Imperial Valley press., 1913-05-14
The Case Of Or. friedman

Rochester IN. " Union and Adver-
tiser: There seems to be good deal
OF difference of opinion among the
members OF the medical profession in
this country in regard to the merits
Of DR.. Friedmann's tuberculosis serum.
At first there was an apparent dispo-
sition on the part OF the doctors in
New York to look with favor upon this
new thing, though OF course they re-
Quired proof that it was what it was
claimed to be. The scientific visitor
from Germany was given fair chance
to demonstrate the value Of his turtle
serum in the hospitals of New York.
Perhaps it is yet too soon to form
any definite conclusions as to the value
Of this supposed remedy for the most
deadly disease known to mankind, but
| it is already apparent that there are
many who do not believe in it. DR..
Friedman may turn out to be another
DR.. Cook. The latter fooled the whole
Iworld for a short time.
The Journal of the American Medical
. Association, which we have always
found to be at least reasonable, if not
liberal in its attitude toward new
things. has this:
"Dr. Friedmann'S course. since he
landed on our shores, has been one Of
constant evasion. His claims for his
treatment rest solely on his own state
ments. He has not qualified as ply
sician in New York or Rhode Island
He has failed even to answer the let
! ters Of the officers of the public health
} service. He has persistently refused to
furnish any proof Of the claims made
for his preparation. Now comes the
most startling development of all. Ac-
cording to newspaper reports, branch
institutes are to be established in ev-
| cry state by syndicate formed by DR..
| friedman and his promoters. Each
institute will make its own serum or
culture. or whatever DR.. FriedmannS
remedy is. Thus. by technically. he
will evade the federal law which, for
the purpose Of protecting the public
against impure and dangerous Serums
and vaccines, places all these prepara-
tionS which are subject to interstate
commerce under the control of the
public health service. State laws are
slow of enactment and slower Of en-
fOrcement. This plan will sweep aside
the strong arm Of the public health
service, which otherwise would pro-
| tect the unfortunate consumptives. II
will allow the promoter to make and
| sell to the victims Of disease, at any
profit he sees fit. a secret product, the
value Of which rests entirely on Fried
mann's unsupported statements. Sup
pose an American physician went to
Berlin with improved claims for some
| new treatment of consumption. Sup
pose he refused to produce proofs Of
| his statements, refused to submit his
remedy to other scientific men, at
/ tempted to evade the German laws,
disregarded German officials and, final
! ly, through legal technicality, planned
! to bleed the German cOnSumptive Of
, his scanty means by selling him a
preparation of improved value and pos
sible danger? Would the German pe0-
pie permit their sick to be the victims
| Of such a Scheme?"
The journal quoted above says that
we Americans have the reputation of
being easy" It adds: 'Will the
American public and the American
press tolerate this attempt to make
our unfortunate consumptives a source
of gain for a rapacious foreigner, pro-
noting a remedy of improved merit in
violation Of the spirit Of our laws?"
While it is to be assumed as a
matter Of course the American physi
clans do not greatly relish the idea Of
being "shown" by a visitor from Eu-
rope, we are bound to believe that
they are honorable enough to form
, their judgments in q matter like this
strictly upon its merits. As we have
said, it is perhaps little early yet
TO decide upon 4 verdict in DR.. Fried
mann's case. but at least it is judiciOuS
TO wait and see.