New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-30
r4ccLNArLoN FoR CANCER.

Every few months there is a fresh announce
| n,ent that somebody has found a microscopic
| organism which gives rise TO malignant tumors,
and such statements are often Accompanies
by reports that a curative serum mas ueen
derived from the supposed germ. The latest
story comes from Brussels, and imputes this
twofold achievement 10 4 DR.. Jacobs, whose
nationality and residence are not clearly lndl-
Gated Neither are any particulars supphed
which might assist the critical reader In de-
termning how we'll founded the claims
of DR. Jacobs. though it appears that an ac-
count of his work was presented to the Brus-
sells Academy of Medicine by local physi-
clan named Van Ermenghem.
Among the Psychologists who have previously
evinced faith in the possibility of curing can
Ger by vaccination are DR.. Otto Schmidt of
Berlin. and DR. f. DOyen of Paris Both of
these men have been able TO inspire little
confidence among their professional brethren
on the Continent but the attitude of BRUSH
experts has until recently been skeptlcal al
most without exception Last year, and again
the year before, the verdict Of the men VINO
are investigating the subject under the auspices
of the English Cancer Research Fund was that
the disease is not parasitic and cannot be re-
lieved by any form of medicine. A few weeks
ago in lecture before the Royal College OF
Surgeons in England. DR. II. T. Butlin promi-
nent surgeon. protested vigorously against the
conservatism Of his Compatriots. but he evil
IDENTIFY has few sympathiZers in the United
Kingdom
Experiments with SChmidt's and DOyen's
serums made by Englishmen have not yielded
encouraging results DIR. jesse johnson went
over to Cologne TO observe cases treated by
DR. Schmidt. and came away with favOra-
BILE impression Shortly afterward Or. Darcy
Power reported in one of the British periOdi-
Gals that he had tried the Germans serum
with several patients, and did not discover that
it possessed the slightest virtue. Again, only
a few weeks ago, DR.. Alexis Thomson reported
in an Edinburgh medical journal his own ex-
perience with DR.. DOyens serum. He had EN-
ployed 1t in only four instances. In one case
the disorder was not malignant; another be-
longed to a group which the Frenchman classed
as incurable even with serum: but there were
two which presented all the conditions for an
instructive test. In these the serum was adj
ministered in conformity with DR.. DOyen's di-
rections, and yet within a few months both
patients died.
The lack of success which has attended these
experiments does not justify a definite cOnclu-
sion. DR.. Thomson places a very modest esti-
mate 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 DR.. Schmidt Or. Doyen and their parti-
sans. 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, DIR. Jacobs, is entitled TO
a respectful hearing, but he should make
more convincing demonstration Of the sound
ness of his theories than have his predecessors
| in the same field of activity before it is con
| coded that he has rendered an important ser
vice to mankind.