FRIEDMANN " CURE."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1815, 30 July 1913, Page 11

FRIEDMANN " CURE."

DENOUNCED IN NEW YORK

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS Dr. Joseph E. O'Connell, Health Officer of tho Port, sent a letter to-day to Dr. Ernst J. Ledorle, Health Commissioner, asking him to submit to tho Beard of Health at its next meeting a resolution prohibiting tho Friedniann treatment for tuberculosis in Now York "until such time as those interested affirmatively in its administration shall satisfy the Health Department of its inii-icuous character." "The reports of tho investigator of your Department," reads tho letter, "whose peculiar experience with tuberculosis gives such, reports a. raro compelling lorce, are all to tho effect that the dangers which might be apprehended in such a form of treatment aro actually present therein. "Ho fines that the patients subjected to this (treatment have not improved, but have lost ground to an extent greater than might be expected from the natural ravages of the disease. "Ho finds that where the tubirculosis condition had all'ected one side prior to inoculation with the serum' (sic) thc-re was after such inoculation an unnaturally rapid development of tho tubercular process on tho hitherto healthy side, which indicates that the operation of the alleged cure had a tendency to accelerate rather than retard tho progress of the disease. "It seems to me that it would bo culpable for us to longer hesitate, and that our duty now is to insist upon such a regulation and supervision of this enterprise as shall prevent the perpetration upon' tho public of a dangerous and cruel fraud. We cannot overlook the fact that this treatment has been exploited much after the manner of tho exploitation of certain so-called mining securities and other financial schemes from which tho credulous public has suffered. . "Tho wide advertisement of the serum has had an effect of awakening a final and pitiful hope in the breasts of the desperately ill, which shrewd and conscienceless men might turn into an immense. financial profit. There has been time and opportunity in plentiful measure extended to Dr. Prietlmann nnd those who propose similar remedies for ituberculosis to demonstrate the therapeutic value of their treatments, but there has been no such demonstration of value. Oil tho other hand, wc have befora us' reports of tho gravest character." Commissioner Lederl» was asked this afternoon if ho thought the Board of Health would tako action 011 Dr. O'Connell's suggestion. "Probably," was the answer, but tho Commissioner refused to express any opinion on the efficacy of tho i'riedmann vaccine or to say any more on the matter for the present. "Tho matter will come up for consideration at the next meeting of tho board," said he; "and at that time we will make a statement of our position. That may be this week or next, I am not sure. Until then I shall have nothing to say. —New York "Evening Post.'