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given is a correct statement. Our Society is somewhat inter- ested in the outcome of this case and we will very much appreciate your telling us if your name was used with author- ity." Dr Baldwin's ringing endorsement was but faint indication of the eye-opening testimony she would soon deliver under oath. Her reply read: "Your letter of June 9th is just received. The statement printed in the Journal of the American Medical Association of January 26th, 1924 is practically as written by me for Spectro-Chrome magazine. Susie's was an emergency opera- tion at nine o'clock at night. There was nothing left of the appendix to remove. There were quantities of pus. The wound could not be closed, free drainage was provided an the child put to bed with little hope that she would live unti morning. For some days, an enema would simply pass through and out of the abdominal opening. Susie did develop pneumonia. I did use Spectro-Chrome and eventually she di leave the hospital in good condition. "In the Woman's Hospital, I used Spectro-Chrome for many things to the satisfaction of the patients, the staff an the Board. The results were approved by all interested, unti the article cited came out in the Journal. Then the staff turned traitor. The Board appointed a Special Committee of five to investigate, and a copy of its report I am enclosing. After this investigation I was granted a wid local genera large space for the work of ' Spectro-Chrome. 30 years expe "The : American Medical unreserved cred Association continues to rate me successes with c; as a Fellow in good standing. Not the slightest effort to prove gonorrhoea, s\ the truth has ever been made by aye the AMA or the doctors. The neuritis, men simple fact that the AMA made conditions an the statement against Spectro- . Chrome was sufficient to con - disor demn. At the time I wrote to the Journal stating facts. The or- tesy of a reply was not granted. The letter was sent by regis- tered mail and a return card showed that it was delivered. Eventually this article was the cause of my losing my posi- tion on the surgical staff of the Woman's Hospital. "The AMA has not been just to one of its members or to humanity; within the year of 1929, communications have been sent by the AMA to several of my patients in the shape of a reprint of the article published in the 1924 Journal and a letter ridiculing Spectro-Chrome and me. "Spectro-Chrome has more value as a therapeutic measure than all the drugs and serums manufactured. I would close my office tonight, never to reopen, if I could not use Spectro- Chrome." [Author's emphasis added.] Society is somewhat inter- Just as, in retrospect, the involvement of the normally non- -and we will very much influential intern role in efficaciously precipitating Baldwin's ume was used with author- predicament seems to be more than meets the eye, so too is the circumstance that led to Dinshah's arrest in May 1930. The was but faint indication of indictment charged that he "did feloniously steal $175 from one soon deliver under oath. Houseman Hughes by falsely representing and pretending that a certain instrument and machine [Spectro-Chrome] would cure any received. The statement and all human diseases and ailments." ican Medical Association Again, the reliable Court record here gives scanty insight. ily as written by me for Looking back at the actually ascertainable, there is reasonable was an emergency opera- inference that Hughes was only a point man—but for whom? He -e was nothing left of the was a layman who had admittedly never received, witnessed or > quantities of pus. The administered a tonation treatment. Affidavits and testimony from rainage was provided an official records show only that he leased a unit (subsequently 2 that she would live unti defaulting on the payment) and promptly pressed charges. There ema would simply pass is no indication that he even removed it from the box. Someone pening. Susie did develop on the prosecution side did turn it on, although did not take me and eventually she di advantage of the exercise to attempt a tonation. . The core of the embarrassingly underprepared prosecution sed Spectro-Chrome for (what could they actually say?) was the "expert" testimony of a the patients, the staff an physicist who testified to the fact that the unit used an ordinary ved by all interested, unti light, projected through ordinary coloured glass filters, producing Journal. Then the staff no spectral alterations nor new rays of any sort. This was rather :d a Special Committee of extraordinary testimony, considering that Dinshah had never claimed otherwise! _ (This 1931 trial was also the last ..a local general practitioner of time the government was to base any 30 years’ experience gave indictment on its "ordinariness". Later, when the FDA, in a conve- unreserved credit to SCT for his nient about-face, proclaimed the successes with cancers, diabetes, Spectro-Chrome a "medical device" (though unauthorised), it provided gonorrhoea, syphilis, ulcers, the cloak of legality under which ss Pree they conducted, unopposed, hun- neuritis, meningitis, heart dreds of warrantless, confiscatory conditions and many other and non-compensatory raids through . the living rooms, basements and disorders. converted garages of otherwise inno- cent, non-complaining citizens after 1947.) 1e letter was sent by regis- Dinshah, despite facing a looming 10-year/$10,000 adverse ‘ed that it was delivered. judgement, chose to defend himself with a five-witness defence se of my losing my posi- which included three MDs. He reasoned: "The judge knows the nan's Hospital. law and I know my science so I can defend it better than any one of its members or to lawyer. Truth can be defeated but never conquered." 9, communications have Unprepared for an impregnable defence, the state produced in f my patients in the shape its rebuttal its only medical witness: Albert Sy, MD, a practition- in the 1924 Journal and a er of the high-tech, expensive and generally inaccessible treat- dme. ment modalities of radium, X-ray and ultraviolet irradiation. This "as a therapeutic measure prosecution witness, also testifying to his zero experience with aufactured. I would close SCT, was forced to admit under oath that he had no evidence at if I could not use Spectro- all for his "expert" opinion that there "could be no therapeutic d.] value of colored light or other appreciable effect on animals". Dinshah's first witness, Dr Welcome Hanor, an early SCT stu- ight times, winning vindica- dent and enthusiastic proponent, had posted the $1,500 bail. His serve a total of 18 months in modest credential was his reputation as a local general practition- uffalo, NY, in 1931, was the er of 30 years' experience. He gave unreserved credit to SCT for ‘xpose themselves to a deci- his successes with cancers, diabetes, gonorrhoea, syphilis, ulcers, hear medical evidence and neuritis, meningitis, heart conditions and many other disorders. nd victory (the first Camden Dr Martha Peebles had a distinguished 24-year private practice soning that, being of Parsee —_ in New York where she had also held public office with the City and therefore, 17 years after | Department of Health before serving with General Pershing's 1ot deportable. expeditionary forces (attending up to 61 operations a day). .a local general practitioner of 30 years’ experience...gave unreserved credit to SCT for his disorders. tion only twice and having to serve a total of 18 months in prison. His first victory, at Buffalo, NY, in 1931, was the last time the anti-light forces dared expose themselves to a deci- sion rendered by a jury allowed to hear medical evidence and expert scientific testimony. His second victory (the first Camden trial, 1934) rested on the judicial reasoning that, being of Parsee descent, Dinshah was "a white man" and therefore, 17 years after his naturalisation, he was ruled to be not deportable. D== was to face tribunals eight times, winning vindica- NEXUS 41 DECEMBER 1997 - JANUARY 1998