New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-07-18
LAY TEN DEATHS TO
Use OF SALVARSAN
Doctors Giving It Are Held to
Be at Fault

washington, July is.--Government
records here show that during the
World war fve American soldiers and
five American sailors died after treat
ment with European and American
preparations Of salvarsan.
1t was said at the United States
public health service that no prepon-
derance Of these deaths had followed
the use OF any particular make OF the
preparation, and 1t was added that
there was as much, II not more, like
lihood that death Rad resulted from
an improper administration of tho
drug, or faulty diagnosis Of the
patient, as from any inherent defect
in the remedy offered for use. 1t
seemed to be the opinion of public
caused more often by fault of the
doctor than of the drug.
On the deaths in the army, four
occurred at Camp Custer and one at
Camp jackson, the manufacturer of
the drug not being specified In the
reports. The deaths in the navy &C.
CURED at Newport, Philadelphia and
Olongapo, P. l., and on board the
Vixen and the Galveston. Both Euro
peon and American products were
child was picked up and carried
used In these instances.
Including the deaths, the health
service has reports 0f IS fatalities in
the United States since Jan. /, 1914,
following treatments with salvarsan,
arsphenaInine or similar drugs, OF
German, French and American manu-
facture. No British salvarsan has
been used in this country. 1t had not
been proved, 1t was said, that dis
tinct proportion Of deaths followed
the employment of any special manu-
facture.
Salvarsan. or arsphenamine, as 1t is
commonly known In the United States
was subject to government control
during part of the war years Late
in 1917 the public health service
licensed three or four American firms
to make this product. Though 1t was
Of much poorer quality than that now
on the market, 1t was then almost
up to the German standard. Early
in 1913 the surgeon general of the
health service directed that no more
OF the medicine be sold in the United
States until it had been officially
tested, and this rule obtained until ,
about a year ago.
Supplementary regulations for the
control of arsphenamine. neoarsphen- !
anime and sodium arsphenamine in
interstate traffic, approved June Is,
1920, provided that "in addition to
tests made by the manufacturer 80
final tests of the product as prepared
for the market shall be made on each |
lot by the United States public health |
service before its release"
Statistics as to the number of cases
in which salvarsan was used in the
army or navy were not available. but
1t was ascertained that out of 4,127,-
AIS men in the military service ST.
o2s were afflicted with ailments In
which this drug was used, and II was
said at the office of the surgeon gen
eral of the army that practically all
of these men undoubtedly were
treated. N
At the trial in Wilmington. Del, of
the governments suit to recover
seized German patents sold to the
Chemical Foundation, Inc, 1t was as
by Isidore A. Kresel, eoun-
sci for the Foundation, that Herman
A. Metz leading manufacturer of
salvarsan, sold to the government
during the war salvarsan that caused
the deaths of American soldiers. Mr..
Metz has denied this charge and has
quoted the public health service in
support OF his claim that such few
deaths as occurred were due to out
side conditions or the carelessness OF
hose who prescribed the drug. -