Some Suspicious Persons
Enquired if we were "hiring" a "weekly" paper to abuse us.
Of course every time a spot light is turned on from any source
) t offers a splendid chance to talk about the merits of the products ,
'but * pen honor now , we are not hiring that "Weekly. "
The general reader seldom cares much for the details of "scraps. "
A few may have read lately some articles attacking us and may
be Interested in the following :
1 Some time ago a disagreement arose with a "Weekly. " They
endorsed our foods by letter , but wanted to change the form of
advertising , to which we objected.
The "Weekly" discontinued inserting our advertisements while
they were negotiating for seme changes they wanted in the wordIng -
Ing and shape of the advertisements , and during this correspondence
our manager gave instructions to our Advertising Department to
quit advertising altogether In that "Weekly. "
Quite a time after the advertising had been left out , an editorial
ttack came. We replied in newspapers and the scrap was on.
Then came libel suits from both sides , and some harsh -words.
Generally tiresome to the public.
That "Weekly" has attacked many prominent men and repu
table manufacturers.
Our Company seems prominent enough for a sensational
writer to go after , hunt for some little spot to criticise , then distort ,
twist and present it to the public under scare heads.
Distortion No. 1 stated that -we have
been accustomed to advertise Grape-Nuts
V and Postum as "cure-alls for everything. "
It has never been the policy of this
Company to advertise Grape-Nuts or Poa-
tum to cure anything.
We say that in cases where coffee disa
grees and is causing sickness its dismissal
will remove the cause of the trouble , and
we suggest the use of Postum for the
reason that it furnishes a hot palatable
morning beverage , and contains natural
elements from the grain which can be
used by nature to assist in rebuilding
nerve centers that coffee may have broken
down.
Likewise Grape-Nuts food does not
cure anything , but it does assist nature
tremendously in rebuilding , provided the
indigestible food that has been used is
discontinued and Grape-Nuts taken in its
place.
Charge No. 2 states that the passage
of the National Food & Dru.es Act com-
ipelled us to drop from the packages some
assertions regarding the nutritive value
of Grape-Nuts.
We "TTave" " never been " 'compelled" to
make any change.
Since the beginning it has been a univer
sal rule to print clearly on every package
texactly what the contents are made of.
Before the passage of the Pure Food
Law the packages stated that Grape-Nuts
food was made of wheat and
We did not esteem the small amount
-of salt and yeast as of value enough to
I speak of , but after the new Law came
jin we became as technical a ? the offi-
clals at Washington and added the words
i"yeast" and "salt , " although we have
ino recollection of being asked to.
We believed that our statement that I
'Grape-Nuts ' will supply elements to nour
ish the" brain and nerve centers is true
and bring authorities to support the fact.
- - * Some state chemists believed this a
gross exaggeration and inasmuch as the
Food Dept. at Washington could easily
harass grocers , pending a trial on the
disputed question , we concluded that
much the better way would be to elim-
.inate from our packages such claims ,
'however certain we may be that the
claims are true.
Another statement objected to read as
follows :
"The system will absorb a greater
amount of nourishment from one pound
of Grape-Nuts than from ten pounds of
meat , wheat , oats , or bread. "
Some Department chemists deceive
fthemselves as well as the public.
"Caloried" is the word which defines a
trait of heat determined by the amount
( necessary to raise one kilogram of water
( one degree centigrade. On this basis a
'table ' of calories is prepared showing the
ipercentage of different kinds of food.
'Butter shows 8.00 ; Grape-Nuts 3.9G ;
milk 0.70. Remember the statement on i
the package spoke of the jiourishment the f
system would absorb , but did not speak of I
the calories of heat contained in it , for F
"the heat is not nourishment , and the
Nourishment cannot be judged by the
"number " of heat units , notwithstanding fl
Jthe fact that certain chemists would have 1t
the public believe BO. 1o
As an illustration : Attempt to feed a e
tean sixty days on butter alone , with its e
8.00 calories. The man would die be of
fore the experiment had run sixty days. S
Then , take Grape-Nuts with 3.96 and or
milk with 0.70 , the two combined equal it
C68 about one-half the number of calo irP
ries contained in butter. The man fed for P
sixty days on this food would be well c <
nouriahea , and could live not only sixty
days , but six months on that food alone ,
and we do not hesitate to Bay. from our
long knowledge of the sustaining power
of the food that a man at the end of
sixty days would be of practically the
same weight as when he started , if he bu
a man of normal weight.
