Abrams' Reactions

Is He a Quack? Investigation Will Show

Of all the many cults of mechanotherapy and diagnosis now being practiced (TIME, July 16), none has attracted wider popular attention nor incurred stronger antagonism among regular medical men than the " electronic reactions " of Dr. Albert Abrams, of San Francisco. Who is Abrams, and what is his system?

The man. Albert Abrams was born in San Francisco in 1863. He studied at the University of Heidelberg, received his M. D. at 20. For a number of years he occupied a respected place in the medical fraternity of the Coast, was a professor in Cooper Medical College (later the medical school of Leland Stanford, Jr., University) and an officer in various medical societies. Until two years ago he was a member of the American Medical Association. For some years he was interested in " spondylotherapy," a system of " physiotherapy of the spine" invented by him. About 1912 he began to experiment with electrical apparatus, made public his system of " electronic reactions " and since then has invented many new features and mechanisms. These he sells or rents to other physicians, giving courses in his therapeutic system at $200 tuition. Whether or not Dr. Abrams makes a large income from his interests, it is admitted that Abrams practitioners in many cases make from $1,000 to $2,000 a week. Among these are a few men with M. D. degrees from reputable medical colleges, but many who have unsavory reputations for proved quackery throughout the country.

His machines. Abrams' main card is his method of "splanchno-diagnosis" (abdominal). It is applied to blood specimens, cultures of tissues from the body of a patient, or even to samples of his handwriting! The tests may be conducted in absentia with the patient 3,000 miles away. For best results the samples must be taken under certain prescribed conditions--dim light, no red in room, patient facing west! The specimens are placed on aluminum electrodes in a small, round box called a "dynamizer," connected by an elaborate wiring system with a "rheostat dynamizer" for amplifying the reactions, a " vibratory rate rheostat" and a "measuring rheostat" for determining the wave rate "ohmage" of the specimen. These are connected to an electrode on the forehead of a healthy human being, called the " re-agent," who stands stripped to the waist and barefooted on two metal grounding plates. The doctor "percusses" the abdomen of the reagent, i.e., thumps the back of his left hand with the middle finger of his right, on which is a weighted thimble. The abdomen normally shows a "line of dullness," below which a hollow sound is elicited. Different diseases in the patient's blood specimen cause different "areas of dullness" in the abdomen of the re-agent. Abrams claims to diagnose by this method not only the specific disease and its location, but also the sex, race and religion of the patient. Areas of dullness are distinguished for Catholics, Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Theosophists, Protestants and Jews! The diagnoses seem to be restricted in number, but include several serious microbic diseases -- tuberculosis, typhoid, acquired or congenital "diminished resistance" (euphemistic for syphilis), carcinoma (cancer), sarcoma (tumor), gonorrhea, malaria, influenza, colon septicaemia, streptococcus and staphylococcus infections. Most patients have traces of several of these, and the majority are found to have some form of syphilis. Autographs of Samuel Johnson, Poe, Longfellow, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Pepys and Bret Harte have been tested by Dr. Abrams, revealing that all of them suffered from various dread diseases, including congenital syphilis! If it is desired to test a patient directly, he takes the place of the " re-agent" in the circuit.

Abrams has invented numerous other machines. After the diagnosis is made, treatment is applied by the " oscilloclast." This is based on the principle that specific drugs possess the same vibratory rate as the diseases for which they are effective. By turning on the proper rate for a few treatments the "oscilloclast " clears " the disease. The machine is not for sale, but is leased for $200 down and $5 a month to Abrams graduates who will sign a contract not to open the apparatus. Other Abrams devices are the " electro-concussor;" the " biodynamometer," for determining "the potentiality of human energy;" the " sphygmobiometer," which demonstrates the " wave-metric index " of liquids and minerals and is used as a divining-rod for locating subterranean oil; the " electro-bioscope;" the " reflexo-phone," a loud speaker arrangement which makes sounds indicative of certain diseases. Dr. Abrams predicts that these machines will be perfected to the point where people can stand on street corners, drop a coin in the slot and get a complete diagnosis.

Investigations. The layman will say: " Why doesn't some one con-duct a strict scientific investigation of Abrams' extravagant claims and fantastic methods f Attempts have been made. The American Medical Association consistently refuses to do so. It will conduct a serious investigation, its says, "when the American Astronomical Society appoints a committee to determine the truth or falsity of the theory of Voliva (head of the Zion City Dowieite colony) that the earth is flat." Abrams has constantly refused to submit his method to tests controlled by the ordinary canons of science. His "reactions" often disagree with conventional diagnoses, and are claimed to be more delicate and sensitive than any orthodox method. Blood samples from animals and from perfectly healthy humans have been submitted, and returned with a formidable array of diseases.

But he has his supporters. The most conspicuous is Sir James Barr, consulting physician of the Liverpool Royal Infirmary and former Vice President of the British Medical Association, who has the Abrams machines, and lauds Abrams' achievements. In the U. S., Pearson's Magazine, sensational radical organ, espoused his cause, and published long supplements on Abrams. Upton Sinclair, the fighting Socialist pamphleteer and health apostle, has spent some time in Abrams' laboratory, and is sincerely convinced of his scientific genius and humanitarianism. But he is hardly a competent judge of cures.

The first systematic investigation of Abrams is now under way, by the Scientific American (also investigating psychic phenomena--TIME, June 4). To an Abrams practitioner in New York, six tubes were submitted, containing pure cultures of typhoid, pneumococcus, colon septicaemia, tetanus, tuberculosis, diphtheria. None of them was correctly diagnosed, and all gave marked "ohmages" and vibratory rates for a number of diseases. Various explanations for the failure were made, and Dr. Abrams has promised to give personal demonstrations in New York for the Scientific American. An electrical expert, investigating for Science and Invention, points out technical inconsistencies which would condemn the apparatus on known electrical principles.

To sum up the present status of the Abrams controversy: If his sincerity is granted and his obvious vagaries overlooked, there are still grave obstacles that his theories must hurdle both on the medical and bacteriological and on the mechanical side. The vast majority of reputable scientists who will express an opinion believe the scheme unmitigated charlatanism. The idea of specific vibratory rates for given diseases is not inherently an absurd one, and such men as Dr. Crile (TIME, Nov. 5) may evolve a scientific electronic analysis of the body. But Abrams' case would appear to be negated by patent absurdities.