The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1927. THE SPAHLINGER REVELATIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10319, 31 January 1927, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1927. THE SPAHLINGER REVELATIONS.

What have become known as “The Spahlinger revelations” cannot be said to represent an unexpected bombshell. Right from the outset, his claim to have discovered a serum that would cure tuberculosis has been under "suspicion in medical circles. He lias, of course, had the moral-—-and practical—support of many people in various countries, and even today, no doubt, he will not lack sympathisers. The reason why Spahlinger has been so heavily backed financially is easy of explanation. All along it has been his plea that his costs of investigation and of production have been far beyond his means. In various ways, also, his appeals have been well served bv propaganda stressing misfortunes of different kinds. In addition, there has long persisted —-and rightly so, too—the belief that, at any time, some great discovery in the shape of a more' certain means of treating _ tuberculosis might be made available. Thus, it will be agreed, Spahlinger has had everything in his favor in respect of his call for financial aid from the general public. What has, however, stood out most glaringly in connection with the Spahlinger propaganda has been the persistent demand for huge sums in the shape of gifts and subsidies. It will be recalled, for example, that he offered to send quantities of serum to various countries, hut be invariably made it a condition that he should ho very substantially reimbursed beforehand. As far as is known, lie preferred to deal with a government, not with a public- institution nor with any private individual. What was amazing in that regard was that 1 Spahlinger did not even then promise an immediate supply of his serum! In tlie circumstances much harsher criticism of Spahlinger and his methods is now likely to follow. Whilst on this important subject, it should bs mentioned that, although' Spahlinger has received not a little financial help from residents of this Dominion, his expectations were far from realised. His failure in that respect may he put to the credit of the Dir-ector-General of Health, who. it is understood, returned from Europe last year fully convinced that the results from the treatment did not hear out the glowing reports of Spahlinger and his misguided supporters. The fact that Spahlinger has not attained any great measure of success in dealing with “the white scourge” does not. of course, mean that- medical science is . not making progress in that important direction. To-day in every country, knowledge is being added to, every year, as to the 'conch- j tions under which the fell disease; thrives and as to what steps prove most efficient in combatting it. It is now. for example, not only realised that- tuberculosis requires to be tackled in the early stages in order to obtain the best results in treating it, but every wide-awake government insists upon its early notification. The main trouble in the past was, of course, the absence of a system of notification, which led to the disease being concealed in most I with harmful results to the victim an well as to associates not in a robust state of health.