We will suppose that from his work
he lost a pound a day and made up a
pound each day from food. If that prem
ise proved to be true the man in sixty
days time would make sixty pounds of
tissue to replace what had been lost , and
this would be done on Grape-Nuts and
milk with half the number of calories of
butter , upon which no one can sustain
life.
Therefore , we have reason to believe
that our contention is right that con
centrated food like Grape-Nuts , which
is nartly digested and
ready for easy as
similation by the body , presents more
nourishment that the system will absorb
serb than many other forms of food , and
we will further cay that in cases of diges
tive troubles where meat , white breaff
and oats cannot be digested , that Grape-
Nuts and milk contain more nourish
ment that the svstem will absorb than
many pounds of these other foods.
. /
Distortion No. 3 charges that our tes
timonials were practically all paid for
and re-written in Battle Creek.
These testimonials were demanded by
the opposing lawyers. Naturally this
demand was refused , for they are neld in
vaults and kept safe to prove the truth ,
and are not to be delivered up on demand
of enemies.
Testimony at the trial brought out the
fact that we never printed a single testimonial
menial that we did not have the genuine
letter back of. Many of these letters
came spontaneously A record was kept
of twelve hundred and four (1204) ( ) let-
ters received in one month from people
who wrote that they had either entirely t
recovered their health or been benefited
by following our suggestions on food
and beverages.
On three or four occasions in the past
ten or twelve years we printed broadcast
in papers offers of prizes to users of
Postum and Grape-Nuts , two hundred
$1.00 prizes , one hundred $2.00 , twenty
of $5.00 and five of $10.00 each , stati
that each must be an honest letter wit.
name and address. We agreed not to publish -
lish names , but to furnish them to en
quirers by letter. These letter writers
very generally answered those who wrote
to them , and verified the truth of the
statements.
Under this agreement not to publish
names literally scores of letters came
from doctors. We kept our word and
neither printed their names or surren
dered the letters.
Right here notice an "imitation spasm. "
The "Weekly" says : "Post got those testimonials
menials by advertising for them. la New
York he used for that purpose the New
York Magazine of whose editor
is now in the Federal Penitentiary for
fraudulent uee of the mails. For exam
ple. Post announced in that magazine in
1907 , etc. , " ( then follows our prize com
petition ) .
We used nearly all of the papers and
magazines in New York and the rest of
America , but the sensational writer gives
the impression to his readers that the
only magazine we used was one "whose
editor is now in the Federal Penitentiary , " jj ai
etc. , something that we know nothing
a
the truth of now , and never did. ti
Space was bought in the magazine spoken _ ]
on a business basis for the reason that t
went to a good class of readers. The '
Incident seems to have furnished an opportunity - "
portunity for a designing writer to deceive - * "
ceive his readers. * *
We look upon honest human testimony
So an attorney from New York spent more or less time for
months in Battle Creek hoping to find impurities in our foods , or
dirt in the factories. After tireless spying about he summoned
twenty-five of our workmen and took their testimony. Every
single one testified that the foods are made of exactly the grain and
ingredients printed on the packages * the wheat , barley and corn
being the choicest obtainable all thoroughly cleaned the water of
the purest , and every part of the factories and machinery kept
scrupulously clean.
That all proved disappointing to the "Weekly. " There are
very few factories , hospitals , private or hotel and restaurant kit
chens that could stand the close spying at unexpected times and by
an enemy paid to find dirt or impurities of some kind.
In any ordinary kitchen or factory he would find something to
magnify and make a noise about.
But he failed utterly with the Postum Works and products.
Twenty to thirty thousand people go through the factories annual
ly and we never enquire whether/ / they are there to spy or not. It
makes no difference to us.
He next turned to discover something about our advertising
that could be criticized.
An analysis of the methods and distorted statements of the
"Weekly" may interest some readers , so we take up the items one
by one and open them out for inspection. We will "chain up" the
harsh words and make no reference in this article to the birth ,
growth and methods of the "Weekly" but try to coufine the dis
cussion to the questions now at issue.
from men and \qpmen as to the means by
which they recovered health as of tre
mendous value to those in search of it.
Our business has been conducted from the
very first day upon lines of strict integ
rity and we never yet have published a
false testimonial of human experience.
Many of these letters covered numerous
sheets ; some , if printed , would spread
over half a page of newspaper. If we
would attempt to print one such letter in
every one of the thousands of papers and
magazines we use , the cost for printing
that one letter would run into many thou
sands of dollars.
