CAPELL’S UROLUETIC TEST
U. S. Marine Hospital, Chicago.
To the Editor:—A member of the consultant staff of this hospital recently referred to us a “Doctor” H. F. Matthews, who was supposed to give demonstrations of a new test for syphilis—“Capell’s ‘Uroluetic’ Test.” The test was to be made of the urine of the patient. The above mentioned consultant was under the impression that the said “Doctor” Matthews was a graduate physician.
“Doctor” Matthews came to the hospital according to the appointment made by the consultant, and proceeded to give his demonstration. Several of the junior officers and interns were present to witness it. He was asked questions in an attempt to determine the scientific status of the test which he was demonstrating. His answers were always vague and indefinite and not clothed in scientific words.
We became suspicious of him, and he was asked if he was a graduate physician. He admitted that he was not. He was further asked if he had studied chemistry and bacteriology; he stated that he had in 1888. Inquiry was made as to where; he replied that it was at the University of Illinois. He was further asked if he was familiar with the Wassermann reaction. He stated that he was not.
This man is going around representing himself as a physician who has a new test which he claims is superior to, and more delicate than, the Wassermann test; yet he knows nothing whatever of the technic of the Wassermann reaction.
In one case, we gave him the same specimen of urine in four different containers. He read a different degree of reaction for each of them. In other words, in a specimen from the same patient, his four different tests showed, respectively, a +, a ++, a +++ and a ++++ reaction.
It occurred to me that it might be well to inform you of this man’s methods, as he told us that he had been to a good many institutions, and I am sure he will soon start a plan to systematically force his pseudoscientific test on credulous physicians everywhere.
J. O. Cobb, M.D., Senior Surgeon in Charge.