The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-10
Harm May Have Been Done

In our opinion, harm may have been
done by this undue publicity insofar as
it has lessened the confidence of tuber-
culosis persons in well recognize ed meth
DDS of treatment or interrupted their use,
and we are~constraned to advise against
any lessening of those well known meas
ures which not only had effected cures,
out which have reduced the incidence
OF the disease. We are aware that DR..
Friedman does not wish to he judged
scientifically on newspaper statements
and he would undoubtedly disclaim re-
sponsibility for certain of those which
have appeared. Nevertheless it is on
those that the public bases its opinion
until replaced by reliable and unbiased
scientific pronouncement supported by
convincing data.
In our series of patients, DR.. Fried
mann has almost exclusively made use
of the mtramuscuar methods through
many cases of pulmonary trouble and u
considerable proportion of them have
either developed no considerable infiltrate
at ALL or have suffered from abscess
formation. 1t is evident, therefore
very considerable portion of these
patients may expect their treatment at
the hand of Dr. Friedman to extend over
a long period.
Concerning the cultures submitted to
us we may say that a series of expert
ments is under way. The bacillus has
Been found to be an acdfast organism,
having properties quite different from
those of any tubercle baccilua with
which We are acquainted. 1t appears to
be identical with an organism cultivated
from few loopfuls of the materials used
for injection which DR.. Friedman per-
mitted US to place on culture media in
his presence. We requested DR.. Fried
mann to furnish us with large amount
of this material for examination. but this
he has declined to do We can say, how
ever. that living acidfast bateria are be-
ing injected by the intramuscular and in
travenous methods, although We are ig-
norant of what medium they are sus-
pended in, or what additional substance
or substances may be contained in the
final admixture"
The report covers exhaustively the his
tory of the Friedman Cure so far
as the facts have been available to the
public health service from the time of
its announcement in Berlin in November
1912, and reveals the efforts of the public
health service to gather material from DR..
trledmann for its investigation.
On the whole DR.. Friedmapn's re-
luctance TO furnish certain details were
not satisfactory from a scientific stand
point, but the report says:
In view of the great importance of the
matter to tuberculosis patients through
out the country and in the hope that a
valuable remedy might have al last been
found to not only cure tuberculosis patti
ents, but to prevent the disease the con-
ditions imposed by DR.. Friedman were
accepted.
An additional reason for taking ad-
vantage of opportunities to make every
study possible was the assurance by Dr.
friedman of its harmlessness when in
Jected into human beings"
One of the conditions imposed by DR..
Frledmann, according to the report was
that he would furnish detailed informa-
ton of the methods of preparing his rem
edy when the public health board recog-
hized favorable results in patients.
The board found that under all the
conditions imposed, it would have oppor-
tunity only to study culture of the
bacteria said to be used in some way by
Dr. friedman in the preparation of his
treatment to test its pathogenicty on
the lower animals, ard observe the eff
iect of treatment by him of tuberculosis
patients with his finished remedy. These
limitations, the Investigators say they
found unsatisfactory from the scientific
standpoint The report is careful to saw.
''that Friedmanns reticence has been in
no way allowed to interfere with the iudr-
ment OF the board members who have
made the observations