We boil down these letters exactly as
a newspaper writer boils his news , stick
ing sacredly to the important facts and
eliminating details about the family and
other unimportant matters. This work
of boiling down , or editing , is dona
honestly , and with a full knowledge of
our responsibility , but notice the art
of the-"twister" in the way he presents
to his readers this matter of testimonials.
Distortion No. 4. This is a bad one.
It reads as follows : "The only famous
physician whose name was signed to a
testimonial was produced in Court by
Colliers and turned out to be a poor old
brokendown homeopath , who is now work
ing in a printing establishment. He re
ceived ten dollars ( $10.00) ) for writing his
testimonial. "
We will wager ten thousand dollars
( $10,000.00) ) with any investigator that we
have , subject to inspection of any fair
committee , upwards of three hundred
(890) ( ) communications from physicians ,
many of them expressing the highest com
mendation of our products , but these will
apt now or ever be turned over to the
publisher for his use.
Notice the statement in this charge :
"The only famous physician whose name
was signed to Postum testimonial , etc. "
The truth is , this Dr. Underwood wa
one of a great many physicians who hare
not only written commendatory words
about the value of our foods , but every
now and then some physician writes an
article on coffee or on food , and sends It
to us with a suggestion of compensation
for his time and medical knowledge.
Previous to the time when we employed
physicians in our own business , we oc
casionally emploved a doctor to write
an article on coffee , always insisting that
the article be an honest expression of his
opinion and research.
The "Weekly" hunted up this physician ,
and because he seemed to be poor , and
as it says , "brokendown , " had him ,
brought to Court to be exposed before a
jury as the "only physician that had ever
endorsed Grape-Nuts , " but much to the
chagrin of the "Weekly , " when our attor
neys asked him if the article he wrote
about coffee was true he replied , "yes. "
Statement No. 5 reads : "The health
officers of Mich. , Maine , Penn. , New
Hamp. , and other states in their official
bulletins have for years been denouncing
as preposterous and fraudulent the claim ?
made by the Postum Cereal Company. "
We do not recall any criticism except
from Mich. , Penn. , Maine and S. Dakota.
,1
The average reader might think that
the opinions expressed by the State Offi
cials are always correct , but that con
clusion is not borne out by facts.
As an illustration : About thirteen yeara
ago the Dairy and Food Commission of
Michigan for some personal reason printed
severe criticism on us for making Pos
tum of Barley ( according to his official a
chemist ) at , market price and selling too
high. He was shown there was never a
grain of barley used in Postum. His re
port was false and misleading. The gov
ernor dismissed him. iiC
iiP
We believe that most of the state P
It may be remembered that we were first attacked and have since defended
ourselves by placing facts before that great jury The Public.
A good "scrap" is more or less comforting now and then , if you know
you are right
In the case lately tried , an appeal has been taken to the higher courtsWe
have unbounded faith in the ultimate decision of our American Tribunals.
Our suits against . the "weekly" - y - . have - not yet " been tried. f r They > _ are : _ . for . libel , -
officials are honest , and on the other
hand we are firmly convinced that some
of their conclusions cannot be substan
tiated by facts in scientific research.
They never criticize the purity of our
foods , for so much we are thankful.
If our conclusions in regard to its be
ing a brain food differ from theirs , and
we are both honest , they have rather the
advantage , because under the law they
can order us to eliminate from the pack
age any statement if it disagrees with
their opinion. Otherwise they would
harass grocers.
Spasm No. 6 says : "The most dan
gerous thing in the world for one threat
ened with appendicitis is to eat any food
whatever. Notwithstanding he knew that
danger , C. W. Post advertised Grape-Nuts
at fifteen cents a package for those so
threatened. "
This is intended to muddle the reader
into believing that we put out Grape-Nuts
as a cure for appendicitis.
Mr. Post , himself , has had probably as
wide experience as any other man in
America in the study and observation of
food as related to the digestive organs ,
and we proved in Court by the physicians
and surgeons on the witness stand that
the predominating cause of appendicitis
is undigested food , and that ; k is neces-
eary to quit eating food , and when the
body requires food again , use a predigested
gested food , or at least one easy of diges- ,
I
Dr. Ochsner in his work on appendicitis
refers directly _ _ to the use of the well-
1 1 ? I t f 1 1
known pre-digested foods that can be
obtained on the market. He also brought
out the interesting fact that in "after
treatment" it is advantageous to take
on a pre-digested food.
