New-York tribune., 1908-10-06
DOCTORS SEND PROTEST
DISPUTE DENSLOW CURE.
Sau Locomotor Atania Paper Should
Not Haze Been Read at 4cademy.

Letters denying the assertion or Dr. lie Grana
Norton Denslow that he could cure locom0'or
ataxia and protesting against the reading or g.
paper by him before the Academy of Medicine
last Thursday night were written yesterday py
several New York neurologists to Dr Johh "A
Wyeth president of the academy. The writers
of the letters say the president should not have
permitted the academy to listen to claims and
asser tons -thet-they characterize as absurd
Dr. B. Sachs of No. q East Goth street,
president Of the New York Neurological Society.
said
''It would not be worth while to comment on
Dr. Denslcw's views on the origin of locomotor
ataxia and the treatment he proposes if his
statements had not been made at a regular
meeting of the Academy of Medicine and If the
press had not given them the fullest publicity,
to the detriment of an ever credulous public.
and if two physicians Of good standing
had not come to the support of the doctor 8
theory.
mo physician familiar with the changes in the
central nervous system underlying locomotor
ataxia could believe for All instant that such
changes are due to the deep seated alterations
mentioned in DR.. Denslow's astonishing address.
His contentious to absurd TO be discussed,
and in a secular journal such discussion wouS
be impossible and improper. Il the theory is
brought before the proper medical forum II will,
doubt, receive the condemnation ii deserves
THE doctor claims that many of the cases
have been cured by the treatment he advocates.
1 question the alleged cure; but If any improve
ment has taken place it has occurred not be
cause of the treatment, but in spite of It.
7 did not attend this particular meeting of
the academy, but after reading the reports of
what DR.. Denslow said 1 amazed that he
should have dared to make such statements be
fore a body of sane physicians. L think pro
test should be made to the academy by all
neurologists and members. who naturally resent
that our meetings should be abused"
DR.. Joseph Collins of No. 81 West 54th street.
was severe in his condemnation of DR.. Dens-
lows cure"
Il cannot find words strong enough to
press my opinion of such a procedure said
Dr. Collins II sat there and was obliged to
listen to what is utter rot and nonsense. No
one has ever heard of a cure of locomotor
ataxia, and the methods proposed by Dr. Dens-
low are utterly out of the question 1 have
the cases which he pretends TO have cured
and 1 can safely say that no cure took place
The very fact that he advertses a cure within
six months of treatment is conclusive enough
proof that the man does not know what he is
talking about
DR.. E. B. Fisher. of No. 10 West 52d street.
said:
My impression Of DR.. DensIow's paper is that
he did not claim to cure the disease. The cases
that he cited apparently did show some i'm
provement. OF course, If the paper does say
that locomotor ataXia can be cured, it Is wrong
There is no cure for the disease. and certainly
the slight operation suggested by the doctor
would not accomplish it. There have beer many
ways introduced in the past of relieving the
temporary distress and making patients almost
well for a time, but until you remove the cause
of the disease In the spine, which is impossible
of course, you cannot cure It"
DR. Wyeth said
Il presided at the meeting and heard the
paper read. it is my duty TO hear many that
are brought up. There nothing in the title
which suggested a cure of locOmotor ataxia al
though ! did understand from the paper that Dr.
Denslow claims to have effected cure In some
cases.
IF protests are made TO the academy they will
he filed the individual opinions OF members
of the profession. who have the right of cxpres-
sion at ali times. Beyond that the academy can
do nothing. If there any charges or anv
trials they viii have to come before the County
Medical Society, but don't know anything about