The Patent Medicine Danger - Production & Contact Info

The Patent Medicine Danger (1916)
Short | Short, Drama

Primary photo for The Patent Medicine Danger

The Patent Medicine Danger (1916)

Short | Short, Drama

Harding has secured the diary containing the secrets of the "fifteen" from Dorothy, so is now in a position to proceed openly against the two remaining members: Stone, the president of the Graft Trust; and H.S. Blanchard, head of the ...See moreHarding has secured the diary containing the secrets of the "fifteen" from Dorothy, so is now in a position to proceed openly against the two remaining members: Stone, the president of the Graft Trust; and H.S. Blanchard, head of the Patent Medicine Trust. Stone has deserted his office and is in hiding. Blanchard, who cannot leave, determines to meet the crisis halfway, so he invites Harding to his office over one of the big retail drug stores, for a conference. Harding has been investigating some of the evils of the patent medicine business. Some of the cases which came under his observation follow. Two young men, out for a good time, find the saloons closed. They purchase some of the patent medicines containing a large percentage of alcohol and become intoxicated. A young girl takes a couple of headache powders which contain a drug. A "cadet" has watched her. follows her out of the drug store, and has no difficulty in getting her into a house of ill-repute in her dazed condition. Later the girl becomes a "dope" fiend. A certain class of doctors, of no standing, make a practice of writing prescriptions for drug users; this is known to the drug stores, who do nothing to stop it. Armed with this knowledge of the subject, Harding goes to the conference arranged by Blanchard. The latter has prepared himself for the battle in another way. He has concealed in the room three doctors, two attendants from the insane hospital and a magistrate, all in the pay of the Graft Trust. Harding plunges into the subject. Blanchard accuses him of being insane and calls forth the doctors to examine him. Harding sees the trap set for him and tries to escape. The two attendants overpower him and put him in a straitjacket. The doctors declare him insane and dangerous, the commitment papers are signed and Harding is taken to a private mad house on the Sound. Dorothy has followed Harding to the conference and has witnessed the commitment of Harding by peering through the transom. With Stevens she plans his rescue. Dorothy succeeds in getting some steel saws into Harding's cell. His attempt to escape is discovered, however, and he is being removed to a safer cell when a sudden and unexpected dash for liberty on his part takes the guards by surprise. He gains the roof of the building and dives into the Sound where he is rescued by Dorothy and Stevens in their motorboat. Blanchard has the fright of his life when he beholds the wild-eyed and disheveled Harding glaring at him with his back to the closed door of the office. Harding denounces him as a menace to humanity. He says, "You have had me declared insane; the State cannot hold me responsible for my acts; it is my intention to kill you." Blanchard pleads for his life. Harding drags him from the building and into the street. A crowd quickly collects. Harding tells them of the evils that are laid at Blanchard's door. The crowd becomes stirred to frenzy and makes an attack on Blanchard. He is rescued, more dead than alive, by the police. In the excitement Harding slips away. This sensational incident directs the attention of the law to the patent medicine evil, and Blanchard and his kind are indicted by the grand jury. Later the Pure Food Commission raids a number of drug stores. Harding adds another name to the list of the men who have paid. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
6 cast members

Name	Known for
Richard Stanton Robert Harding Robert Harding See fewer	Graft (1915)
Jane Novak Dorothy Maxwell Dorothy Maxwell See fewer	Colleen of the Pines (1922)
Jack Abbott Jack Stevens Jack Stevens See fewer	Graft (1915)
Glen White Stanford Stone Stanford Stone See fewer	Camille (1917)
Wadsworth Harris H.S. Blanchard (as W. Harris) H.S. Blanchard (as W. Harris) See fewer	Graft (1915)
Nanine Wright Mrs. Larnigan Mrs. Larnigan See fewer	The Flirt (I) (1916)