in the strictest confidence； were sold to other lines of business for five cents each。 He held the religious press up to the scorn of church members for accepting advertisements which the publishers knew and which he proved to be not only fraudulent； but actually harmful。 He called the United States Post Office authorities to account for accepting and distributing obscene circular matter。
He cut an advertisement out of a newspaper which ended with the statement：
〃Mrs。 Pinkham； in her laboratory at Lynn； Massachusetts； is able to do more for the ailing women of America than the family physician。 Any woman； therefore； is responsible for her own suffering who will not take the trouble to write to Mrs。 Pinkham for advice。〃
Next to this advertisement representing Mrs。 Lydia Pinkham as 〃in her laboratory；〃 Bok simply placed the photograph of Mrs。 Pinkham's tombstone in Pine Grove Cemetery； at Lynn； showing that Mrs。 Pinkham had passed away twenty…two years before！
It was one of the most effective pieces of copy that the magazine used in the campaign。 It told its story with absolute simplicity； but with deadly force。
The proprietors of 〃Mrs。 Winslow's Soothing Syrup〃 had strenuously denied the presence of morphine in their preparation。 Bok simply bought a bottle of the syrup in London； where； under the English Pharmacy Act； the authorities compelled the proprietors of the syrup to affix the following declaration on each bottle： 〃This preparation； containing； among other valuable ingredients； a small amount of morphine is； in accordance with the Pharmacy Act； hereby labelled 'Poison！'〃 The magazine published a photograph of the label； and it told its own convincing story。 It is only fair to say that the makers of this remedy now publish their formula。
Bok now slipped a cog in his machinery。 He published a list of twenty…seven medicines； by name； and told what they contained。 One preparation； he said； contained alcohol； opium； and digitalis。 He believed he had been extremely careful in this list。 He had consulted the highest medical authorities； physicians； and chemists。 But in the instance of the one preparation referred to above he was wrong。
The analysis had been furnished by the secretary of the State Board of Health of Massachusetts； a recognized expert； who had taken it from the analysis of a famous German chemist。 It was in nearly every standard medical authority； and was accepted by the best medical authorities。 Bok accepted these authorities as final。 Nevertheless； the analysis and the experts were wrong。 A suit for two hundred thousand dollars was brought by the patent…medicine company against The Curtis Publishing Company； and； of course； it was decided in favor of the former。 But so strong a public sentiment had been created against the whole business of patent medicines by this time that the jury gave a verdict of only sixteen thousand dollars； with costs； against the magazine。
Undaunted； Bok kept on。 He now engaged Mark Sullivan； then a young lawyer in downtown New York； induced him to give up his practice； and bring his legal mind to bear upon the problem。 It was the beginning of Sullivan's subsequent journalistic career； and he justified Bok's confidence in him。 He exposed the testimonials to patent medicines from senators and congressmen then so widely published； showed how they were obtained by a journalist in Washington who made a business of it。 He charged seventy…five dollars for a senator's testimonial； forty dollars for that of a congressman； and accepted no contract for less than five thousand dollars。
Sullivan next exposed the disgraceful violation of the confidence of women by these nostrum vendors in selling their most confidential letters to any one who would buy them。 Sullivan himself bought thousands of these letters and names； and then wrote about them in the magazine。 One prominent firm indignantly denied the charge； asserting that whatever others might have done； their names were always held sacred。 In answer to this declaration Sullivan published an advertisement of this righteous concern offering fifty thousand of their names for sale。
Bok had now kept up the fight for over two years； and the results were apparent on every hand。 Reputable newspapers and magazines were closing their pages to the advertisements of patent medicines； legislation was appearing in several States； the public had been awakened to the fraud practised upon it； and a Federal Pure Food and Drug Act was beginning to be talked about。
Single…handed； The Ladies' Home Journal kept up the fight until Mark Sullivan produced an unusually strong article； but too legalistic for the magazine。 He called the attention of Norman Hapgood； then editor of Collier's Weekly； to it； who accepted it at once； and； with Bok's permission； engaged Sullivan； who later succeeded Hapgood as editor of Collier's。 Robert J。 Collier now brought Samuel Hopkins Adams to Bok's attention and asked the latter if he should object if Collier's Weekly joined him in his fight。 The Philadelphia editor naturally welcomed the help of the weekly； and Adams began his wonderfully effective campaign。
