Massengill's Elixir Sulfanilamide: The Scramble to Confiscate (4)

Georgia

More than 21 gallons of Massengill's Elixir Sulfanilamide were distributed to 83 drug vendors or physicians in 60 different communities—most of them small towns scattered about the northwest part of the state or along the South Carolina border. Among these shipments, about 17½ gallons had been returned to the Massengill company headquarters in Bristol, Tennessee, before prescriptions were dispensed [1].

But in their "race against death," as declared by The Atlanta Constitution, state authorities and FDA inspectors learned that 28 prescriptions for Elixir Sulfanilamide had been written in Georgia. In addition, at least 3 individuals had obtained the elixir over the counter from their local druggists [1,2].

In Greensboro, about 70 miles east of Atlanta, investigators found that a 4-ounce prescription to Betty Louise Satterfield (age unknown) resulted in her death on October 6 [1,3].

In the cotton-mill town of Porterdale, a 4-ounce prescription for Elixir Sulfanilamide was dispensed to 29-year-old doffer, Luther Gillham. He died October 8. The prescribing physician, Dr. Loveless [probably Jackson C. Loveless] tried to mislead investigating authorities by removing Gillham's prescription from the dispensing druggist's records. "Becoming frightened," Loveless later returned the prescription to the store's file [1].

In the Piedmont town of Dahlonega, 70-year-old physician Samuel A. West, who had received at least 1 pint of Massengill's Elixir Sulfanilamide directly from Bristol, first refused to talk about the medicine with the visiting FDA inspector. However, "after much discussion," the "extremely irascible" Dr. West admitted to dispensing 4 ounces to 19-year-old Robert L. Parks, who died October 19. "It was impossible to obtain further information from Dr. West," the FDA reported of its first visit, but the agency learned later that Dr. West had also prescribed an unknown quantity of elixir (probably 4 ounces) to 36-year-old Jewell Fitts of Dahlonega, who had died October 5 [1,4].

During a second meeting, the FDA inspector discovered that Dr. West had also prescribed 4 ounces of the elixir to a man identified only as "Cochran." Although West stated that he did not know where Cochran lived, the doctor believed his patient worked in a saw mill several miles northwest of Dahlonega. West added that Cochran found Massengill's elixir "to be the best medicine he had ever taken." The FDA inspector finally located the right Cochran, Joe, who worked as a stone crusher about 10 miles "back in the mountains." He relayed a different story [4].

Cochran did not praise the medicine, stating that each dose he had taken almost killed him, causing dizziness, weakness and a terrible backache, but that it had not [affected] his kidneys. When he had consumed the 4 ounces he had gone to another physician, and he stated that that was his reason for misleading Dr. West as to the effect of the medicine.

In another Piedmont hamlet, Ellijay, the FDA discovered that a 3-ounce prescription for Massengill's Elixir Sulfanilamide had been dispensed to a "Mrs. Weeks," first name and residence unknown. Inquiries from the state and the FDA to the town's prescribing doctor yielded no further information. An ensuing investigation, which sent tongues wagging in the small mountain community, ultimately led to a log cabin in Cherrylog, about 8 miles further up in the hills. Once there, investigators found that the Weeks family had just moved "some distance" to a new location. With the help of a Cherrylog resident, Lula Weeks was finally discovered at her new cabin home, in "apparent good health." She stated that she stopped taking the medicine because it did not "do her any good." After a "long conversation" with the FDA inspector, Mrs. Weeks "suddenly recalled that when they had moved, they put a lot of bottles in an old black bag, and this bag which was in a corner of the hut, on being opened, disclosed the prescription" [5,6]. 

About 40 miles south of Atlanta, near Griffin, Leonard J. Dees (probably 22 years of age, from Milner in nearby Lamar County) consumed a few ounces of a 6-ounce elixir prescription. He died October 18. The remainder of the product was retained by attorneys for the deceased [1].

Approximately 60 miles northeast of Savannah, a pharmacist in Metter, who had received 1 gallon of elixir from Bristol, admitted to dispensing a 6-ounce prescription to a local woman; in this case, the elixir was determined to have caused no ill effects. However, FDA inspectors in Bristol reported that only 7 pints and 2 ounces had been returned to Massengill headquarters from the Metter pharmacy, leaving 8 ounces unaccounted for. Confronted with this information, the druggist then admitted to dispensing an 8-ounce prescription to 68-year-old farmer Robert L. Fields, of tiny Aaron, who died October 17. It was further discovered that Fields had shared his elixir prescription with neighbor Lilly (or Lillie) Lyons, 41, also of Aaron, who died 2 days after him [1].

Massengill's elixir was purchased without written prescriptions in Swainsboro, about 90 miles northeast of Savannah. Direct consumers Seth L. Durden (age unknown) and Will(iam) L. Portwood, 34, died on October 21 and 26, respectively. An over-the-counter purchase was also discovered in nearby Millen. The local druggist at Bell's Drug Store, who had received 1 gallon of elixir, returned only 7 pints and 10 ounces to Bristol. Persistent inquiries regarding the remaining 6 ounces led the FDA to the half-brother of the recently deceased Herman Bolton of Wadley. Bolton had died October 16 in a Millen hospital [1,7].

