Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-07

8te&Oy increase IN us use In0L ~ Is
now reliably estimated that its IL
legitimate use alone exceeds 10000
ounces every year.
A consideration Of the evils attend
ant on the use Of morphin and cocain
alone. should tend to convince the most
ardent advocate Of states rights that
legislation regulating the sale Of all
dangerous habit forming narcotics
should be national in scope and abeo :
lutely uniform thruout the country. In
matters which affect the health of the
nation at large the laws should be made
by congress, and their execution should
be in the hands Of federal rather than
state authorities.
The National Health Movement.
There have been two distinct plans
for securing federal bureau or de-
partment. The first has been by the
attempt to create board. council, bu
reau or department, de novo, withou t
relation to existing governmental &C
Invites: the second. to reach the same
end by the gradual development and
expansion of existing bureaus into a
larger organization. These two meth
DDS. while differing in plan. have the
same ultimate purpose. namely, the
development of government agency
that will be devoted to the advance
ment OF public health and the reduc-
ton of preventable diseases. Not mere
~ is the final outcome of these two
methods the same: they are not even
antagonistic at any stage. There is
no reason why the advocates of great
national department of health should
10
being advanced, to lend their influence
and energies to strengthening ana
broadening the existing health organ
;zatioH On the other hand, there IS
no reason why the advocates OF the
plan TO develop the present bureau
should fail to recognize the fact that
great independent national department.
OF health is TO be, must be the ultimate
outcome of their effors to build up ana
strengthen the present machinery. IN
fact, instead Of there being any con-
flict in aim or intention between these
two plans, the difference is solely one
Of method and expectancy. These Two
plans are not even necessarily alter
native. They can both be carried on
ct the same time. While ~e are striN
ing to secure department we can aiso
build up the existing bureau. WINE
efforts are being made 10 broaden ana
strengthen the bureau, simultaneous
efforts can be made to secure Depart
ment. Let US have careful and dls
passionate study Of the facts, cam,
and sagacious appreciation OF the
present situation and an agreement on
a practical program which will ofer
the best chance OF securing what Is
desired by ali the friends OF public wei
fare. namely. that unifcation OF gov
ernmental activities which VIII best
conserve the lives and the vitality oil
our people.
Friedman Evading the Law.
DR. Friedmann's course. since he
landed on our shores. has oeen one Oh
constant evasion. His claims for ms
treatment rest solely on his own state'
men,s. He has not qualified as pm!
stefan in New York or Rhode island
He has failed even to answer the let
ters of the officers of the public health
service. He has persistently refused
TO furnish any proof OF the claims
made for his preparation. Now comes
the most startling development Oh
all According 10 newspaper reports
branch institutes are to be estao'
lished in every state by a syndicate
formed by DR.. Friedman and ms pro-
motors. Each institute VIII make KS
own serum or culture, or Whatever Dr.
Eriedmann's remedy is. Thus. by
1echnicali,y. he will evade the federal
law which. for the purpose OF protect-
ing the public against impure and
dangerous serums and vaccines. places
all these preparations which are sub
iect to interstate commerce under the
control Of the public health service.
State laws are slow of enactment and
slower of enforcement This plan viii
sweep aside the strong G.m of the pub
lie health service. which otherwise
would protect the unfortunate con-
sumptives. 1t will allow the promoter
to make and sell to the victims OF dis
case. at any profit he sees fit. a secret
product, the value OF which rests en-
tirely on Friedmann's unsupported
statements Suppose an American pnE-
sican went to Berlin with improved
claims for some new treatment OF con-
sumption Suppose he refused to pro-
duce proof of his statements. refused
to submit his remedy to other scientlAc
men. attempted to evade the German
laws disregarded German OFFICIALS and.
finally. thru legal technically.
planned to bleed the German consump-
tive Of his scanty means by selling him
a preparation Of improved value and
possible danger Would the German
people permit their sick TO be the vic
tins Of such a scheme? The journal
Of The American Medical Association.
asks: Why did Friedman come to the
United States? Because. says the
Journal. we have. in Europe, the rep
utation Of being easy" Because this
country is supposed to be the home OF
the get-rich quick promoter. Inc
American people have no respect for
the man who uses legal technicalities
for profit or 70 escape punishment.
Will the American public and the
American press tolerate this attempt
to make our unfortunate consump-
,iyes a source of gain for rapacfous
foreigner, promoting remedy OF I'M
proved merit in violation OF the Split
of our laws?
for the teachers. not the teachers for