Bex pills and powders are an Australian cultural icon immortalized in the title of a 1960s Philip Street Theatre review, itself borrowed from the vernacular: 'A cup of tea, a Bex and a good lie down'. And while everyone knew that the analgesic properties of the aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine in Bex and Vincent's Powders were used by Australian housewives to help them get through the day, it took a doctor newly arrived from South Africa in the 1960s, Priscilla Kincaid-Smith, to recognise that these substances were addictive and that the massive doses of phenacetin taken by habitual users were causing widespread kidney disease. Eventually, in response to political activism, government controls were put on analgesic products in the 1970s.
This packet of Bex Powders dates from a time when the powders still contained phenacetin, but there is a cautionary notice on the box that states: ' Warning: This medication may be dangerous when used in large quantities or for a long period'.
References:
'From Mr Sin to Mr Big: a history of Australian drug laws', by Desmond Manderson, Melbourne: Oxford University Press (1993).
'Interview with Professor Kincaid Smith', Australian Academy of Science
http://www.science.org.au/scientists/pks.htm
1/10/2003
According to the packet the Bex Powders were made by:
Beckers Pty Ltd
Cnr Crown and Campbell Streets
Sydney
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This text content licensed under