The half brother...stated that after [Herman's] death he had cleaned his car and found in it a half filled bottle containing a red liquid labeled "Bell's Drug Store" and with directions for taking, but...that no doctor's name or prescription number was on it. The prescription bottle was thrown into a rubbish pile and later searched for by 3 laborers, 2 boys and Bolton's brother for the whole afternoon. All of the children in the immediate vicinity were questioned and had seen none of it. The evidence is irrefutable that although Bell's Drug Store denies dispensing any Elix. Sulfanilamide, the death of Herman Bolton on Oct. 16 can be attributed to Elixir Sulfanilamide from Bell's Drug Store.

Other Georgia deaths associated with the consumption of Massengill's product included those of Arnette (or Anett) Lewis (age unknown) of McDonough, who died October 6, and 77-year-old Mrs. Mark (M. C.) Reynolds of Dublin, who died October 12. The FDA suspected, however, that the elixir was not the cause of death in these cases [1].

In Georgia, the whole or partial consumption of 26 prescriptions for Massengill's elixir resulted in 7 confirmed deaths. In addition, 3 other persons died after purchasing the medicine over the counter (fatality rate, 38%).

Florida

Nineteen pints of Elixir Sulfanilamide were shipped to 15 drug vendors and 2 doctors in 6 communities. All but one (Bay Harbor) were located in the far northern part of the state. A total of 7 pints were sent to Tallhassee, and Jacksonville received 4. Nearly 16 pints were destroyed by the state inspector or returned to Bristol, before prescriptions could be written [1].

Two prescriptions in Tallahassee, which were partially consumed, caused no ill effects. The FDA retrieved the remaining ounces from the patients.

In Jacksonville, 2 elixir prescriptions from the Gem Drug Store caused 2 deaths. Fred L. Williams (age unknown) probably consumed his entire 6-ounce prescription. He died October 12. Two sequential 4-ounce prescriptions were dispensed to Emanuel Cauley, 34(?), who died October 16. He had consumed 5 ounces of Elixir Sulfanilamide.

In Quincy, a 2-ounce prescription to J. C. Donaldson (sex and age unknown) may have led to the patient's death, also on October 16. However, the FDA reported, "There is some question as to whether or not this patient died as a result of elixir poisoning."

In Florida, 5 elixir prescriptions resulted in 2 confirmed deaths (fatality rate, 40%).

Puerto Rico

Six pints of Elixir Sulfanilamide were shipped on September 19 from Massengill's New York branch to a dealer in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cesar A. Toro [7]. On October 23, Mr. Toro informed the New York branch, by letter, of the seizure of the elixir by Puerto Rico's Department of Health, before he could act on the company's recall telegram [8]. Toro also wrote of bad, local publicity: "I want to advise you also that one of the Broadcasting Stations in San Juan announced the news that a cable coming from Chicago reported more than 30 deaths caused by Elixir Sulfanilamide of the S. E. Massengill Co." 

On October 26, Massengill Company replied by letter:

Dear Mr. Toro:

Your very kind letter of October 23 has been received by us. We were sorry to hear that our trouble with Elixir Sulfanilamide has been broadcast in Puerto Rico. Probably if the proper authorities had gotten in touch with you before this was done they would have seen it was not necessary.

We know Dr. Massengill appreciates very much the letter which you wrote him.* We feel the same way here about the matter and all correspondence from our sales force carries the same tone.

It is our hopes[sic] that this matter will be cleared up very shortly, and we do not believe it is going to affect our business materially for any length of time.

You reported to us that the District Court of the United States in Puerto Rico had ordered your stock of Elixir Sulfanilamide be confiscated. We are wondering if the United States agents who took this off your hands paid you for the six pints you turned over to them. If not, please let us know so that we may leave a credit to your account.

You do not state in your letter whether or not you turned over to those people any samples of this preparation you might have had on hand. If you received any samples from this office, we would like for you to return them to us here immediately, or notify us that you did not receive them, or that they have been destroyed. In any case, we would like to hear from you as to their disposition.

We shall keep you informed in regard to Elixir Sulfanilamide as our home laboratory advises us.

Very truly yours,

The S. E. Massengill Company

* A separate letter was evidently written by Mr. Toro to Dr. Massengill, ostensibly expressing sympathy for him.

1. FDA correspondence. Report from J. O. Clarke to P. B. Dunbar. November 17, 1937.

2. 10 Georgians hunted in race to prevent elixir death. The Atlanta Constitution. October 24, 1937; p 1A.

3. State of Georgia. Indexes of Vital Records for Georgia: Deaths, 1919-1998. Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records, 1998.

4. FDA correspondence. G. P. Larrick to Chief, Central District. December 27, 1937.

5. FDA correspondence. J. J. McManus to FDA, Mr. Larrick. November 6, 1937.

6. FDA correspondence. J. J. McManus to FDA, Mr. Larrick. November 9, 1937.

6. Agents speed up drug hunt as Georgia reports 5 deaths. The Atlanta Constitution. October 26, 1937.

7. FDA correspondence. Memorandum from Charles Hyak. October 21, 1937.

8. FDA file correspondence. Letter from Cesar A. Toro to the S. E. Massengill Co, New York City. October 23, 1937.

Photograph of Georgia cabin by "billmcdavid" at Flickr.