At the time of The Journal’s article the name of the particular preparation which the Basic Chemical Corporation of America was putting out was unknown. Shortly after the article appeared it was learned that the product was on the market as “Seleni-Bascca.” A physician, himself a sufferer from carcinoma, after reading the article of September 3, sent The Journal some correspondence he had received from the Cosmopolitan Cancer Research Society regarding the alleged cure. One piece was a letter signed “F. W. Humphrey, Acting Director; Dictated by Dr. George D. Barney,” which read in part:
“Our claim is a very simple one indeed, namely that the use of a proper preparation of Selenium (Seleni-Bascca) restores the Sulphur metabolism to normal; we claim that cancer cannot exist in any form, when the Sulphur metabolism is normal, the results from the proper use of Seleni-Bascca in cases of Carcinoma are quick and lasting, the Medical Profession can hardly realize that in this modest treatment a remedy for the Dreaded Carcinoma has been discovered.
“Seleni-Bascca in its colloidal form is quickly taken up by the blood stream, reaches the finest tissues and almost immediately resists the further growth of the disease. The research work has been going on since 1901, under the direction of Dr. Frederick Klein, in connection with Medical Men who have proved to their own satisfaction that Seleni-Bascca should be used as a treatment in every case of malignancy.”
Seleni-Bascca comes in small vials containing fifty tablets. Each vial bears a label reading:
“SELENIBASCCA. A mixture of Colloidal Selenium in tablet form. Recommended in the internal treatment of Carcinoma and some other cases of faulty metabolism.”
Some of the preparation was turned over to the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory with the request that the tablets be examined to determine whether or not they contained, as claimed, selenium in colloidal form. The laboratory report follows:
CHEMICAL REPORT
“An original vial of ‘Seleni-Bascca’ (Basic Chemical Corporation of America) was examined in the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory to determine whether or not the substance contained colloidal selenium. The bottle contained 50 tablets weighing approximately 0.1 gm. (about 11⁄2 gr.) each. The major portion of the tablet was soluble in hot water. Qualitative tests indicated the presence of chlorid, sulphate, small amount of nitrate, potassium, sodium, starch, talc and selenium. Tellurium was not found to be present. The ash was equivalent to 5.5 per cent.; over one-half of the ash consisted of a talc-like substance. The amount of selenium present in the specimen examined was only about 1.3 per cent.
“In the literature sent out by The Basic Chemical Corporation, ‘Dr. Frederick Klein’ is mentioned as chemist. Several years ago, the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry investigated ‘Sulfo-Selene,’ a cancer remedy, with which the same ‘Dr. Klein’ was connected. The alleged composition of ‘Sulfo-Selene,’ as given to the Council, was:
| “Selenium | .25 |
| “Sulphur (partially in colloidal and partially in crystalloid state) | .10 |
| “Potassium carbonate | .10 |
| “Nitrogen | .05 |
| “Bile Salts | .50 |
| “To which is added an inert base or vehicle; as sugar of milk or amylum.” |