"Vitamin M"

[Laurence Horn]

>Am surprised to find nearly 1,000 raw Googlits for "Vitamin M" as a
>mostly military term for Motrin, which is now ostensibly handed out
>as a remedy for all human ailments and illnesses.  The earliest, on
>Usenet, is from 1999.
>
>   In the Vietnam era and earlier, the corresponding cure was APC's
>(containing aspirin, phenacitin, and caffeine).
>
>   Am not sure about WWII, but in the 1917-18 installment, the
>practical equivalent was "C.C. pills" (i.e., "compound cathartic").
>Hence the jingle,
>
>   "The Medical Corps they held the line,
>   With C.C. pills and iodine.
>   Hinky dinky parley-voo."
>
>   Aspirin was available by that time but may have been too pricey
>and newfangled for officialdom.
>
or too German?

LH

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