New-York tribune. [volume], April 17, 1919, Page 7, Image 7

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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Doctor Ward,
Called Quack,
Thrives Here
physician Who Quit Chi?
cago When Associates
Were Indicted Doing
a Bis Business in N. Y.
Diseases Are Found
For Sound Patients
Phvsieally Well Reporter
fold He ?s Victim of
Heart and Lung His
Dr. Francis R. Ward, who quit his
medical practice in Chicago in 1913
after his concern was charged in the
Federal court with quackery, is now
doing a thriving business in New York.
Dr. Ward calls himself "director" of
the "Electro Medical Scientists." He
maintains sumptuous offices at:
230 West Seventy-second Street, Man
hattan.
.', Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn.
Dr. Ward's "scientists" treat hun?
dreds of patients every day. He ex?
pends hundreds of thousands of dollars
in advertising coures for "deep seated, -
chronic and lingering ailments."
In Chicago Dr. Ward was president
of "Old Doctor" Howe & Company.
Several officers of this company were
indicted by a Federal grand jury for
misrepresentation. Soon afterward, on ,
December 9, PUS, Dr. Ward abandoned
the company's offices at 120 North
Dearborn Street.
Departs from Chicago
The next day "Tho Chicago Tribune,"
which had been instrumental in bring?
ing about the indictments, reported Dr.
Ward's departure thus:
"'Old Doc' Howe moved on yester?
day. 'Old Doc' was impersonated in
Chicago by Dr. Francis R. Ward. . . .
When the'Tribune'began its expos? of
quacks . . . Dr. Ward began to see the
reasonableness of transferring his
quackeries to other fields. When a Fed?
eral grand jury indicted members of
the corporation 'Old Doc' began to
pack up his belongings." . . .
Dr. Ward, arter medical ventures in
Buffalo and other upstate cities, came
to New York early in 1917. All his
"electro-medical" contraptions which
had impressed "Old Doc" Howe's
clients in Chicago wore set up at 134
East Thirty-sixth Street.
i'ositlve Cures Promised
il. h : business soon n?cessi?
ta:? : ? ':.? r i ffi ? s, and the "scientific"
cea wore reproduced and in
italli 1 in the establishments in
Seventy-second Street and in Brook?
lyn.
Extensive newspaper advertising, in
fTerers are exhorted to avail
? e "remarkable effi?
cacy'1 of "electro-medical" methods
keep.s Dr, Ward's offices filled night
an ! day. "X-ray" examinations, assur
ing "positive diagnoses," are offered
for S!. Treatment, costing at least
i i ften as high as $1,000, is
urged upen patients after they have
been examined.
Positive cures are promised.
Patient whom other physicians de
ciare to be physically sound are pro
1 by Dr. Ward's "scientists" to
be Berious y ....
Contrad torj diagnoses are made
a*. Dr. Ward's different offices.
Diseases Invented
Two deadly diseases of widely vary?
ing natures were "discovered" by the
"sciei ' to be threatening the life
of a Tr reporter who visited both
the h: -, ? | Manhattan offices of
Dr. Wai thin an hour on April 9.
At 9:50 a m. the reporter called at
l'r? Wai klyn office. He was
pron< inc i to be suffering from "seri
ous heart '.? ible." His heart beats
were said to be at the rate of 1C0 to
'''" ' '? te. His blood pressure was
itated to be 162 degrees. He was
'?'?'' I : be ? ured for $150.
At 10:40 a m. tho same reporter
at Dr, Ward's Manhattan office.
He waa pronounced to be suffering
tration of the upper lungs
"?* bei -?-...- ere said to be normal.
.re was stated to bo
lid be cured for $65.
?' ? r:<r, before visiting Dr.
Ward's offices, had been found to be in
physicians of a life
my.
Dr. Ward in New York
Fhe reporter railed at the Brooklyn
office, 8 Pierrepont Street, at 9:50 a.m.
A woman attendant, dressed as a
grad?ate nurse, took his name and ad
- t? It on a "diagnosis sheet,"
ted the dollar and told the re?
porter to go upatairs. On the second
Boor landing sat another white-garbed
'-"'?>.,?,: at a desk. On a bench in the
? r ?at an old German woman,
? over ).< r pa inn, and two
I girl*, who held each other's
ence. From the floor above
-? ? ' '? sound of an electric vlbra
Ine. J- rom the door? at
??ther end of the corridor rame the
Murmuring of electrical mech
?? i.
