Facts worth knowing

about
ARM & HAMMER BAKING SODA
as a proved medicinal agent
ARM & HAMMER BAKING SODA
AND

COW BRAND BAKING SODA

are identically the same product
and ARE PURE BICARBONATE OF
SODA, equally good for medicinal
and cooking purposes.
The requirements of the U. S.
Pharmacopoeia are fulfilled.
 A Friend in
Need

FACTS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT

ARM & HAMMER awrf COW BRAND
BAKING SODA
AS A PROVED MEDICINAL
AGENT

CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., Inc.

70 Pine Street New York, N. Y.
Business Established 1846
Copyright 1933, by Church & Dwight Co., Inc.,N. Y.
 A FRIEND IN NEED

INDEX
TO
TESTED AND APPROVED MEDICINAL USES
OF
BICARBONATE OF SODA

PAGE
Foreword. 4
A Friend in Need. 6
Acidosis. 17
Acne. 17
Auto-Intoxication. 18
Baby’s Bottle. 18
Bicarbonate of Soda as a Therapeutic Agent. 11
Catarrh. 18
Colds. 19
Colic. . . .. 19
Corns and Bunions. 20
Dyspepsia. 20
Dyspepsia or Heartburn. 20
Eczema. 21
Gallstones. 21
Headache (sick).. 21
Hiccough. 21

I
 A FRIEND IN NEED

PAGE
Hives. 22
Hyperacidity. 22
Indigestion.. 22
Insect Bites. 22
Intestinal Diseases. 23
Itching. 23
Ivy Poisoning. 23
Laxative. 24
Leucorrhoea (Whites). 24
Rheumatism. 24
Scalds or Burns. 24
Sea Sickness. 25
Skin. 25
Sour Stomach. 25
Sunburn. 26
Toothache. 26
Vomiting of Pregnancy . . .. 26
Weed Poisoning. 27
Why Soda Bicarbonate Relieves Discomfort. 27

CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., Inc.

70 PINE STREET
NEW YORK, N. Y,
 FOREWORD
He who cures a disease may be
the skillfulest, but he that pre¬
vents it is the safest physician.
—T. Fuller.

Many prominent physicians have sug¬

gested that great benefits would result if
the men and women of America were
shown clearly the many practical ways in
which Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda)
could be used in the home as a therapeutic
agent.
We feel therefore that this booklet should
be dedicated to those members of the
medical profession who have so long urged
its publication. The attitude of these
physicians in the matter has been epitom¬
ized by a prominent member of the profes¬
sion in a letter to the Church & Dwight
Company in the following words:
“Your product (Arm & Hammer Pure Bicarbon¬
ate of Soda) has a universal distribution. It is
 A FRIEND IN NEED 5

known in every household. Its value to the

Culinary Art is unquestioned, but it carries a far
greater value unknown to its millions of users—
its value as a household remedy,
“It has often been said that doctors through their
Health Plans are constantly trying to put them¬
selves out of business, and, in our defense I might
add, that if we could rid the world of its ills we
would gladly go.
“Be that as it may. For the good it will be to
Humanity, I want to advocate the establishment
of a department in your organization that will
tell the millions of users of your product (Arm
& Hammer Pure Bicarbonate of Soda) its great
value in the prevention and treatment of certain
diseases.
“In the last few years Bicarbonate of Soda has
been coming into its own and today it occupies a
prominent place in every Physician’s Armamen¬
tarium. You, being the largest producers of pure
Bicarbonate of Soda, are the logical ones to tell
the world of the therapeutic value of your
product. It will not put the doctors out of
business, but it will be the means of helping
thousands to prevent, and get relief from, certain
ills by this harmless but helpful remedy.”
 A FRIEND IN NEED

There is no mortal man whom

pain and disease do not reach.
—Ovid.

