The Washington times., 1915-11-16
LACK Of SALVARSAN|
ISCAUS|NG DISTRESS.
Blockade Of Germany Holds
Back Relief From Millions
With Blood Disease.

NEW YORK. Nov. 1s.-scores OF mon
and women are dying. thousands are
suffering untold agonies. and the lives
Of more than 1,0o00oo others In the
United States are being racked because
Il has become almost impossible to OBJ
tain saivarsan with which to battle
viruient blood diseases.
These facts became known today
when II was learned that negotiations
have been begun by the State Depart
ment In an effort to obtain from the
allies permission for the shipment Of
salvarsan from Germany.
Several leading New York physicians
described the situation as frightful.
They asked that their names be with
held for professional reasons. but de-
clared the public should be awakened
to the danger Of widespread infection.
The British blockade has cut of the
supply Of salvarsan and neo-salvarsan
the newer form) which come to the
United States only from Germany.
Since January 3 not q single gram has
entered this country. excepting a small
shipment permitted 10 pass by the Brit
ish authorities six weeks ago and quick
ly used up.
The State Department Is trying to get
Great Britain and France to permit a
Unless relief comes within q few weeks
many Deaths will occur, physicians said
today. and thousands of cases now in
their early staIes will become greatly
aggravated through lack of efficient
treatment.
Ask Early Relief.
Something must be done right
away" said DIR. Paul Herzog. OF a
New York firm Of importers who have
I,IA irkt
product in the United States. I'VE have
no more salvarsan or neo-saivarsan.
There is none left In this country save
. few ampoules still in the hands OF
some physicians
On DIR. Herzog's desk was a stack OF
letters eighteen inches high. and several
kilograms. They came from doctors and
some from diseased victims themselves.
begging for just a bit OF salvarsan.
Some of them told stories of days and
nights spent IN agony and OF slow ap-
pronch to death.
My son is in a very bad way" wrote
one man. I'VE know your supply Is
Just a little.'
a letter from Cleveland. III you'll
send me all the salvarsan you can spare
well treat them without cost"
p,tss wSn Spe p have sy
from all parts OF the United States.
many of whom enclosed certified checks
and asked that the dosages be rushed
But what cen be done?" said Or.
Herzog. These letters with their
horrible stories come in every day and
.salvarsan and neo-salvarsan were
made exclusively at Hoechst-on-Main.
,;ermany. before the war and produced
~ patents in all foreign countries.
.Eanada and Japan cancelled these
patents and having knowledge OF the
formula began to manufacture similar
drug.
Under the existing patent treaties be-
tween the United States and Germany,
the product OF these English or French
laboratories could not be brought to the
United States. even II supplies were
available.
No Surplus In France.
FOR humanitarian reasons we were
so anxious to get supply that We
wrote a French concern using the Ger
man formula" said DR.. Herzog. "They
replied that their product was being
used in FRANCE as rapidly as It was
manufactured"
Before the British order in council
hlockading the German coast took ef-
port.rs Contracted for % i've month";
supply. DR.. Herzog said Though the
order In council expressly exempted
shipments from Germany contracted for
before that date. he said the British
authorities refused to permit the SAL
varsan to pass to the United States.
though Germany agreed to its exporta-
tion.
The State Department. through the
American embassy at London. asked the
british government to release a ship
n,ent held at Rotterdam. Great Britain
replied she would have to have the
consent Of the French government.
France refused to give this consent on
The ground that salvarsan was obtain
able In that country. According to the
local importers not only the patent
treaties but the inability of French
manufacturers to- produce enough sal
varsan bar relief from that quarter.
They assert, too. that the French
product IL Of marked inferiority,