The Washington times., 1924-02-22
EVIL IN SERUMS
IS Barred BY
DOCTORS
Many Such Nostrums Really
Are Menace to Life, Prof.
s. p. Kramer Asserts.

The American Medical Association
for years has waged a vigorous
fight against the unlicensed adver-
Using Of shot gun" vaccines and
serums. DIR. s. p. Kramer, eminent
physician and surgeon and former
professor Of surgery at the Univer-
sity Of Cincinnati, declared in an in
terview here today.
mot only has the association
urged that ready mixed vaccines
should be abolished" DIR. Kramer
said, but 1t also has called in vain
for the Government to take steps
which would prevent the manufac-
turers from disappearing their
products and misleading the doctors
Of the country"
DIR. Kramer at present is con-
Quoting important Investigations at
the hygienic- laboratories of the
Public Health Service, and is inter
esting himself vigorously in behalf
Of the CONGRATULATIONS bill to
provide Federal censorship Of ad.
vertisements Of vaccines. serums
and toxins. IT,.
"As long ago as 1913. DR.. Kramer
declared" the American Medical
Association recognized that the evil
of shooting vaccines in shotgun
doses into any person suffering
from almost any ailment was a
menace to good medicine.
consequently a committee Of
he VII
sity OF Chicago, Harvard. Johns
Service was appointed to write a
form the general mass of doctors
Of the evil.
This committee stated that mixed
offered as substitutes for correct
diagnoses"
The committee found that not
only are the claims Of the "shot-
gun" vaccine makers absurd and
preposterous, DR.. Kramer continued,
but they denounced them as IAN
actual menace to life"
Flooded With Literature.
Physicians throughout the coun.
try are urged by manufacturers
through letter after letter and heaps
of advertising matter to treat Sc.
rious diseases such as appendicitis
and mastoid troubles with shots"
Of vaccine, DR.. Kramer declared.
"For the persons who are sub.
jected to such treatment there are
grave dangers" he said, because
by awaiting the highly improbable
hnnAffta hA toh A@G
lives are risked through the with.
holding of proper treatment from
them"
The American Medical Association
has realized, DIR. Kramer declared,
that more than mere education Of
doctors Is needed.
I'm a forceful editorial in 1914"
he said, 1.-The Journal of the Ameri-
can Medical Association lamented
the fact that under the present
laws the Federal Government can do
no more than is being done at
present.
ut is up to the doctor to Judge
whether a remedy is a take and he
ls often too busy to take time to do
this.
I'm 1915, the same journal stated
that manufacturers should be re-
Quired to state on their labels
whether the product is experimental
or Of established value, and that the
Federal laws regulating the sale of
serums, vaccines and similar prod.
ucts should be amended to give the
Public Health Service authority to
prevent Interstate sale and shin.
ment of worthless and possibly
harmful vaccines and serums, the
burden of proof to be on the man.
ufacturers."
Purpose Of the Bill. 4
The Copeland Rathbone bill, for
which he is fighting, DIR. Kramer
said, does not make as extensive
demands for protection for human
life in the general use of serums
and vaccines, as is already granted
to pigs and cattle in a regulation
OF the Public Health Service.
1T only asks" he said, that the
manufacturers submit all advertis.
ing claims to the Government for
approval. He can then advertise as
freely as before, but he has 10
state on all Of his advertising mat.
ter whether or not the Government
approves his claims"
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