Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09


III" VEN though DR.. Friedmann's
- new treatment for the cure
of tuberculosis should &C
complish all that Is claimed
for it-more, should cure
every present case of tuberculosis in the
country-it would not answer the world
wide tuberculosis question. Indeed. II
viii hardly scratch the surface of that
tremendous problem. much less make
any marked impression thereon. And
what is true of DR.. Friedmann's alleged
specific is also true OF all sera and cures
for tuberculosis"
Such were the amazing words Of DR..
Rupert Blue. surgeon general Of the
United States public health service. that
watchdog OF our government that guards
the nation against contagious. epidemics
and plaques.
lean patients by Dr. Friedman. the Ger
man physician and scientist, who claims
70 have discovered a specific cure for
the tuberculosis curse. has aroused a ma
tonal interest in the subject more wide
spread than any since-a generation ago
DR. Koch announced his famous tubercu-
lin lymph to a waiting world a partial
failure. be il remembered. for DR.. Fried
1nann's serum they say. has been in
dorSed as specific cure for the dread
disease by some of the most eminent and
conservative medical men OF Europe
Indeed according to the daily press. Mr.
Finley. a New York millionaire. offered
him a fee of 81. cocoon if he could cure
his brother of tuberculosis within twelve
months.
But before this cure ran be used In
practice in the United States or sold In
Interstate traffic it must be licensed by
the Secretary of the Treasury, and. as
condition precedent to. this. it must pass
through the tests of the hygienic. labo-
ratorv OF the public health service. =
This same public health service has
devoted its experts and all the vast and
studv of tuberculosis so exhaustive that
y stands forth as the very first authority
on the subject
Therefore it's conclusions or the gov
ernments tuberculosis work in general
and DR.. Friedmaun's cure in particular
were sought from ita head Dr. Rlue. at
Nls office in Washington. ID. c. with the
foregoing startling statement as an an
sWer to the latter qrerT.
The attitude of the officials OF the
Arblic health service however is not e
81 hostility toward the friedman treat
Tent." continued DR. Blue ION the con-
trary we will be glad to give his material
careful examina tio': and trial. and ..iIl
extend every facility of the service to
enable the discoverer to make PROP
demonstrations of the virtues he claims
for his serum. which. I understand. he
obtains from turtles with reptilian tLber-
culosis
Unfortunately for all so-calaed anti
toxins for tuberculosis. the medical
world has witnessed so manv lamentable
failures. which had been prefaced with
every assurance of success. that all OF us
are skeptical 1t would weary one to
enumerate the cures that enthusiasts
have announced to the world within the
past generation now sunk in the
limbo of failure. However. if It is desired.
the public health service will make the
necessary tests of the therapeutic value
of DR.. Friedmann's treatment. This III
be done at our tuberculosis sanitarium t
Fort Stanton. y. Mex.
But. I repeat. even though this Few
serum could cure every case of tGbercu-
losis in the ceuatry, Ii would bring the
world very little nearer the solution of
the problem of that disease.
why? Because simply the curing
Individual cases does not It all reach Z e
root Of the trouble-that is. the causes
which brought the disease upon the pa
tents If thousand men ale cured #
III bercuiosis today, such cures In no wise
prevent ten thousand from contracting
THE disease tomorrow.
do not understand me to mean that
The Friedman treatment IL II will cure
a case of tuberculosis. is not Valuable
adjuvant to the fight against the plague.