The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-12
Frederick Haskin's Letter
tuberculosis Cures.
(epeaal Correspondence of The Arr

other treatments in addition TO the
all-important rest cure, many tn
berculous patients are persuaded
to try out on themselves all sorts
of advertised "cures."
So far no drug or combination Of
drugs has been accepted as a spe-
cific remedy for tuberculosis bv
the medical profession. A member
of the National Association for the
Study and Prevention Of Tubereu.
losis has said:
1t is not too much to say an
phatically that you cannot buy
from any druggist in the United
States a medicine or mixture that
will cure tuberculosis"
The Journal of the Medical Assn.
citation at one time urged people
to write to it before trying adver.
tised or recommended cures "
These organizations have number
of times pointed out that some of
the remedies that promise absolute
cure in few months contain drugs
which deaden pain and give the pa
tient a false sense of improve
mcnt for a while. When the drug
loses its first strong effect. the pa
tient is no better than before, and
often worse.
Don't Trust Testimonials.
The tuberculosis association
shows that testimonials announcing
absolute cures by d remedy are Oft
en- written a few weeks after taking
it-as the testimonial writer saws
in the history of his case. The as
sociation collected testimonials
and newspaper death notices OF
people who wrote them. II was a
gruesome, but impressive COllec-
ton. 1t showed articles carried BY
the newspapers regarding the
deaths of the same persons VINO
had shortly before announced in
print that they were cured. Around
the words died OF tuberculosis" as
they occurred in the articles a
heavy black line was drawn.
Some of the cures" contain no
actual harmful ingredients. One
well advertised cure for various
ills, including tuberculosis, was
shown by analysis to be a simple
connection of sugar, salt and water
Onions have been recommended by
we'll meaning laymen as a cure for
consumption and other foods have
their sponsors.
The danger with these remedies
is that while they may not be harm
full in themselves they may keep the
patient from taking the proper
trea tment And in tuberculosis
every days advance in the disease
means a harder fight to regain
health.
IT has been suggested by a Swiss
specialist that there should be at
least one clinic in a country to pro-
tect the public against fake rene
dies for tuberculosis. He proposes
that originators of the new rene
dies should be required to submit
them to this scientific body for an
official investigation. Any useless
or harmful Concoction would be
refused approval, and could not be
placed on the market This would,
it is claimed, protect thousands OF
people who trifle with tuberculosis
and Chronic coughs" and put their
faith in high sounding labels.
In general, all doctors and asso-
Citations who work to prevent and
cure tuberculosis urge that no one
should take any treatment for this
disease without the sanction Of a
reputable physician or clinic. In
most of our cities now there are
vuEn
symptoms of acknowledgements
tent cough, loss of weight, lack OF
energy-can get a careful diagno-
sis and instructions regarding
treatment.