Health is the birthright of man. If you

are sick, you have, in some way, violated
a law of nature. When you observe the
teachings of nature, you are well. This
booklet, pointing out how certain laws of
nature can be followed, will help you and
your household to avoid much of the pain
and suffering that is the inevitable result
of delay in heeding Nature's warnings.
'The foremost fire fighter in the world,"
said F. Burnham McLeary, in an article
contributed to the World's Work, "is re¬
sponsible for the statement that 99 per
cent, of all fires on earth could be extin¬
guished with a glass of water ij taken in
time. To be more specific, even though a
score of fires were breaking out in various
quarters of San Francisco on the morning
of April 18, 1906, fifty such glasses of
water, properly stationed, would have pre-
 A FRIEND IN NEED 7

vented the destruction of a city and the

irretrievable loss of three hundred and fifty
millions of dollars.

That is the value of having on hand at the

vital moment a reliable agent for checking
a destructive force.

Fire has an insatiable appetite; it grows

as it feeds; a glass of water may extin¬
guish it in the early moments of its life,
but it may grow beyond human power or
skill to check when it becomes half an hour
old.

Sickness resembles fire; it grows as it feeds;

the right remedy may extinguish it in the
first few hours of its life, but if it once
‘'grips'’ the system it may grow beyond
human power or skill to master.

Ovid, who lived centuries ago, said:

“Meet the Disease at its approach.”
8 A FRIEND IN NEED

We see therefore both ancient and modem

appreciate the enormous value of the first
few moments or the first few hours in pre¬
venting the spread of fire or disease.
We have compared sickness, illness or
disease to fire, and it would be well if
others always carried the same comparison
in their minds, for an essential character¬
istic of an illness is its tendency to spread
from one point to another in the human
body and for a single symptom to rapidly
develop a group of symptoms. In other
words, an indisposition may be compared
to fire in the fact that it may be looked at
in the light of a red flame that gives a
warning of danger before it leaps up into
devouring strength and destmction.
Sickness or indisposition is a danger signal;
within the body, somewhere, a conflict is
going on between the forces that make for
disease, and the forces that make for
 A FRIEND IN NEED 9

health; if the patient begins to get worse

you at once know that the armies of
disease have gained the ascendency, that
the automatic safety provisions of the
human system have been overcome, and
that Nature has signalled you to aid in
the fight with the forces of human intellect.
It is in such emergencies—before the doctor
comes, or when it is obvious that prompt
action will make a visit from the doctor
unnecessary—that this little booklet should
be consulted. For it tells you when and
how that inexpensive box oi Arm & Hammer
or Cow Brand Baking Soda in your kitchen,
or obtainable in the nearest grocery store,
can be used to aid Nature in her fight.

Understand, please, that Bicarbonate of

Soda is not a cure-all. Its field of usefulness
as a home remedy is limited to well-defined
ailments. Understand, also, that it should
be regarded as an aid—not a substitute —
10 A FRIEND IN NEED

to the physician. But, as a study of the

following pages will show, it has been
proved by time and trial and experience as
a most effective preventive and remedy for
a surprisingly large percentage of the ail¬
ments most common among the civilized
races.
Everyone will take care of poor health, but
it is the wise man who makes every effort
to conserve good health. One should ascer¬
tain his physical status yearly by having a
thorough physical examination by his family
physician.
In compiling this list of uses for Arm &
Hammer and Cow Brand Pure Bicarbonate
of Soda as a household remedy, great care
was taken to include nothing that had not
been tested and approved by leading physi¬
cians—^men who recognize it is their duty to
be thorough—^to be positive; men who do
not base their decisions upon theory or ac¬
cept assumption instead of proof; men who
are convinced a thing can be done only after
it IS done.
 BICARBONATE OF SODA
AS A
THERAPEUTIC AGENT
Testimony is like an arrow shot
from a long bow; the force
of it depends on the strength
of the hand that draws it.
—Johnson.

