Seleni-Bascca
In the issue of September 3 The Journal called attention to a campaign of free publicity that was being instituted by a Brooklyn concern that, apparently, had for sale an alleged remedy for cancer. The press agent material was of two kinds—for medical journals and for newspapers. That which went to the medical journals was sent out on the stationery of the “Medical News Bureau,” 77 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn. The “manager” of the bureau was given as D. E. Woolley. The items sent out to medical journals stated that the “Basic Cancer Research” had been organized to develop a treatment of cancer by the use of selenium and tellurium.
The material received by newspapers was sent out by the “Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society,” 847 Union St., Brooklyn (the same address as the “Basic Cancer Research”). The “Secretary” of the “Cosmopolitan Cancer Research” was D. E. Woolley!
The name of one “Dr. Frederick Klein” loomed large in the matter sent out by the “Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society.” Klein, we were told, is “the eminent authority on urinology and the chemistry of cancer.” The Journal called attention to the fact that Frederick Klein’s name was not unknown in the Propaganda files, as he was the gentleman who manufactured “Sulfo-Selene,” a product that was widely heralded in the newspapers in 1916 as a remedy for cancer. It was also brought out that Klein, who is not a physician, claims to have evolved certain remarkable urinary diagnostic tests whereby the presence of cancer, syphilis, etc., may be determined.
More than a month after the publication of The Journal’s article, a letter was received (October 8) from Frederick Klein. To quote literally from part of the letter:
“In the above Journal dated Sept. 3th, Vol. 77, on page 805, regarding the ‘Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society’ you have amongst others, mentioned my name Dr. Frederick Klein.
“I wish to inform you that I have given my legal adviser the order to write a note to the above Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society, 847 Union St., Brooklyn, forbidden them to the effect that my name should not be used by above society in any form or writing in any of their transactions, this has been done some time ago to prevent unethical conceptions concerning myself.”
Shortly after the article of September 3 another item appeared in the newspapers throughout the country to the effect that the Cancer Research Society was offering a “$100,000 Cancer Prize” for a “medicinal cure for cancer.” Many of the newspapers of the country seemed to bite on this piece of free publicity. This was in the first week of October. In the third week of the same month a Brooklyn paper announced that 3,000 people had submitted formulas for curing cancer to the Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society. The article containing this announcement gave interesting descriptions of some of the “cures” submitted and closed with the statement that the Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society was establishing “clinics” in various cities. It ended with the statement:
“All treatments are confidential. In this respect the society had the cooperation of the Brooklyn Bureau of Charities. It also has the cooperation of the American Medical Association.”
The closing sentence is, of course, unequivocally false.