Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-19
VACCINATION FOR CANCER.
Lack of Success in Experiments Does
Not Justify Conclusion.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
Every few months there is q fresh an
nouncement that somebody has found d
,,,icroscontc organism which gives rise 10
malignant tumors, and such statements
are often accompanied by reports that
curative serum has been derived from the
supposed germ. The latest story comes
from Brussels and imputes this two-foio
achievement to a DR.. Jacobs, whose nation
ality and residence are not clearly lndlcal-
ed Neither are any particulars supplled
which might assist the critical reader In de-
termining how well founded are the CHAINS
OF Dr. Jacobs. though it appears that an ac-
count of his work was presented to the
Brussels Academy of Medicine by local
physician named Van Ermenghem.
Among the pathologfsts who have previ-
ouslv eyinced faith in the possibility of
curing cancer by vaccination are DR.. Otto
Schmidt of Berlin and DIR. Il. Doyen or
Paris Both of these men have been ao!e
TO inspire little confidence among their
professional brethren on the continent, but
the attitude of British experts has until
recently ben skeptical almost without ex-
ception. Last year, and again the year pc
fore the verdict of the men who are in
vestigating the subject under the auspices
of the English Cancer Research Fund was
that the disease is not parasitic and can
not be relieved by any form of medicine.
few weeks ago, In a lecture before the Roy
al College of Surgeons in England, DR.. II.
T. Butln q prominent surgeon, protested
vigorously against the conservatism of his
compa triots but he evidently has few SYM
pc thizers in the united Kingdom.
Experiments with Schmidt's and Doyen' 8
serunrs made by Englshmen have not
yielded encouraging results. DR.. jesse john
son went over to Cologne to observe cases
treated by DIR. Schmidt and came away
with favorable impression Shortly after
ward d Arcy Power reported in one of the
British periodicals that he had tried the
Germans serum with several patients. and
did not discover that 1t possessed the
slightest virtue. Again, ony a few weeks
ago, DR.. Alexis Thompson reported in an
Edinburgh medical journal his own expe-
rience with DR.. Doyen's serum. He had
employed it in only four instances. In one
case the disorder was not malignant an
other belonged to a group which the French
man ClaSSed as incuTable, even with Sc
rum; but there were two Which presented
all the conditions for an instructive test
In these the serum was administered IN
conformity with DR.. DOyen's directions
and yet within a few months both patients
died.
The lack of success which has attended
these experiments does not Justify a def
mite conclusion DR.. Thomson places very
modest estimate on his own ventures and is
careful to say that two cases alone cannot
signify much. 1t may prove that there was
some unsupported error in the methods
pursued in England and Scotland. Failure
to corroborate the testimony Of DIT
Schmidt, DR.. Doyen and their partisans
however. will doubtless serve as a warn
ing to the medical profession to distrust
for the present the serum treatment OF
cancer. The latest advocate of it, Dr. ia
cobs. is entitled to a respectful hearing but
he should make more convincing demon
SiTatiOn of the SOundness of his theories
than have his predecessors in the same
field of activity before ii Is conceded that
he has rendered an important service to
mankind.