The price of the package ( referred to
by the weekly ) is not known by us to
have any relation to the question.
Our advice to stop using indigestible
food in bowel troubles and to use Grape-
Nuts food has been a great blessing to
tens of thousands of people , and we nope
will continue to bless a good many more
in the succeeding years.
No. 7 is a live wire. It refers to 0. W.
Post and his studies and experience in
"Suggestive Therapeutics. " or "Mental
Healing" which further lead to a most
careful and systematic study of the ef
fect of the mind on the digestive and other -
er organs of the body.
He attended clinics in Europe and
fitted himself for a future career in which
he has become known as one of the food
experts of the world , fitted to judge both
from the material as well as the * mental
side of the question.
For about eight years previous to 1891 ei
he was an invalid. In that year , after ein
being under the care of several well- n
known physicians , he was quickly healed ,
by what to him was a curious and not
well-understood method. Sufficient to say
he became a well man , weighing about 185 I
pounds.
This experience challenged his investigation fa
gation into causes of disease and their in
amelioration. Those " studies and experi ind.
ences developed a "very profound rever d. .
ence for a Supreme Power which directly olb d.ol
operates upon the human being , „ and this ay ]
reverence for the Infinite became -to him
form of religion which included honesty )
of purpose towards his fellow-man. A
statement which will be indorsed by every
one who knows him closely.
He will make a public announcement
detail of these facts , and the Postum
Company will cause that statement to be
published in newspapers and magazine * ne
Some Facts
Battle Creek , Michigan , December SO , 1910.
We the undersigned certify that never to our knowledge has a ,
testimonial letter been printed by the Postum Cereal Co. , Ltd , , !
which did not have behind it a genuine letter signed , and believed
to be an honest statement.
To the best of our knowledge and belief the Company has re-j
ceive upwards of fifty thousand (50,000) ( ) genuine testimonial letters
This company has never knowingly made nor permitted ani
untruthful statement regarding its products or its methods.
M. K. HOWE , Treasurer. ( With Company about 14 years )
L. J. LAMSON , Inspector Of AdvtS. ( With Company about gK"years. . )
F. C. GRANDIN , Advertising Manager. ( With Company about 13 years , )
R. M. STERRETT , M. D. , Physician in charge of Scientific Dep'tf
( With Company about 4 years.-
CHESTON SYER , Advt. Writer. ( With Company about 3 yeafs. )
*
CHARLES W. GREEN , Advt. Writer. ( With Company about 5 years. )
HARRY E. BURT , General Sup't. ( With Company about 13 years. )
H. C HAWK , Assistant to Chairman. ( With Company about 7years. )
C. W. POST , Chairman. ( With Company 16 years , from the beginning. )
in dna time. We suggest the reader look
for it.
Prevarication No. 8. 'Tost spends
nearly a million a year in advertising and
relies on that to keep out of the news
papers the dangerous nature of the fraud
he is perpetrating on the public. "
The Postum Company does pay out up
wards of a million a year for trade an
nouncements. Newspaper men believe our
statements truthful or they would not
print them. Large numbers of newspa
per men use our products.
are capable of telling the public
whether or not we "bribe" them.
It may have escaped notice that we
did not "bribe" that particular weekly.
No. 9 states that the amount of the
verdict will "be devoted by the 'weekly'
to exposing fraud. "
This is almost real humor.
We have two suits pending against the
"weekly , " total , $500,000.00.
We haven't "devoted" the sum to any
particular purpose -yet.
Item 10 is a "discovery" that wheat
bran is a part of Postum.
But the criticism neglected to mention
that for years every Postum package an
nounced in plain type that the outer cov
ering of wheat ( bran ) , made part of the
beverage. ,
y
They ignorantly fell into a trap here ,
not , knowingenough of food value to know
! that/Taka-Diastase" the article used by
physicians the world over for "starch in
digestion" is made from "wheat bran. "
So we use that part of the wheat berry
because it contains the element needed
to develop the valuable diastase in man
ufacture. Good Postum is impossible
without this part.
These self-appointed critics do make
some laughable blunders through ignor
ance , but be patient.
Item 11 is an illustration of the squirm
ing and twisting of the sensational writer
delivering distorted matter to his read
ers.
ers.While
While on the witness stand Mr. Post
testified to his studies in Anatomy , Physiology
elegy , Dietetics and Psychology , all re
lating to the preparation and digestion of
food. Asked to name authorities studied
he mentioned six or eight from memory ,
and commented on some clinical expe
rience covering several years in annual
journeys to Europe.
