The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-03-14
ALLEGED DISCOVERY OF
A "CANCER GERM"

Our readers may remember the
sensational matter which recently
appeared regarding DR.. Friedmann's
tuberculosis "cure" in the form of a
syndicate letter by a newspaper cor
respondent. The preceding week the
newspapers had similar sensational
letter by the same writer concerning
an alleged discovery of the cancer
germ by DR.. Odin of Paris. On ac-
count of this publicity, The Journal
of the American Medical Association
publishes this week an extract from
letter from DR.. Edwin Walker, of
Evansville, Ind. DR.. alker writes:
One of my chief reasons for
stopping in Paris was to investigate
the alleged cancer cure of DR.. Gas
ton Odin, report of which was pub
lished in newspapers throughout the
United States.
AWith very intelligent interpre-
ter, l went to his address, as given
by the directory, 63 Rue Vaman.
This is in a cheap quarter of the
place and proved to be very mod
est apartment house. The janitor in
formed us that our doctor had lust
removed to Boulevard des Invalides,
and there we found him in elegant
apartments, newly furnished in the
most expensive manner. The neigh
borhood was one of the best. Evr-
IDENTIFY prosperity was coming from
some source.
Presently he entered, smoking a
cigaret. He was small, about feet
5 inches. weighed about 12O pounds,
and typical Frenchman, about 45
years old, should think. He looked
well fed and we'll wined. He was
very pleasant and talkative. His
story was about as follows:
"He had been working alone on
the cancer problem for fifteen years
and had exhausted all his means. He
was connected with no hospital and
had no aid from any one. He had
discovered the germ of cancer in the
blood and had also found a remedy in
a serum which would absolutely cure
all cases.
II asked him his methods of find
ing the germ, but he said he was
not prepared to demonstrate it to me
as his laboratory was in disorder.
II asked him if he had published
anything, and he gave me short ar
ticle, merely stating that he had found
these germs, but giving nothing of
his methods, nor any proof, expert
mental or otherwise, that the germs
were really those of cancer.
81 then asked him about his serum.
This was prepared by a process
which he kept secret; he injected it
under the skin, not at the site of the
cancer.
81 asked him then if he was pre-
pared to sell the serum to others. To
this he answered that the French
government would not allow him to
sell a serum unless experts would
pass on it's value as we'll as it's harm
lessness. With this he broke out into
denunciation Of governments in
general and the medical profession
in particular, because they interfereo
with his freedom in the matter. He
was very anxious to know if he could
do better in America. He was very
Wiling to consider a proposition to
buy the right to use his remedy else.
where.
~ later inquired about DIR. Odin's
professional standing and found that
he was connected with no haspital,
far as I could learn; that he had
published nothing and made no DEM
onstration of his discovery. He has
never done any work on lines of re-
search or investigation that any one
knows. In short, he claims to have
made the greatest discovery of the
sge, but nothing in his previous work
or present evidence supports that
claim.
"He did not appear to be over
joyed that he had found the greatest
hoon to the human race, but he seem
ed very anxious to make money.
"To me there was very sad side
to this interview. He took me into
his private Office and showed me q
large number of letters. most of them