The further newspaper claim that Edgar is “an authority on glandular transplantation” should also be accepted with reservations. “Authorities” are created with ease in the pages of newspapers. Edgar may possibly be termed an authority in a newspaper or, shall we say, Pickwickian sense.—(From The Journal A. M. A., Oct. 15, 1921.)
The Journal Receives a Letter Denouncing “Medical Clerks” and “Biased Sceptres”
The Journal recently published in this department some inquiries regarding Thomas Webster Edgar, M.D., of New York City, relative to some alleged serums that Dr. Edgar had developed for diabetes and sex stimulation, respectively, and relative also to the newspaper publicity given Dr. Edgar in connection with the alleged transplantation of glands from “ring-tailed monkeys.”
We are in receipt of a letter signed, “Thomas Webster Edgar, M.D.,” and reading as follows. It is given verbatim et literatim:
“Gentlemen:—I have read with great interest your editorial regarding the publicity given my work in metabolism, and gland implantation.
“Your pseudo, expose, and distinctly libelous insinuations are unjust, and they lead me to believe that you are going to be called to account at a very early date.
“My profession is the practice of medicine, and the policy of my practice is not controlled by the editorial department of the journal. I am progressive, and a firm believer that legitiment medicine and surgery can not be practiced if the physician be governed by a set of medical clerks, who disdainfully boast that they control, and govern the healing art through out the breadth of the land, with a sceptre that is biased and steeped in the unadulterated commercialism of a certain medical clique.
“Aside from the fact that I am an associate editor on a medical publication, it is disgraceful, as well as unjust that you have written such an editorial with out first investigating the therapeutic value of my serum, and implantation operation.
“The psychology of your editorial, only reflects on your editorial department, and will tend to belittle some of the greatest surgeons in the country.
“It may be to your advantage to know, that this very afternoon, I was on the program with the following men.