? *r' "electro medico scientist," who
'? ? not u\,\j when asked hie name,
??-,-' ?l tory "
", what'? the matter with you?"
wai the reply, "when r ?tay
'. ?>s I often do, 1 get awfully
-?'' ' "??'??. ?'?ok the <1_iagrif)Ki?i
HOORAY! TO-NIGHT
W REISENWEBER
BALL
Director of the "Electro Medical Scientists" and some of the "scientists" making "absolutely positive
diagnoses."
slip and wrote the word "Heart." He
asKed and was told that the reporter's
business was that of an "artist," that
he was thirty-one years old and mar?
ried. The reporter was told to retatce
his seat in the hall.
Patients Numerous
Tho hall was filling up. The few
seats available were filled with sickly
appearing men and women, mostly past
middle age and poorly dressed. AU
except one were "come-backs," or pa?
tients who were taking courses of
treatment and were waiting their turn.
The exception was an old man whose
skeleton frame was bent with age and
chronic rheumatism. In a voice so
faint it could hardly be heard above
tho buzzing vibrators upstairs he ad?
mitted to the "nurse" that he was
"ncv." A gray-haired woman, evi?
dently a sufferer from obesity and
heart trouble, was told to go upstairs.
SI e mounted slowly, step by step, and
half way up stopped for breath.
"Why, how lazy you are to-day," said
the "nurse."
"Y-e-e-es," gasped the suffering
woman, as she struggled upward.
"I'm b-ad to-d-a-a-a-y! "
Dr. Barber Looks Him Over
Soon came th.? reporter's turn to
see the doctor. Being a "new" he was
given precedence over several groan?
ing patients who had arrived before
him. He was ushered into a room
in the rear of the house. At a ma
hogany desk sat Dr. Barber. Before
him were several electrical machines.
On a table liefere a window were; two
microscope. On a wall behind the
"doctor's" chair hung a photograph of
Elbert Hubbard, inscribed "to my
friend."
The reporter was told to take off
his coat and waistcoat. He did so
while "Dr. Barber" studied the diag
nosi ? sheet. The subsequent conver?
sation was as follows:
Dr. BARBER Well, young man, tell
me all your troubles.
REPORTER I'd like to have you
examine my heart,
Dr. B.?I'll do that. What makes
you think your heart i?i bad?
Reporter Admits Worry
REPORTER?1 don't think it's bad;
I just want it examined. Sometimes
it gets to going pretty fast?when I
run upstairs or
Dr. B, We'll take care of you; don't
worry. You've been worrying a lot,
haven't you?
REPORTER?Well, maybe a little.
I've had several tilings on my mind.
Dr. B.?Any financial worries'.'
REPORTER- Well, yes. a little of
that. I've Lad some debts to pay, but
I'm still solvent.
Dr. B. Don't let yourself worry
about anything. Worry is a monster
of a Frankenstein which hounds the
man who worries. You're thirty-one,
aren't you'.' You're just starting out.
You're ;;ick, but you can be cured.
Just think of that and don't let your?
self worry. Now let me have your
right arm.
"Blood Pressure Awful"
?Dr. Barber pulled blood pressure
instrument to the edge of the desk and
wrapped folds around reporter's arm.
Then applied pressure so much press
ure '','<.t circulation to hand was com?
pletely cut. off and hand "went to
sleep." Mercury instrument, under
constantly increased pressure, slowly
rose to above 160 on instrument dial.
Dr. 15. assumed excited and most anxi?
ous expression.i
DR. 1!. My God, man! Your blood
pri ure is 'way up. That's awful. You
only thirty-one, too. That's awful.
?Dr B. entared upon diagnosis sheet.
"B. P. 162," and unwrapped instru?
ment's folds from arm. Told reporter
to :-,and up. With stethoscope listened
to heart. Looked most grave.)
DR. B.- Do you know your heart is
beating twice as fast as it should?
REPORTER. I ! I hadn't any idea
Why, I've be in sitting down waiting
too. Are you sur'??
Heart Working Overtime
I?!; B. Of course I'm sure. Youi
pulse is beating 160. Your heart, youi
motive power plant, is doing just twice
what it should Le doing. That can't
go on.
i I<r. It. entered "P. 160" on diagnosli
sheet. Walked over to an adjoining
roof to where fluoroscopic machine
stood.)
DR. B. Come in hero, young man
We'll find out what to do with you
Don't W( try, we'll fix you up.
REPORTER. But, doctor, 160! Isn't
that ?Aura.. ;;?? fast as a heart can go",
Don't it mean that I'm that I'm
mighty near gone ?
DK. it. Oil, ne. You're in a bar
way, but there's nothing organlcall-,
wrong with your heart. You're just
rorvous and you put. too much work
on it. Com.- In hero and I'M examine
you with ' lie X- ray.
