FRIEDMANN CURE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1094, 8 May 1913, Page 4

FRIEDMANN CURE.

TESTS IN AMERICA.

FAVOURABLE REPORTS.

San Francisco, April 2

Hope is running high in the breasts of hundreds of thousands of sufferers from tuberculosis in this country. Although Dr. F. F. Friedmann’s turtle vaccine cure for the dread disease, which be has been demonstrating in the United States and Canada for about a month, seeking the reward of a million dollars offered by a wealthy New Yorker, has not yet been demonstrated to be a success to the satisfaction of the cautious medical fraternity, yet almost every report as to the condition of the hundreds of test patients treated tells a story of improvement. From all parts of the country tuberculous subjects, encouraged by these reports, are hastening to New York in a desperate hope of prolonging their lives. The head of the Federal Public Health Service has deemed it necessary to issue a warning informing the public of .the inadvisability in the great majority of cases of travelling long distances in the hope of receiving treatment, as those selected for demonstration purposes constitute only a small proportion of applicants.

A particularly striking illustration of the apparent efficacy of the cure was afforded last Saturday week, at the Bellevue Hospital, New York, where ten.patients who had been publicly treated the preceding Monday reported for examination. . Besides Dr. Friedmann, there were present doctors of the United States Public Health Service, physicians of the hospital, 100 or more medical students and 50 nurses. The ten patients were examined by Dr. Brasnau, head of the Board of Trustees of the Bellevue Hospital, who asked them these questions : “Has your weight gained since you were treated ? Have you lost or gained ? ' Have your night sweats continued ? Have you had any hemorrhages? Do you feel any of the pains which you had when you were treated ? How do you teel as to your .general health?”

All of the cases were of persons diseased in the lungs. One patient was also afflicted with a disease of the liver, which was almost as serious as tuberculosis. None of them had what co.uld be called dangerously advanced symptoms. Amidst great excitement, and finally amidst spontaneous applause, the patients told a story of steady improvement, astounding to the questioner and the witnesses and even to Dr. Friedmann, who had never promised such prompt response to his treatment. All but one of the patients had gained in weight. One had gained only three-quarters of a pound, though another had gained in the five days. The one who had not improved wasj the one with the liver complication ; he had lost three-quarters of a pound. None had been troubled with night sweats since Wednesday, two days after the treatment. None had had any hemorrhage since Tuesday, nor any expectorations oi blood. None had felt any pains since Tuesday, and only decreasing pains till that time. All but the one with the liver complications answered the last question with : i “I feel, ever so much better and stronger.” A girl in Montreal, Canada, Marie Dubos, twenty years old, who for four months had been confined to her bed suffering from leg and gland trouble, was able to walk in a little over a week after submitting to Dr. Friedmann’s treatment. Previously ghe bad needed assistance to open her mouth in order to eat. Now she can open her mouth and take food without help. Her statement to a reporter follows: “On Friday morning I gradually began to work my legs a little. I noticed the siyeffing was reduced. In an hour or tjyo f g.pt up and walked. During the day I gained n?pte and more strength. On Saturday I was able to eat without any trouble, though before that, I had been unable to even open my month without pain.” Notwithstanding these favourable reports, the medical profession generally and the PublicHealth Service of the Federal Government refuse to be enthused out of an attitude of calffl deliberation and observation. Neither fn York nor in any other State has Dr, Friedmann been given permission to treat whatever, patients he may desire. All the tests are conducted in designated hospitals and under the auspices of the constituted medical authorities, or of the Government. According to his brother, £)r, Friedmann stands ready to treat without .charge all sufferers from tuberculosis, and, added the brother: ‘Tt is a crime not to permit him to do so. There

are hundreds of persons in New York to whom he wishes to give his treatment for the benefit of humanity, but his hands are tied. He is eager to treat these patients, rich and poor alike, without charge.” Dr. Rupert Blue, head of the Public Health Service, states that the officials are making experiments to determine whether or not the culture of bacteria submitted by. Dr. Friedmann is harmless to warm-blooded animals, and that considerable time will necessarily be required to carry out the investigations. It was further stated by the Government' official that it would be a mouth, and probably more, before any conclusion could be reached regarding the efficacy of the treatment upon the patients. Though developments from day to day. such as lowering of temperature, disappearance of night sweats, cessation of coughing and the like, might, he said mean something of importance in one case, in others it would not. In an address in English, read before a meeting of the Canadian Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis in Ottawa, Dr. Friedmann said : —“I have found this remedy harmless when I used it for patients ranging from the earliest childhood to the most advanced age in all forms of applications —subcutaneously, intra-mus-cular, and intravenous—even in big doses, and equally efficient in all forms of tuberculosis —pulmonary, joint, bone, glandular, and skin. Aside from absolutely hopeless cases, whose fates were already sealed, the remedy has proved its efficiency in most instance. To obtain the ideal, to eradicate tuberculosis an an endemic disease, it is necessary not only to cure the tubercular individuals now living, but also to protect the future generations from infection by a method following in principle Jenuer’s vaccination. So far I have vaccinated 350 children varying in age from one hour to three years. Most of these children were living in tubercular environments and much exposed to infection from the source. The earliest immunisations . were, made seventeen months ago, and all the children are well to day and free from all symptoms of scrofula or tuberculosis. There is a well-founded hope, therefore, that this will prove the right way and the oue to which our future efforts will have to be directed.” Dr. Friedmann announces that he will make public the details ot his treatment when the Government experts now observing the patients treated acknowledge the success of the treatment.