Misbranded (eBook)

Ann Richards-Farnsworth (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
236 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-9252-6 (ISBN)

Infos

'Misbranded' delves into the 1937 tragedy of the Elixir of Sulfanilamide, a deadly medicine sold without safety testing. Through the lives of a widowed pharmacy worker, the chemist who made the medicine, and a conflicted pharmacist, the novel highlights personal loss, heroic efforts, and the transformative impact of a disaster that reshaped drug safety laws.

Ann Richards-Farnsworth is an American novelist. Born and raised in Massachusetts, she received a bachelor's degree in mass communication from Emerson College. She has spent over thirty years working in the pharmaceutical industry where she became fascinated by the history of food and drug regulation. After years of telling the Elixir of Sulfanilamide story as part of training for new employees, she began writing her debut novel to answer the many questions she had about this tragedy. When she's not writing, she can be found spending time with family and hiking with her dogs. She currently lives in Massachusetts with her wife and step-children.

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In "e;Misbranded"e;, the fall of 1937 marks a turning point in American history as a deadly medicine, the Elixir of Sulfanilamide, devastates families nationwide. Marketed without proper safety testing, the Elixir is given to children by trusting parents, with fatal consequences. As deaths mount, the FDA launches an urgent, nationwide campaign to retrieve the toxic drug, battling resistance from pharmacists, physicians, and the manufacturer. The story weaves together the lives of those impacted by this tragedy. Harold Watkins, the chemist who created the Elixir, is haunted by the deaths his work caused, leaving his life in ruins. Betty Carlson, a widowed mother working at her father's pharmacy, joins the FDA's investigation, facing challenges that alter her relationships and identity. Her father, Arthur Ryan, a pharmacist who dispensed the Elixir, grapples with guilt and reevaluates his career and family life in the wake of his customers' deaths. This richly detailed historical fiction captures the human cost of lax drug regulations and the sweeping changes that followed the tragedy. "e;Misbranded"e; offers an inspiring and heart-wrenching tale of personal loss, resilience, and the societal reform born from profound tragedy perfect for readers who love compelling, character-driven historical narratives.

Textauszug

1

Take a Breath

Sunday, October 10, 1937

“I think she’s pregnant again,” Rose announced. Betty listened to the conversation as she sipped a lemonade. Rose’s chin-wag was focused on the unfortunate circumstances of her neighbor. The afternoon with the girls was just underway, and Betty was already tired of the gossip. If gossip were the only topic, she’d prefer silence.

Betty left Rose at the card table and went into the kitchen, where she found Helen standing at the counter, cutting a cucumber sandwich into fours.

Helen Johnson was Betty’s best friend, and a perfect hostess. Despite having two rambunctious kids, her house was always impeccably neat and smelled of freshly baked cookies. It was no wonder she was so thin; she was too busy to eat.

“Can I help you with anything?” Betty asked.

Helen had a narrow face that easily betrayed her lack of sleep. She regarded Betty with tired eyes but an energetic smile. “We’re ready,” she said, pointing at two plates piled high with finger sandwiches. There were a variety of tiny crustless breads. Choices included ham, chicken salad, egg salad, and cream cheese. “Could you put these on the end tables?”

“I’d be happy to,” Betty said.

Betty returned to the parlor with the plates of sandwiches. After setting them on the end tables, she took her seat at the card table next to Rose. Their game of euchre would start when Gladys arrived. Gladys was the latest member of their card club. She and her husband had moved to town a couple of years ago. Betty wasn’t sure exactly where they hailed from but got the sense that they had moved around a lot. Gladys would take the seat to Betty’s left as Rose’s partner. The seat across from Betty would be taken by her partner and friend since high school, Helen. Living within blocks of one another in a suburb of St. Louis, these same four women played cards every Sunday. The hosting duties were supposed to rotate each week; however, this marked the third week in a row that Helen had hosted.

With both hands holding a tray of drinks, Helen used her backside to open the swinging door to the parlor. The silver tray held a pitcher of lemonade, bottles of Moxie and root beer, and some glasses.

As Helen set down the tray of drinks, they heard the front door open, followed by a flurry of excitement. A few moments later, Gladys appeared in the parlor, flanked by a half dozen children. The kids had abandoned their own outdoor games to greet Gladys. They clamored for her attention while the women ogled her fashion. She had on high-waisted, wide-legged trousers with a plain white blouse. Her platinum hair came to the midpoint of her back and bounced when she walked. She looked beautifully wild.

“Gladys, what are you wearing? This is a card game, not some sporting event!” Rose admonished.

Gladys ignored Rose and waved to Betty from the circle of children.

“I love your outfit, Gladys!” Betty said. Gladys beamed. Her teeth looked ultra-white in contrast to her bright red lipstick.

Helen shooed the kids away from Gladys and took a plate of brownies from her hands.

“Do you have any whiskey?” Gladys was always the one to push the envelope.

