The Portland daily press., 1885-07-22
CHOLERA SPAIN.
Minister Foster Presents His Report
to the State Department.

WASHINGTON, July 21.-Hon. John w.
Foster, United States minister to Spain, has
transmitted to the State Department a re-
port made to him by E. de la Granja, ply
sician of Boston, on "Cholera in Spain and
the Potential Prophylactic Anti-Choleraic
lnoculations of DR.. Ferrau."
DR.. la Granja accompanied the medical
commission which was recently sent to Va
lencia by the Spanish government to investi-
gate the condition OF the cholera epidemic
which is prevailing in that province and
to report upon the efficacy of the new sys-
tenn of incubation practiced by DIR. Ferrau.
DR.. la Granja describes the enthusiasm with
which DR.. Ferrau was everywhere received
by the people. The people DANGEROUSLY
asked that DR.. Ferrau should remain among
them and that the incubation of Fer
rau's anti-chOleric broth, suspended by or
der OF the secretary of the interior should be
amined large number Of inhabitants who
had been inOculated by DR.. Ferrau, and all
OF them were enthusiastic in praises given to
Dr. Ferrau. They had been inoculated in
both arms but presented no marks or scars
other than those made by an hypodermic
syringe and were now almost obliterated.
Some stated they had a little headache and
all severe pains in the arms, lasting about
"A hours after incubation. One of the
most remarkable things is that none had
either vomits or diarrh9a while suffering
from the effects of the inoculation or from
attenuated cholera as Dr. Ferrau and his
friends style it, excepting small children un-
able to speak.
During the last few days the number of
opponents to DR.. Ferrau's incubation has
greatly lydncreased and there would be but a
very few adherents were it not because the
opponents OF the present government of
Spain have made political capital out of the
Well-grounded suspension of the inocula-
favor of Dr. Ferraus inoeulations, and Min
lister Foster says he is sorry that it is the
only one he can say, and that is that those
who have undergone the process feel so
much confidence in their immunity as to
have lost all fear of disease that causes so
much terror IN generality of population. In
pursuance of their studies the members of
the commission examined 730 inoculated
persons.
In view of the result produced by these
1noculatlonS the commission has come to the
conclusion they are inoffensive and recon-
mends to the government that DR.. Ferrau
should be allowed to continue with his eX-
periments that the anti-choleraic process of
Dr. Ferrau is nothing but an experiment is
perfectly true, and DR.. la Grania saws he
has no hesitation in asserting that even as
an experiment it is very crude, unscientifc
and anti-pathologic, and unfortunately it
has been diyested of all merit if it ever had
any by converting it while in its rudiment-
ary state into an unprofeSsional industry
DR.. la Granja, continuing, says that some
persons were found who suffered severe in
fammation of the arms from the inocula-
ton that others were reported to have died
from blood poisoning. He adds, the inocu-
lations are careleSSly made with broth to be
used for them left in tea cup exposed to
the action of the air which cannot fail to add
impurities to those originally contained, and
without the precaution of burning the syr-
inge SO necessary to avoid septic poison
ing.
Statistics presented by DR.. Ferrau to sub
stantiate his claims in favor of his broth
seem to give him support, but unhappily for
him cannot be taken for statistics by any
body free from prejudice. As a conclusion to
affected with cholera in equal proportion
with these not inoculated, and says: SIT is
my opinion that Ferrau's prophylactry of
cholera will be as short lived and will fall
into as much discredit as the treatment of
cancer by the use of the condurango discov-
cred some years ago by one of our own ply
SicianS."