The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-02-03
DOCTOR COMPLAINS .
Of FEDERAL AGENTS

sy Of large proportions is Threatened
over the activities of, the ,Posto flee
Departm and of the Bureau, Of,
Chemistry. Of the Department OF, .Agri-
culture against parties VINO are treat
ing cancer by mail. .,,~. :
The attention of a number Of
members OF Congress hasr been d.
rected to what Is being done with re-
spect- to cancer cures by the Postof-
fee Department and the Bnreal of
Chemistry, AS the result, inquiries
are being made and there is even a
prospect that the matter will be aired;
on the floor, in Senate or House and
an investigation asked for. . -
The situation is one that is at
tracing much notice in the medical
world, because Of the intense interest
among medical men on the subject
of cancer. and the difference of ,opin-
ION as to whether cancer can be
cured. The difference. between the
various schools of medicine the reg
ulars, the homeopathic, and thee eelec-
tics are alleged to enter into the COM
trovcrsy. - .,- ..,.- ...>>
Just now the Postoff1ce DEPART
ment Is giving attention to parties
who are advertising that they can
cure cancer by mail In a numbers of
cases, parties have, been :t%exflHded
from use Of the mails for the purbose
of carrying on their business In deaf
ing with cancer '.,.1s - - ~ "a.
Chemists Aid Enlisted. i, r.,
The Postoflce Department has en-
listed the efforts of the Bureau of
Chemistry. That bureau ia re-enforc-
Ing the Postoff1ce Department, as to
this particular matter. DR.. t. F. KeB-
Ter, chief of the division of drugs, is
the official Of the Bureau Of Chemis-
try who has active charge of the can
Ger cure question But not only is
DR.. Kebler assisting the Postoffice
Department. when his aid is ASKED
but his division Is engaged In cam
pa1gn against cancer cures BY mail
underline pure food and drugs act.
The particular case which has cali
ed attention to the government cru
sade against cancer cure Is one
which is now bhtng considered by tha
Postoffice Depart ment. The, AAssistant
Attorney General Of the PoStof flee
Department has, been for several
days holding Hearings to determine
whether there Is. objection to the can
Ger cures Of DR.. o. A. Johnson, Of
Kansas City, and whether the use of
the mails should be barred to: him
TOR f, the purpose p, OF earryhIng on his
The examination has called forth
mass Of expert testimony. DR.. John
son Is represented by a prominent
Kansas City attorney, James H. Hank
less. The Bureau Of Chemistry is
drawn into the matter. and testfm o.
ny has been obtained by experts Of
that bureau ''' W. go
Testimony has been put III oh. the
question whether cancer can be
cured by the use Of medicine. Many
physicians contend that the knife Is
the only cure for cancer. But there la
l.also testimony on the other side.
Hitchcock Dragged In:
Postmaster GENERAL Hitchcock: has
! been dragged into the case and 1t has
tbeer~s represented to him that there
| Is undue activity on the part Of the
Assistant Attorney General; that the
Issue of orders = barring concerns
from the mails Is oyerdone and that
he H. not giving the, personal atten4
| ton to orders barring from the use
of the mails that the law contem-
plates. IT.. J.,
Complaint has also been made to
Secretary, Wilson, and he has been
Informed Of the activity Of the hi!
reau Of Chemistry In making q cru
SADIE against cancer cures. 70! q
member Of Congress whip called on
him and took the matter up with
him, Secretary Wilson said he was
unaware Of the extent to which the
matter was alleged to have been car
| ried. "
The friends Of DR.. Johnson charge
| that the contr oversy Is really an ef-
fort on the part Of the alIopathic
school Of medicine to strike at 9th
I er scho01S. They charge that the
American Medical Association is un-
duly active in trying to stamp out
the treatment Of cancer by medicine.
They also charge that a wrong Is be-
ing done in that two great govern
ment departments are being, as they
say, used to settle controverted
[question Of medicine, whether can
Ger can be cured by use Of medicine.
Additional interest Is given. the
controversy from the fact that the
Department of Agriculture some time
ago brought a proceeding against DR..
Johnson under the pure food act, al
leging that his cancer medical prepa-
rations we're misbranded, and mis-.
leading. Judge Phillips Of the
United States district court Of Mis-
souri, held against the government
and for DR.. Johnson. officials Of the
Bureau Of Chemistry say an appeal
Will be taken from the rulings Of
Judge Phillips.
Decoy Letters Used. .'s-
One Of the charges made by the
Johnson side in the controversy IS
that In the effort to get evidence as
to the treatment Of cancer by mali.
q certain official Of the division of
drugs Of the Bureau Of Chemistry
has made use Of decoy. letters.
Secretary Wilson has been furnish
ed with a written statement OF the
facts BY DR.. Johnson's supporters in
the fight and will make an invesHga-
ton to see what has been done ~