The weekly and the monthly now pounded away together； other periodicals and newspapers； seeing success ahead； and desiring to be part of it and share the glory； came into the conflict； and it was not long before so strong a public sentiment had been created as to bring about the passage of the United States Food and Drug Act； and the patent…medicine business of the United States had received a blow from which it has never recovered。 To…day the pages of every newspaper and periodical of recognized standing are closed to the advertisements of patent medicines； the Drug Act regulates the ingredients； and post office officials scan the literature sent through the United States mails。
There are distinct indications that the time has come once more to scan the patent…medicine horizon carefully； but the conditions existing in 1920 are radically different from those prevailing in 1904。
One day when Bok was at luncheon with Doctor Lyman Abbott； the latter expressed the wish that Bok would take up the subject of venereal disease as he had the patent…medicine question。
〃Not our question；〃 answered Bok。
〃It is most decidedly your question；〃 was the reply。
Bok cherished the highest regard for Doctor Abbott's opinion and judgment； and this positive declaration amazed him。
〃Read up on the subject；〃 counselled Doctor Abbott； 〃and you will find that the evil has its direct roots in the home with the parents。 You will agree with me before you go very far that it is your question。〃
Bok began to read on the unsavory subject。 It was exceedingly unpleasant reading； but for two years Bok persisted； only to find that Doctor Abbott was right。 The root of the evil lay in the reticence of parents with children as to the mystery of life； boys and girls were going out into the world blind…folded as to any knowledge of their physical selves； 〃the bloom must not be rubbed off the peach；〃 was the belief of thousands of parents； and the results were appalling。 Bok pursued his investigations from books direct into the 〃Homes of Refuge；〃 〃Doors of Hope；〃 and similar institutions； and unearthed a condition； the direct results of the false modesty of parents； that was almost unbelievable。
Bok had now all his facts； but realized that for his magazine； of all magazines； to take up this subject would be like a bolt from the blue in tens of thousands of homes。 But this very fact； the unquestioned position of the magazine； the remarkable respect which its readers had for it； and the confidence with which parents placed the periodical on their home tablesall this was； after all； Bok thought； the more reason why he should take up the matter and thresh it out。 He consulted with friends； who advised against it； his editors were all opposed to the introduction of the unsavory subject into the magazine。
〃But it isn't unsavory；〃 argued Bok。 〃That is just it。 We have made it so by making it mysterious； by surrounding it with silence； by making it a forbidden topic。 It is the most beautiful story in life。〃
Mr。 Curtis； alone； encouraged his editor。 Was he sure he was right？ If he was； why not go ahead？ Bok called his attention to the fact that a heavy loss in circulation was a foregone conclusion； he could calculate upon one hundred thousand subscribers； at least； stopping the magazine。 〃It is a question of right；〃 answered the publisher； 〃not of circulation。〃
And so； in 1906； with the subject absolutely prohibited in every periodical and newspaper of standing； never discussed at a public gathering save at medical meetings； Bok published his first editorial。
The readers of his magazine fairly gasped； they were dumb with astonishment！ The Ladies' Home Journal； of all magazines； to discuss such a subject！ When they had recovered from their astonishment； the parents began to write letters； and one morning Bok was confronted with a large waste…basket full brought in by his two office boys。
〃Protests；〃 laconically explained one of his editors。 〃More than that； the majority threaten to stop their subscription unless you stop。〃
〃All right； that proves I am right；〃 answered Bok。 〃Write to each one and say that what I have written is nothing as compared in frankness to what is coming； and that we shall be glad to refund the unfulfilled part of their subscriptions。〃
Day after day； thousands of letters came in。 The next issue contained another editorial； stronger than the first。 Bok explained that he would not tell the actual story of the beginning of life in the magazinethat was the prerogative of the parents； and he had no notion of taking it away from either； but that he meant to insist upon putting their duty squarely up to them； that he realized it was a long fight； hence the articles to come would be many and continued； and that those of his readers who did not believe in his policy had better stop the magazine at once。 But he reminded them that no solution of any question was ever reached by running away from it。 This question had to be faced some time； and now was as good a time as any。
Thousands of subscriptions were stopped； advertisements gave notice that they woul