There was no FDA to protect the health and well-being of US citizens. FDA helped prevent thalidomide coming to market, unlike Europe at the time. Think of all the snake-oil and harmful drugs that where pushed in the time period you are prescribing. [0]

That is also the time period of the Labor wars. Those with money and power were miss-treating the average worker. Again goes against the health, well-being, and wealth of the US citizens. [1]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide_scandal [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_violence_in_the_United_S...