Now notice the distortion. ( Copy from
the printed criticism. )
"He ( Post ) pointed out a pile of books
in possession of his attorneys as the very
ones he had read. "
( Notice. "the very ones he had read , "
leading the reader to believe that they
were the only ones. )
"Did you consult the books from these
editions ? " was asked.
"From 'those and various editions , " an
swered Post.
The attorney "picked up book after
book frdm the pile and showed the title
pages to the jury , all except two had
been published since 1905. "
This is an example of distortion and
false coloring to produce an unfavorable
impression.
The facts are Mr. Post purposely intro-
luced the latest editions that could be
btained of prominent authorities to prove
them the truth of his statements re
tarding appendicitis and the analysis of
rain , also the latest conclusions in re
tard to the action of the digestive organs ,
ihese works are :
Human Physiology , by Raymond. aitl
Physiological Chemistry , by Simon. tl
Digestive Glands , by Pawlow. tlfa
Hand Book of Appendicitis , by ( Deba fatl
ter. he
Physiological Chemistry , by
eten.
Biochemic System of Medicine , bjj
Carey.
The "Weekly" carefully eliminates from ,
its printed account testimony regarding
the years of research and study by Mr.
Post in fitting himself for his work , and *
would lead the reader of the distorted ]
article to believe that his education *
began since 1905.
Distortion No. 12 reports Mr. Post as
a "dodging witness. "
His eye is not of the shifty kind
served in the head of one of his
critics. On the witness stand Mr. Post
looks quietly but very bteadily straight in
to the eyes of the haggling , twisting law-
ver , trying by all his art to ask double-
barreled questions and bull-doze and con
fuse a witness.
The "dodging" it seems consisted ofi
replying , "I don't know. "
Opposing counsel holds a book in hb'
hand while he queries , 4
'I want to know if there is a single
thing in your whole book here that sug
gests any particular kind of food. " Their
followed tome discussion between attor
neys.
neys.When
When Mr. Post was allowed to reply-
he said , "I don't know until I read tha
book over to see. "
This book , it turns out , was written by
Mr. Post seventeen years ago and prolP
ably has not been read carefully by hinF
in the last fifteen years. It would require- '
a remarkable memory to instantly sa/J
"yes" or "no" as to what a book of 147 <
pages did or did not contain , without
reading it over , but such conservative ,
and well balanced answers are construea
by sensation seekers to be "dodging. "
The attorney sought by everv art tof
impress the Jury with the fact that Mr.
Post's belief in the power of Mind in |
relation to the body branded him as un
reliable and worse.
The following is quoted from one o
the questions :
( The lawyer reading from the book. )
"The writer of these pages desires to
say nothing of himself other than as &
eimple instrument through which the Di
vine Principle chooses to manifest itself
by precept and example.
"Skill in mental practice Is gained in.
the same way as skill in any department'
of science by observation , study , expe
rience and the ability to evolve correct
conclusions.
"Read carefully , thoughtfully no more
than twenty pages daily. Afterward seek
an easy position where you will not be
disturbed. Relax every muscle. Close
your eyes , and go into the silence where
mind is plastic to the breathings of spirit
and where God talks to the Son. The
thoughts from Divine Universal Mind
come as winged angels and endow you
with a healing power. If you go into the
silence humble and trusting , you will come
out enriched and greatly strengthened in
body by contact even for a short time
with the Father of all life and all power.
You will feel refreshed in every way and.
food taken will digest readily as the
stomach works smoothly when under tha
influence of a Higher Power. "
"I ask you if you did not write that ,
and if you did not believe it when you
wrote it. "
For a moment the Court Room was in
absolute silence.
Mr. Post slowly leaned forward over
the rail , pointed his finger at the Arty's
face to emphasize his reply and with eyes
that caused those of the Attorney to drop
said , "Yes , I am proud to say I did.
and $500,000.00 is asked as damages , and may the right man win.
After all the smoke of legal battle blows away , the facts will stand out
clearly and never be forgotten that Postum , Grape Nuts , and Post Toasties are
perfectly pure , have done good honest service to humanity for years , the testimonials
menials are real and truthful and the business conducted on the highest plane
of commercial integrity.
" ' "
"There's
a Reason"
% Poatum Cereal Co. , Ltd. , Battle Creek , Mich.