Baking Soda, which is Bicarbonate of

Soda, is described in that authoritative
work. The New Standard Dictionary, as,
‘‘a white crystalline substance, less soluble
than sodium carbonate and having only a
slight alkaline taste, used in cookery, in
baking powders and in medicine.'' Its use
as a medicine is briefly outlined by Nelson*s
Encyclopaedia as follows:

“Sodium bicarbonate is used in medicine as an

antacid (an alkaline remedy for stomach acidity),
and, on account of the large amount of carbon
dioxide that is readily set free from it by acids or
by heating, it is an important component of Seid-
litz powders and other effervescing mixtures, and
of baking powders.”
12 A FRIEND IN NEED

The New International Encyclopaedia says:

“Sodium bicarbonate alkalinizes the blood and
secretions, and is used as a corrective in func¬
tional diseases of the stomach/*

The proved value of Arm & Hammer and

Cow Brand Bicarbonate of Soda as a ther¬
apeutic agent is further evinced by the
following evidence of a prominent physician
in a letter to the Church & Dwight Company:
“In 1918 and 1919 while fighting the ‘Flu’ with
the U. S. Public Health Service it was brought to
my attention that rarely any one who had been
thoroughly alkalinized with bicarbonate of soda
contracted the disease, and those who did contract
it, if alkalinized early, would invariably have mild
attacks. I have since that time treated all cases of
‘G)ld,’ Influenza and LaGrippe by first giving
generous doses of Bicarbonate of Soda, and in
many, many instances within 36 hours the symp¬
toms would have entirely abated.

“Further, within my own household, before

Woman’s Clubs and Parent-Teachers’ Associations,
 A FRIEND IN NEED 13

I have advocated the use of Bicarbonate of Soda

as a preventive for “Colds/’ with the result that
now many reports are coming in stating that
those who took “Soda” were not affected, while
nearly every one around them had the “Flu.”

“Besides doing good in respiratory affections,

bicarbonate of soda is of inestimable value in the
treatment of Alimentary Intoxication, Pyelitis
(inflammation of the pelvis of the kidney), Hyper-
Acidity of Urine, Uric Acid disturbances. Rheuma¬
tism and Bums. An occasional three-day course of
Bicarbonate of Soda increases the alkalinity of the
blood, assists elimination and increases the resist¬
ing power of the body to all Infectious Diseases.

“The value of the World’s famous Spas and

Health Springs is largely in the Alkalinity of the
water. A comparatively few may need Vitamine
but our great “National Crime’’ is over-eating,
both in Vitamines and everything else, which,
among other things, means an increased acid re^
tention within the body and a predisposition to
Rheumatism, Gout, etc.

“Bicarbonate of Soda will not prevent the crime

14 A FRIEND IN NEED

of over-eating any more than water unapplied

will prevent a fire, but like water to a fire, if
properly applied, it will neutralize the effect of
carelessness, and help stay the body in its process
of self-destruction/'
 TESTED HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES

In order to secure the best results with

Arm & Hammer or Cow Brand Pure Bicar-
> bonate of Soda (Baking Soda) when taken
^ internally, certain simple rules must be ob¬
served. Materia Medica, Pharmacology and
Therapeutics (Bastedo, page 88) clearly
outlines these rules as follows:
“The effect of an alkali in the stomach will vary
according to the nature of the stomach contents
at the time of its administration. In the resting
period (after food is digested) sodium bicarbonate
merely dissolves mucus and is absorbed as bicar¬
bonate into the blood, to increase its alkalinity
, directly,

f' “In the digestive period it reduces the secretion of

gastric juice, neutralizes a portion of the hydro¬
chloric acid, liberates the carminative carbon dioxide
gas, and is absorbed as sodium chloride.

“In cases of fermentation or 'sour stomach^ it may

neutralize the organic acids and so result in the
opening of a spasmodically closed pylorus (the
16 A FRIEND IN NEED

opening between the stomach and the small in¬

testine); while at the same time it acts to overcome
flatulency (accumulation of gas in the stomach
and bowels).

''The time of administration must, therefore, be

chosen with a definite purpose. Usually for hyper-
chlorhydria (excess of acid) one hour or two hours
after meals will be the period of harmful excess of
acid.

“In continuous hyperacidity and in fermentative

conditions a dose an hour before meals will tend to
prepare the stomach for the next meal; or some¬
times a dose will be necessary immediately after
eating, because of abnormal acid or gas having
been present at the commencement of the meal.
(For the average person one-half hour after meals
is recommended).

“A dose at bedtime tends to check the early

morning acidity, or a dose on arising cleans the
stomach of acid and mucus before breakfast.”

