The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-05-15
U. S. IS AGAINST
FRIEDMAN CURE
Experts Announce Results OBJ
tanned in Tests Of Remedy.
CONFIDENCE NOT JUSTIFIED
Physicians Grant Possibility OF Value,
But Say That Research Has Not
Demonstrated the Vac
cine's Power.

WdsnlnSUOn, ~. u, may lV.-F uUIlC
health service observations of the con-
dition of patients inoculated by DR..
F. F. Friedman with his tuberculosis
vaccine do not Justify that confidence
In the remedy which has been inspired
by widespread publicity in the opin-
ion OF the surgeons who have conduct
ed the governments investigation.
This first official conclusion from
the tests was announced here before
the National Association for the Study
and Prevention of tuberculosis by DR..
John F. Anderson, director of the gov
ernment's hygienic laboratory. and DR..
A. NJ. Stimson, another public health
surgeon, who were assigned to observe
the progress of the Friedman pa
tients at Mount Sinai hospital in New
York. ... %.
No Opinion to Give Now.
We believe that at the present
time" says their report. I'VE are not
In a position to express an opinion
based on the conditions under obser-
walton. The disease for which the
remedy is used Is prolonged and is
characterized by periods of advance
ment and retrogreseion. 1t is also one
in which psychic influences are pow
erful factor. Time is therefore neces-
ssry to evaluate property the effect Of
therapeutic measures.
we must not lose sight of the pos
sible therapeutic value of this pI epa-
ration, and on the other hand it is
necessary to guard against too great
an optimism in respect to its merits.
Without presenting in detail the con-
dition of patients under observation.
we are in a position to state that the
facts thus far observed do not justify
that confidence in the remedy which
has been inspired by widespread pub
licity.
May Have Done Harm.
Tn our opinion harm may have been
done by this undue publicity in so far
as 1t has lessened the confidence OF
tubercular persons in weIl-recognized
methods of treatment or interrupted
their use, and we are constrained to
advise against any lessening OF those
well-known measures which not only
had effected cures but which have re-
We are aware that DR.. friedman
does not wish to be judged scientific
ally on newspaper statements. and he
would undoubtedly disclaim RESPONSE
bility for certain OF those which have
appeared. Nevertheless, 1t is on those
that the public bases its opinion until
replaced by reliable and unbiased sci
sntific announcements supported by
convincing data
an our series of patients, DIR. Fried
mann has almost exclusively made use
Of the intramuscular method alone in
pulmonary cases, and very consider
able proportion Of them have either
developed no considerable infiltrate al
all or have suffered from abscess for
nations. 1t is evident. therefore, that
a very considerable portion of these
patients may expect their treatment
at the hand of DR.. Friedman TO ex-
tend over long period.
Friedman Kept Secret.
Concerning the cultures submitted
70 US We may Sldlc ludJ a series Oh
experiments Is under way. The bacil-
lus has been found to be an acid fast
organism having properties quite diff
ferent from those of any tubercle ba-
Cillus with which We are acquainted.
II appears to be identical with an Or
ganism cultivated from few loopfuls
OF the material used for injection.
which DR.. friedman permitted Us to
place on culture media in his presence.
We requested DIR. Friedman TO
furnish us with large amount of this
material for examination, but this he
has declined to do. We can state, how
ever, that living acid fast bacteria are
being injected by the instramuscular
and intravenous method, although we
are ignorant of what medium they are
suspended in or what additional sub
stance or substances may be contained
in the final mixture"