The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-09
.FR|EDMANN CURE
NOT ENDORSED
United States Public Health Service
Says Confidence in tuberculosis
Remedy Is Not
Justified.
HARM HAS BEEN DONE
Or. Anderson issues Report After
Watching Condition Of Pa
tlents Who Had Been
4 Treated.

United Press Leased Wire Service
WASHINGTON, May 9.--'sWe arc
in a position to state that the effects
thus far observed do not justify that
confidence in the remedy which has
been inspired by widespread publ
city,
This Is the Judgment, at the pres
ent moment, of the United States pub
lie health service. as to the value OF
the Friedman anti-tuberculosis turtle
serum. 1t was expressed by Dr. John
f. Anderson, one OF the surgeons
whom the public health service az
signed to investigate and report or
the German physicians discovery, liz
a report read before the National AS
sociation for the prevention and cure
OF tuberculosis in session here. The
report was the first formal word OF
| the health service. 1t was signed by
DR.. Anderson's colleague in the in
vestigation of the Friedman treat
| ment, DR.. A. M. Stimson.
| The report was a frank admission
| that beyond the discovery that Fried
mann's bacillus lis an acid fast organ
| ism having properties quite different
from those Of any other tubercule
,bacilli," no advance has been made
| In the governments investigation Of
the Cure"
I'VE. believe, at the present time
4 DR.. Anderson declared, that we are
not in position to express an opin-.
ion based on the present condition at
the patients under observation The
disease for which the remedy is used
is prolonged and Is characterized by
periods of advancement md retro
g.ession; it IS also one in which
/ physical influence is powerful fac
!. tor. Time is therefore necessary in
order to properly evaluate the effect
of therapeutic measures.
1--WE must not lose sight Of the pos
sible therapeutic value of this prepa-
ration and, on the other hand, 1t is
necessary to guard against too great
4 optimism in respect to it's merits.
i Without presenting in detail the con-
4 dition Of patients under observation,
we are in position to state that the
Il effects thus far observed do not JUS
i tify that confidence In the remedy
which has been inspired by wide
4 spread publicity. In our opinion,
harm has been done by this undue
!, publicity insofar that it has lessened
the confidence Of tuberculosis per-
sons in we'll recognized methods OF
treatment or interrupted their use,
and we are constrained to advise
against any Iessening of those well
: known measures which not only have
/ affected cures but which have reduc.
] ed the incidence OF the disease
, Behind the ethical reserve Of the
report there was an undercurrent oi
severe criticism Of the German saw
ant.
"The reticience and vacillation OF
DR.. Friedmann,' DR.. Anderson said al
one point. has in no way been al
lowed to interfere with our Judgment
of the effects as observed by u.s.
Admitting that the examining surg
cons were aware of DR.. Friednlann's
often expressed sentiment that he
! did not desire to be judged scientific
r ally from newspaper accounts of his
; cure effects, DR.. Anderson said:
3 Nevertheless it is on these that
: the public bases its opinion until re
: placed by reliable and unbiased
r scientific pronouncements supported
t by convincing data
9 ----