When taking soda bicarbonate internally it should

be dissolved in one-half glass of cool water.
 A FRIEND IN NEED 17

Acidosis
The normal reaction of the blood is alkaline. When
the reaction of the blood becomes less alkaline than
normal, a state of acidosis exists. The blood never
actually becomes acid, but a lowering of the normal
alkaline content causes a shifting of the acid-alkaline
balance toward the acid side. This condition of acid¬
osis follows many diseases and is a forerunner of others.

The alkalinity of the blood is maintained in a large

part by the presence of sodium bicarbonate (baking
soda) which is a normal constituent of all body fluids.
In cases of threatened or actual acidosis, one-half
teaspoonful of baking soda in one-half glass of cool
water two hours after meals is recommended.

Acne
For pimples on the face and neck, accompanied by
an oily skin, it is recommended that after washing the
face thoroughly with soap and water, a paste made from
baking soda and water be applied to the affected parts
and allowed to remain for ten minutes, after which the
face should be washed with clear cold water. This
treatment should be applied once daily, before re¬
tiring.
18 A FRIEND IN NEED

Auto-Intoxication
The condition of auto-intoxication which is often
accompanied by headache, intestinal distress, and
sometimes fever, is usually caused by insufficient
elimination from the intestinal tract. By taking one
teaspoonful of soda in one-half glass of cool water
upon arising the symptoms of auto-intoxication may
be relieved.

Baby’s Bottle
Bottles, nipples, and utensils used in the prepara¬
tion and giving of baby food should be sterilized by
boiling once daily. After the bottle and nipple have
been used, they should be washed thoroughly with soap
and hot water, and allowed to stand in soda water
(2 teaspoonfuls of baking soda to the quart of water).
Before feedings, the nipple and bottle should be rinsed
with clear water.

Catarrh
Catarrh of the upper air passages and chronic dis¬
charges from the nose may be relieved by spraying
the nostrils night and morning with a solution of soda
water (one teaspoonful of soda to the pint of water).
If a spray is not available the soda water may be snuffed
into the nostril.
 A FRIEND IN NEED 19

Colds

Bicarbonate of Soda will often ward off a cold in

its early stages.
In the event of a threatened attack, we recommend
the following treatment:
During the first day take six doses of half teaspoon¬
ful of Arm & Hammer or Cow Brand Bicarbonate of
Soda in glass of cool water, at about two hour intervals.
During the second day take four doses of half tea¬
spoonful of Arm & Hammer or Cow Brand Bicar¬
bonate of Soda in glass of cool water, at the same
intervals.
During the third day take two doses of half tea¬
spoonful of Arm & Hammer or Cow Brand Bicarbo¬
nate of Soda in glass of cool water, morning and
evening, and thereafter half teaspoonful in glass of
cool water each morning until cold is cured.

Colic

For a baby from one to six months of age with

Colic and distended abdomen give in an enema one
level teaspoonful of Soda dissolved in a half glass
(two ounces) of warm water.
20 A FRIEND IN NEED

Corns and Bunions

Corns and bunions may be softened and relieved

by making a salve of equal proportions of lard and
Bicarbonate of Soda, and applying at night before
retiring.

Dyspepsia

For an attack of dyspepsia due to over-acidity, take

one-fourth teaspoonful of soda bicarbonate dissolved
in a half glass of cool water when the pain appears
and repeat several times if necessary.

Dyspepsia or Heartburn

A quarter of a teaspoonful of Bicarbonate of Soda

dissolved in a tumbler of cold water, taken three
times a day, will be found very beneficial.
“Sodium Bicarbonate is the most efficient drug for
general use (in acid dyspepsia), about one-quarter
teaspoonful before meals for a tonic form. In hyper-
chloric (acid) dyspepsia a level teaspoonful two hours
after meals. “
—Therapeutics, Materia Medica and Pharmacy,
 A FRIEND IN NEED 21

Eczema
**Externally, in solution, it (Bicarbonate of Soda)
is a solvent for dried exudates (secretion) such as
the crusts in seborrheic eczema/' Two level tea¬
spoonfuls of Bicarbonate of Soda to a pint of water
gives the proper solution in such cases.
—Practical Therapeutics,
(Bermingham.)

