Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-15

DISTINGUISHED OFFICIALS
ATTEND UNIQUE CLINIC
Physicians Divided in Opinion as to
Manner in Which Berlin Expert
Worked-Leaves City.

Twelve sufferers from various forms Of
tuberculosis. all In an advanced stage of
the disease, were inOcculated by DR..
Friedrich Franz Friedman, the Berlin
physician, with the turtle serum which
he claims is positive cure for the
great white plague at clinic held yes
.erday afternoon in one of the lecture
halls of the medical school Of George
Washington University.
Never before was Such unique clinic
held in Washington. The administering
of the vaccine about which SO much has
been heard during the past month or so
was witnessed By the German ambassa-
dor. Count Won fBernstorff; Dr.. Paul
Ritter. the minister from Switzerland;
Secretary OF State William Jennings
Bryan members of Congress, former
commanding officers of the medical de-
partments of the army and navy Com
missioner of Patents Moore, District
Commissioner Cuno II. Rudolph, men,
bers of the faculty of the university, a
hundred or more prominent physicians
of Washington and like number of
medical officers were present, but none
of them was there in their official ca
pacity. and as result there was no Of
fetal significance TO the clinic.
Twelve Patients Selected.
The twelve sufferers were selected by
DR.. friedman from more than a. hun
dred applicants for the treatment. The
selection of the patients was made before
the clinic started, DR.. William Cline Bor-
den dean of the medical school, and DR..
Charles Stanley White aiding in the di-
agnosis of the cases. Only those who
were suffering from an advanced stage
of the disease We're chosen, for DR..
Friedman stated he wished to put his
cure to a severe test The Berlin physi-
clan made his selection from a scientific
standpoint and not as the result of
sentiment. Despite the appeals for treat
ment from sufferers from tuberculosis
which were made in person at the medi-
cal school or made through the physi-
clans which have been treating them,
DIR. friedman selected only those whose
condition showed the greatest variety.
The youngest sufferer chosen for the
test was a little goIden-halred girl
four-and half years old, a sufferer
from an advanced form of tuberculosis
of the joints, which rendered her help
less The oldest was farmer from
Ohio. whose age was given as fifty
eight years. He was suffering from
tuberculosis of the leg bone. Two
woman sufferers were selected for
of pulmonary tuberculosis and the
other from tuberculosis Of the bone.
U. S. Medical Men Present.
Practically every medical department
of the government was represented
unofficially at the clinic except the
United States public health service,
which is making the official investiga-
ton Of DIR. Friedmann's cure. Surgeon
General Blue and Assistant Surgeon
General Rucker were invited to attend
the clinic but neither was able to get
there.
Important business in connection with
the health bureau kept DR.. Blue at his
| Office. and Dr. Rucker was prevented
from attending because of special
board duty. The attendance of neither
OF the two surgeons was necessary
since their observations would nave
in no way changed the attitude OF the
governments examination of the cure
The United States Army was repre-
scented unofficially by Surgeon Genera
Torney; the navy bp Surgeon General
Stokes and by Surgeons Spear and Boyer
tuberculosis experts. Former Surgeon
General Sternberg of the army also
was present.
At the conclusion of the clinic opinion
regarding the manner in which DR.
Friedman worked was divided among
the physicians who had witnessed the
| injections of the serum. All seemed tC
agree that he showed great ability. and
those who witnessed the selection oil
the patients hailed him as a great Siae
nostician. Dr. friedman expressed his
| pleasure at the spirit of fairness shown
| by the physicians of Washington. He
seemed 10 be particularly pleased at the