Caution not to be taken

I have a disconcerting number of medications with the label "Caution not to be taken." Considering most medications come with dire warnings that say "Do not operate heavy machinery," I assumed this was yoda-speak* meaning there were no precautions, a sort of positive affirmation that this medicine would not make you sleepy, nauseous, vomiting or pregnant.

I was, of course, wrong. It means (according to NZ Medicines Regulations 1984, amended) "For external use only." The colon between "Caution" and "Not" has been lost, which is odd because it's grammatically important, and you'd think pharmacists would actually be sticklers for accurate warning labels. And while yes, "taken" can be used to mean "swallowed" it can also mean a heck of a lot of other things!

"Caution not to be taken" sounds more like you can use as much as you want (which I know is certainly not the case with some of my potent steroid creams!) It sounds like I can drive 150 on the motorway and then blame the medication when I'm pulled over: "I'm sorry officer, I took this medication and didn't realize one of the side effects was that I would lose the ability to use caution."

"For external use only," on the other hand, sounds like I shouldn't put it in my mouth or any other orifice. It's the same number of words, and even fewer characters. It doesn't require a colon to make sense, and it's hard to justify any bad behavior while using a medication labelled "for external use only."

And before you ask, yes, the Medicines Regulations of 1984, amended, allows for either warning "or words of similar meaning" so pharmacists are *choosing* to use an archaic, obscure, inadequate and incorrect warning on all medication for external use. Why?

* Technically that would be, "Caution not you take."