Gall-Stones
The vomiting during an attack of gall-stone colic
may be relieved by draughts of hot water containing
bicarbonate of soda (one teaspoonful of soda to the
pint of hot water).

Headaches (Sick)
Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is largely used
as an antacid in gastric fermentation. In sick head¬
aches arising from this condition take one teaspoonful
of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a glass of cold water.

Hiccough
Dissolve one-half teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda
in one-half glass of cold water and drink slowly. This
will, in most cases, give instant and permanent relief.
22 A FRIEND IN NEED

Hives
“The local irritation and itching may be relieved
by applying a dilute solution of bicarbonate of soda
and water....(Soda) either in solution or paste
is a soothing application for itching, insect bites, and
burns. It is not caustic.“
—Materia Medica: Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
(Bastedo, p. 88, 1914.)
Hyperacidity
Hyperacidity (too much acid in the stomach) will
produce an indigestion which may be relieved by taking
one-half teaspoonful to one teaspoonful of bicarbonate
of soda in a glass of cold water two hours after eating.
Indigestion
“In many cases it will be found that the adminis¬
tration of small doses of Bicarbonate of Soda, five to
ten grains” (one-fourth teaspoonful to a half glass of
cold water) '^before each meal will cause free secretion
of gastric juice, particularly if it be given simultane¬
ously with bitter substances which act as stimulants
to the gastric mucosa.”
—Practical Therapeutics—9th Edit.
(Hare, page 669, 1902.)

Insect Bites
Bicarbonate of Soda “either in solution or paste
is a soothing application in erythema, urticaria, itch¬
ing, burns and insect-bites.”
—Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
 A FRIEND IN NEED 23

Intestinal Diseases
If food distresses the stomach, give a quarter of
a teaspoonful of Bicarbonate of Soda in a wineglass
of milk. “The alkalies have an extended use in dis¬
eases of the stomach and intestines, especially the
former. Although we do not fully understand all
their effects, it is obvious that they can neutralize
an excess of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
“They are, therefore, indicated in all cases of
hyperacidity and hypersecretion; but in the author’s
experience they must be given in large doses.
In hyp>eracidity they should, of course, be given
after meals, preferably shortly before the time at
which the patient expects disagreeable sensations
arising from the hyperacidity, such as pyrosis (gas)
and heartburn.”
—Treatment of Internal Diseases.
(Ortner.)
Itching
Very often bathing the parts with two teaspoonfuls
of bicarbonate of soda to the pint of water will give
relief. In other cases of intense itching a paste made
from baking soda and water and applied to the affected
part will prove satisfactory.

Ivy Poisoning
Apply a paste made from baking soda and water to
the affected parts and cover with a damp cloth. This
treatment should be repeated every eight to ten hours.
24 A FRIEND IN NEED

Laxative
Dissolve one level teaspoonful of Bicarbonate of
Soda in a glass of cool water and take on arising in
the morning. This will clean the stomach of the
mucus that has accumulated during the night and
act as a mild laxative on the bowels.

Leucorrhoea (Whites)
“In a general way the agent (Bicarbonate of Soda)
is advantageous in the treatment of leucorrhoea,
especially if the discharge has an acid reaction.”
Use it freely in solution of two teaspoonfuls dissolved
in a pint of water as a douche.
—Materia Medica^ Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Rheumatism
Sodium bicarbonate has been widely employed in
the treatment of rheumatism, both internally and ex¬
ternally. It is recommended that one-half teaspoonful
be taken internally every four hours in conjunction
with 10 to 15 grains of sodium salicylate. Externally,
to painful joints, apply a paste made from baking
soda and water and cover with a warm cloth.

Scalds and Burns

“Externally the agent (Bicarbonate of Soda) seems
to possess antiseptic properties. Because of the
presence of carbon, with its alkaline reaction, the
 A FRIEND IN NEED 25

agent is applicable to burns; applied in the form of a

moist paste, it will relieve the pain at once in most
cases.”
Materia Medica^ Therapeutics and Pharamacology,
(Ellingwood, page 420.)
Cover scald or burn with a paste of Soda and water.
Then cover with a damp cloth.