“We may. Let me check the cabinet. Do you want ice?” Helen asked cheerfully.

“I’ll take it neat!”

“Well, isn’t that saucy,” Rose commented.

Gladys rolled her eyes and sighed. “A rose is a rose is a rose. You need to loosen up, Rose, and have a cocktail or two. Unless your darling, Walter, forbids it!”

“It’s not becoming of a lady to drink hard alcohol, especially at three o’clock in the afternoon!” Rose exclaimed.

“Hah! That’s right, you’re the fuddy-duddy. Walter is tied to your apron strings.” Gladys took out a pack of cigarettes and offered a smoke to the rest of the women. Rose bristled.

Helen left the room to chase down the whiskey while the other women got their children reoriented toward the outdoors. The kids were used to this routine but needed shepherding. When the weather cooperated, they were happy to spend their afternoon away from adult supervision, playing kick the can or hide-and-go-seek in the yard. If the weather was poor, the kids played dominoes or Monopoly. On those days, it was a little more difficult for the women to focus on their card game, but they managed.

Each Sunday, the women played either whist or euchre. Whoever was hosting would select the game. In the rare event that Gladys hosted, she would choose poker. She claimed that her husband wanted to spice things up by playing strip poker with another couple. Gladys wasn’t opposed to this idea but wanted to learn the game so she could control things. Rose, who tended to oppose anything Gladys said, was especially willing to indulge this request. It was a mystery how well these two women played as partners in their card games. Animosity appeared to fuel their need to demonstrate superiority in strategy and decision-making. When one of them committed an error, the other gloated with a silent smugness that made Betty and Helen giggle.

“How are the wedding plans coming, Betty?” Rose asked as she bit into a cream cheese sandwich.

“Fine, I suppose. I haven’t done much,” Betty shrugged.

“Isn’t the wedding in the spring?” Rose probed.

“Yes,” Betty answered.

“What’s the date?” Rose asked.

“We haven’t picked the date.”

“What are you waiting for?” Rose exclaimed. “Have you at least decided on what day of the week it will fall on? As the saying goes, ‘Mondays are for wealth, Tuesdays for health, Wednesday is the best day of all, Thursdays for crosses, Friday for losses, and Saturday for no luck at all.’”

Betty stared at Rose blankly, blinking rapidly. Gladys and Helen cocked their heads.

“That’s helpful, Rose. Got any other ancient adages?” Gladys asked.

“Where will you have the ceremony?” Rose asked.

Betty shrugged.

“Hmmm.” Rose sighed and squinted as if she were examining a rare coin. “What’ll you wear?” she continued.

“Take a breath, Rose,” Gladys said as she rolled her eyes. “Maybe she can borrow one of your Hooverettes?”

“We all can’t dress like Greta Garbo,” Rose huffed. She returned her attention to Betty. “You only have six months to get things lined up.”

“I thought we’d have a simple ceremony at my parents’ house. I could wear the tea dress that I wore to my cousin’s wedding,” Betty offered sheepishly.

“A tea dress! You need to showcase that slim body and make Edward proud! Surely you can do better than last year’s tea dress!” Rose said.

“She’s just being mindful, Rose, and she could wear a tree trunk and still look amazing!” Gladys said.

“Mindful?” Rose asked.

“It’s her second marriage,” Helen clarified.

“I’m aware,” said Rose. “But it’s not like it’s her fault. Betty’s mom could get a sewing pattern and hand-make a beauty. She won’t be wearing white, of course, but how about a green-gold shade to bring out her hazel eyes? I can see her in a split-sleeve dress with a ruffled-hem skirt, or if she wants plainer, how about a simple bias cut with full sleeves? What would work with her square jawline?”

“Again, Rose, take a breath!” Gladys said with a shake of her head.

The conversation was flowing around Betty as if she wasn’t there. She didn’t mind. None of these details were important to her. Things would work themselves out.

“Have you seen the sleeveless dresses with crop jackets?” Helen asked.

Rose nodded excitedly and was ready to offer further fashion advice when Gladys interrupted. “How about you let Betty decide?”

Betty smiled weakly and said, “I’ll give it some thought.”

“What’ll you do with your hair? It’s always tied back in a bun, so I don’t even know what we’re working with!” Rose laughed.

“I could wear it down, I suppose. It’s shoulder length,” Betty offered.

“She has gorgeous chestnut-brown hair!” Helen said.

Gladys slid her whiskey glass in front of Betty and said, “Would you like some giggle juice now? Because this is tedious!”

“Good idea.” Betty took a slug of the offering and winced from the heat of it. She handed the half-empty glass back to Gladys.

“Will you honeymoon?” Helen asked.

“Edward’s worried about taking time from work,” Betty said, “and so am I.”

“Why would you keep working at the drugstore?” Rose said.

“Because I like it,” Betty said softly.

“What could you possibly like...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.3.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Historische Romane
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-9252-6 / 9798350992526