that this woman had written her advice
that had caused her to worry over her condition. Poor, deluded girl! How
was she to know that the woman in question had been dead many years and
that the business was carried on by her son and other men.

If you are ill do not be misled by these unscrupulous advertisers. Do
not waste your time and money on remedies that may be entirely unsuited
to your condition.

CHAPTER VII

THE MARRIAGE RELATION

As several of you expect to be married soon I think it would be well to
talk briefly about the cause of so much unhappiness in marriage.

It has been estimated that only about five per cent. of all marriages
are successful. Is this true, and if true, why? If five per cent. made a
success of marriage, why could not the other ninety-five? Marriage is a
science to be studied by the prospective bride and groom in order that
they may be ranked with the five per cent. and not make a failure of
their married life. Few would enter the marriage relation if convinced
that it would be a failur