On Apr. 13, 1911, U.S. v. Johnson, the Supreme Court ruled against the government, finding that the product’s false claims for effectiveness were not within the scope of the Pure Food and Drugs Act.

In 1910, the Bureau of Chemistry seized a large quantity of a worthless product called Johnson’s Mild Combination Treatment for Cancer.

The defendant was charged with delivering for shipment in interstate commerce certain packages and bottles of drugs alleged to have been misbranded in violation of the Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, chapter 3915, 34 Stat. 768.