Sea Sickness
Preliminary to an ocean voyage it is recommended
that one-half teaspoonful of soda in one-half glass of
cool water be taken two hours after meals, for three
days preceding the trip.

Skin
A shiny, red, hot-weather complexion may be cooled
and refreshed by applying to the face a solution of
cool water and bicarbonate of soda. Add one teaspoon¬
ful of soda to the pint of water.

Sour Stomach
In cases of fermentation or ‘sour stomach* it
(Bicarbonate of Soda) may neutralize the organic
acids and so result in the opening of a spasmodically
closed pylorus (the opening between the stomach and
the small intestine); while at the same time it acts
26 A FRIEND IN NEED

to overcome flatulency (accumulation of gas in the

stomach and bowels).”
—Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
(Bastedo, page 88.)
Dissolve one teaspoonful of Soda in a glass of cold
water, and take one to two hours after me2s.

Sunburn
Cover the affected parts with a paste of Arm &
Hammer or Cow Brand Bicarbonate of Soda and
water. Immediately upon application a cooling sen¬
sation will be experienced. When the moisture has
been absorbed from the paste, the fire of the burn
will have disappeared and the danger of blistering
is lessened. Application of the paste as soon as pos¬
sible after one is burned is advisable.

Toothache
“Sodium Bicarbonate in solution (two teaspoonfuls
to a pint of water) on plugs of cotton in painful
cavities, or applied to the gums . . . appeases
agonizing toothache (Duckworth).”
—Therapeutics, Materia Medica and Pharmacy.

Vomiting of Pregnancy
This distressing symptom is often caused by the
presence of a mild acidosis. For the relief of this con¬
dition it is recommended that one-half teaspoonful of
soda in one-half glass of cool water be taken two hours
after meals.
 A FRIEND IN NEED 27

Weed Poisoning
The smarting, burning, and itching of the skin from
contact with certain weeds may be relieved by applying
a paste made from baking soda and water.

Why Soda Bicarbonate Relieves Discomfort

In one out of every ten households, I should say,
there is someone who has to take a dose of soda every
once in a while. There is, of course, not a boarding
house in the land that doesn’t contain a soda taker.
As you gaze up at large apartments or apartment hotels
you may confidently say to yourself, “There is in each
of those mammoth structures at this moment a human
being who is measuring out a level teaspoon of soda,
putting it in a glass of water and drinking it down.”
The people who do this, of course, are the “acid
dyspeptics’’. Some of them have ulcer of the stomach.
The soda—chemically, soda bicarbonate—is alkaline
in reaction and, mixing with the excessive acid se¬
cretion of the stomach relieves the feeling of discom¬
fort of dyspepsia.
If a supply is not purchased from a drug store the
patient will calmly go to the kitchen and get the baking
soda and use it in the same way, for it is the same thing,
It is, in my opinion, a very good method of treat¬
ment, and only very rarely does any harm. Its popu¬
larity, as the saying is, recommends it. Fifty million
28 A FRIEND IN NEED

dyspeptics can’t be wrong. So when we hear, as we

frequently do, some stomach specialist vehemently ex¬
plain that the pain of ulcer is not due to the excessive
acid present, or that soda itself forms more acid and,
therefore, should not be used, we do not take these
outpourings too seriously. Most of the patients have
tried one or two other things in their lives and always
gone back to soda.
Dr. Sippy, who used a great deal of soda in his treat¬
ment of ulcer, used to say whenever these very scientific
objections to the soda were presented to him, “Well,
all I know is that the patients tell me the soda relieves
their distress’.’
One of the advantages of soda bicarbonate is that
fairly large doses can be taken without harm. Many
people take one or two teaspoonfuls after each meal
and one before going to bed and continue at this for
years without any apparent ill effects. It is true cases
of alkalosis have been reported, but they are so rare
as to be almost negligible.
—Logan Clendening, **Diet and Health*'
K. C. Star, Nov. 4, 1931.

F-500-9-34
 Arm & Hammer and Cow Brand
Baking Soda* are bicarbonate of
SODA of the highest quality and
purity, and are therefore equally
good for medicinal and baking
purposes.

It fulfills the requirements

of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia

ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS BOOKLET SENT FREE ON REQUEST