T.B. VACCINE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18721, 18 June 1926, Page 17

T.B. VACCINE.

SPAHLINGER TREATMENT. B.M.A. STATEMENT. (from ora owx coeresposmst.) LONDON, May 4. A statement by the Science Committee of the British Medical Association on.the Spahlinger treatment of tuberculosis is published in "The British Medical Journal," the gist of which is that subscriptions of money for a scientific test would be welcomed, but subscriptions of large sums of money to distribute the vaccines as a "cure should be discouraged until the vaccines are proved to be a cure. Points from the statement are: _ The tests would be undertaken in this country by experienced physicians and bacteriologists without any special fee or remuneration. The Spahlinger treatment has been before the public for more than a dozen years The Minister for Health (in 1923; intimated that the Ministry would be prepared to appoint a Medical Committee to watch the results of the treatment in caset. selected by a physician nominated by M. Spahlinger. This offer has not been accepted. We have no reason to discredit the claims of M. Spahlinger and bis friends, but we should be wanting in our duty to the profession and the public if we failed to point out that. This is a secret remedy. No investigations carried out under strict experimental conditions which afford direct and convincing evidence of the curative action of these substances have been published.

Questions In the House. In the House of Commons a day or two ago reference was made to tha Spahlinger treatment of tuberculosis. Mr Brant, Liberal member for Lambeth, asked the Minister for Health if any steps were being taken to make further investigation, u this was necessary, into the results obtained in the cure of phthisis by the Spahlinger treatment; and if, in view of the importance of the question to the health of the community, Government assists ance would be given in order to make it available to the large number of persons suffering from this disease. Sir K. Wood, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, said that the Minister for Health had offered to send competent medical inspectors to study M. Spahlineer's work ,at Geneva and to facilitate scientific investigation in this country if M. Spahlinger would supply his materials and method of use. Up to the present neither invitation had been accepted. The second part of the* question did not, therefore, arise. Mr A. V. Davies asked if it was not the case that M. Spahlinger had not got the necessary money. Sir K. Wood ; replied that that might be so, but directly the Ministry received the necessary information and. materials they would be glad to go into the matter. Mr T. Jones' (Pontypridd, Lab.) asked if the Ministry, of Health did not possess certain, discretionary power to give financial assistance in such a case. Had not a large number of trade unions already contributed substantially in order to try to make this work a success? Sir \ K. Wood: No. I think, the right course has been taken in this case—namely, to offer to send our officers to Geneva to study these cases and- to ask, on the t other hand, that this gentleman should send the materials here, when we shall ( be glad to investigate ifc. Mr Clynes j (Manchester,, Platting, Lab.) asked if these offers of investigation had been made quite recently. Sir K. Wood replied in the affirmative.- They had been j made repeatedly during the last three ; years. ~ From these, statements it is evident _ that the British Government are little further in the matter than they were Jl three years ago.