Evening star., 1932-04-01
Federal Trade Commission TO Act Fol-
lowing Death of e. Nj. Byers.

Federal Trade Commission to Act Fol-
lowing Death of e. nj. Byers.
By the Associated Press.
The Federal Trade Commission de-
cided today to press its investigation
OF radium cures" as result Of the
death from radium poisoning of Eben
MacBurney Byers, Pittsburgh iron man
ufacturer.
Chairman. Humphrey said after a
meeting of the commission that 1t
would expedite the inquiry started by
Robert H. Winn. commission attorney,
and prepare for further public hearings.
The commission has before it a num-
Der of complaints against certain ,ra-
dium treatments, and has been con-
ducting an inquiry into them for sew
eral months. VIM has been ordered
several times TO speed up the investi-
CATION.
II have twice instructed Winn to
press forward these cases." Humphrey
said, and I hope that the public at
tention which has been called to these
cures will result in legislation giving
the commission Jurisdiction in all such
cases without having to prove legiti-
mate competitor"
Will Talk to Copeland.
Humphrey said he had sought an ap-
pointment with Senator Copeland.
Democrat, of New York, a physician, to
discuss legislation giving the commits
sion unqueStioned authority in such
cases.
The food and drug administration at
the Department Of Agriculture today
began an investigation into the death
OF Byers.
1t will look into the claims on the
labels of the preparation which Byers
began taking about two years ago.
DR.. Frederick J. Cullen explained
that If the statements are found to be
false the administration has authority
to undertake court action against the
company
The case Of Byers formed the basis
OF an extensive investigation by the
commission, which resulted, in January,
IN the issuance of cease and desist
order against the Bailey Radium Lab
oratories, Inc, of East Orange, N. j.,
which was accused of misrepresenting
O product known as 'radithor"
The commission order forbade the
defendant concern to advertise the
preparation as harmless product" in
the treatment of a long list Of condi-
tions and symptoms, more than $50 in
number. 1t further prohibited the ad-
vertisement Of the product in the treat
Vi CSl IdlIl RldIlQ ulSOTQEES.
Death Was orecast
Several specialists were called into
the case. and one of these Dr. Joseph
M. Steiner of New York, predicted that
q brain abscess resulting from radium
would prove fatal to Byers.
Earlier testimony was taken by Winn
at Byers' home on Long Island, Byers
testified that he had taken two or
L., - kh4r
period of about two years, beginning
about 1928
He said he had taken radithor under
orders of Pittsburgh physician. The
total amount of radithor he took WoulC
aggregate some l,400 bottles. Subse-
quent testimony showed each bottle OF
radithor contained two micrograms oi
radiunl-one five-hundred-th -thouSandth
of gram Ct the substance.
Drs. Harold S. Vaughan and Joseph
s. Wheelwright, New York specialists
we're also called by Winn and testified
that after Byers had taken that guam
tity of radithor he had come TO them
with a severe and serious condition OF
the mouth. facial bones, teeth and
gums. Both testified TO have treated
Byers, but admitted they were at loss
to understand the cause of his con-
dition.
Blamed Radium Poisoning.
1t was DR.. Steiner, to whom the two
other physicians sent Byers for X-ray
examination, who suggested that the
condition might be caused by radiun
poisoning. Dr. Steiner drew his con-
clusions from previous experience in the
famous "dial-painting cases" involving
radium poisoning in New Jersey
watch factory.
In view of Steiners suggestion Dyer,
was sent to DR.. Frederick B. Finn. pro-
fessor of Industrial hygiene at Columb.s
University, who determined there wert
some 36 micrograms of radium de-
posted in Byers' body.
The physicians then made. desper-
ate effort to rid Byers body of tht
radium, but before he could show NOR,
than slight improvement X-rays taksi
daily showed the development Of /;
critical brain condition, with every In
dication of the formation Of a brair
abscess,, which Steiner predicted wouls
prove f.l If it spread rapidly 4