Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-19
Remarkable Discovery Report
ed by Ohio Doctor. =
SAYS DISEASE is Durable
Claims Specific Cases Pointing to
Definite Results.
DISTRICT MAN AMONG CURED
Work or Investigation Confined to
Living Subjects-AddressB Before
Medics at Cincinnati Recently.

MASSILLON. Ohio. May 19.-ln the lab
oratory of the Massillon State Hospital
DR.. John d. O'Brien today reiterated
statement made by him before the Amert-
can Medico- Psy Geological Association con-
vention at Cincinnati. that he had discov-
cred the germ OF paresis and that the dis
ease is durable. He summed up the re-
suit of his experiments In these two dec
larations:
That paresis is undoubtedly a germ dis
ease and that the germ has been discov-
cred. That while in the experimental
stage. sufficient tests have been made TO
show that paresis is durable and that he
has specific cases to point to as definite
results.
DR.. OBrien does not believe II would
be proper to make public the names OF the
patients whom he claims the treatment
has cured. but he gives the specific cases
as a newspaper man of Washington. DC.
who was treated for paresis and again IS
at work. cured man: a civil engineer or
prominence In Nashville. Tenn. who IS
cured and at work. besides number or
people In Ohio who were brought to the
hospital with severe forms OF the disease
and cured.
Others who are now at the hospital stu
under treatment are showing marked
progress toward recovery.
Photographs in Evidence.
Dr. O'Brien has at hand. in addition to
his own statements and reports from hos
pital authorities In regard to the success
full treatment of paresis. patients photo
graphs which show the hysterical form
of attack when brought to the Massinon
State Hospital and the patients when dis
charged from the hospital as cured
u n ~ hot In =
bold statement to make that the germ OF
paresis has been discovered. People may
doubt It. Many scoffed when the germ
theory of diphtheria and tuberculosis was
advocated. We feel warranted from the
number of cases treated and from the sat
isfactory results of the experiments made
in stating without qualification that par
esis is a germ disease. We also feel that,
from the work done, We have found the
bacillus. We have cured patients. are
helping many now and expect TO go for
ward with the work"
No -Mortem Subjects.
DR.. OBrien has confined his work to
living subjects: no pathological investiga-
eion has been done on post-mortem sub
jects. He now has germs in cultures.
Since DR.. O'Brien read his paper at Gin
cinnati he has received many letters from
doctors urging him to receive patients for
treatment for paresis.
Acting on the theory that the disease
was similar to that OF tuberculosis or
diphthera-that germ might be found
which would yield to serum treatment.
DR.. O'Brien began his experiments by TAX
ing serum from the spinal columns OF liv-
ing patients. With this he treated dogs.
rabbits and rats with results which
proved to him that the animals inoculated
contracted well developed forms OF par
esis In turn he used the treatment on
human patients.
DR.. O'Brien was graduated from the
Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia. in
1903. He has passed four and half
years at Massillon State Hospital In hos
pital and laboratory work.