Another Machine Cued
i Reporter entered adjoining rooir
and stood against fluoroscopic ma
chine, Dr. ?:, held screen against re
poi t< r'n < 1" v, and pros iccl foot pedal
Intermittent crackling sound was hean
and very vague blur appeared or
?creen, disappeared and reappeared m
'.'.',' pedal was manipulated, Reportoi
wan then told to turn with hin fac?
toward the machino. Operation wai
repeated with screen again I tin- mid
die of Ihm back, Dr. it. switched of
' he ein not and rii ntem office, Re
porter folio.i i
TtKPORTER Will, tell ,nn what I'l
or.
DR. R, Dint have you.lfllf to me
If I Lad your case under control l'<
loon ?? ir? you make you an lit an ever
, Tell y I Whol tO do (,. i vuun ell thn
boo
I preme Miracles 25c. Dr. Croft, New j
| Haven, Conn.")
REPORTER?What is this book
! about?
DR. B.?It's New Thought; it'll do
I vou good.
|
"Going to Cost Money"
REPORTER?New Thought? That's
no ?rood, is it? I've heard
DR. 11.- No good except to get a
man's mind acting right. Hut get tho
book, anyway. Then I'll put you
?through a course of electrical treat?
ment which will pet you to vibrating
i the right way; calm your nerves down
'and fix up your heart. I'll put you on
a diet that I'll ask you to observe
which will help you generally. I'll
, treat your high blood pressure in a
'way which will soon correct it by ?
electrical methods. I'll get after that
heart condition and make it sound.
'We'll get you fixed up, but if's going
? to cost vou some money, young man.
REPORTER How much?
DR. B. (Opening drawer and ex?
tracting a booklet which he ope;;. ! ,!?
n. marked placel This is what it would
! cost you ordinarily. See here (giving
reporter a flash of the cover)?this is
I Lindthal's Sanitarium in Chicago, our
' only competitor, and here is whal the.?,
charge (indicating underlined seal?' of
; weekly rates), $30 to $50 a week, Jt
? would cost you hundreds there.
Cost ?.'?0 a Month
DR. B.?Seo here. I'll make it $50 n
month for all tho treatments vou need.
REPORTER I cud stand that for
a month or two, but not, much longer.
How long would it take to get me
fixed up?
DR. M. Now, you know nature
can't bo rushed. Sec here (opening
book ?m anatomy und indicating chart
of nervous system I here's the
cord. All tl c force in a man c inn ?
from that. In your case you're draw?
ing strength from here (indicating
spinal column i to supply these various
rentres (indicating various plexuses as
?illustrate?! in the book). Now, here's
the bridge of lif~ (drawing a rough
i figure, comprised ?f two vertical lines
supporting a third horizontal line).
j Now, at twenty-one a man is here I in
| dicating top of first vertical line), and
as he pets into his prime he begins to
cross tl?" bridge. Now you are thirty
one; yen are losing your footing on
: the bridge and sliding down. Go on
? as you an? and you'll fall off the bridge
! - - your bridge of life will break
j down. Now we can save you.
'? Treatment Three Mont lis
REPORTER Now many treatment;:
do you think I ought to have'.'
D!;. I!. Three a week. If you value
your health you won't hesitate Tell
you what I'll do. I get 10 per cent ofl
if I buy certain supplies for cash. Pa\
me cash, $150 down, and I'll let yoc
have the benefit of that !?> per cent.
REPORTER I'd rattier not pledge
myself for three months' treatment
Couldn't I try it out for a month?
DR. B.- Yes, that'll bo all right. Now
how much money aro you going to loi
me have now?
REPORTER?Why. I didn't expect t(
pay to-day. I just happened in to-daj
to get examined. I've only a couple o
dollars with rne.
DR. B. Well, what arc you going t?
do?
REPORTER I'll talk it over witl
my wife.
New York Office Visited
It was 10:35 when the reporter lef
Dr. Ward's Brooklyn office. Three
quarters of an hour later he was re
ceived by Dr. Gilbert White in tin
Manhattan quarters of the "electro
; medical scientists" at 230 West Sev
enty-second Street. Before ho wa
ushered into Dr. White's office the re
porter had con" through preliminar;
formalities similar to those experi
enced in the Brooklyn branch, with ?
tho exception that the reporter
changed his story. He said:
"When 1 press hard against my back,
I feel a slight pain. I had the Span
ish influenza last winter, but several |
physicians pronounced my recovery
complete. I'd like to have you exam- '
ine my lungs."
"All right." tho "medical scientist"
replied, and the reporter's blood
pressure was taken.
"Quite normal." tho doctor Baid.
"Let me listen to your heart." ,
? .? ind 0. IC, as also was ?
h ? pulso.
Xow Has Lung Trouble
:
The reporter thereupon was sent toj
the "X-ray" room upstairs a more,
elaborate affair than that in Brooklyn,
equipped with retorts, numerous elec
trii .. I eating devices and a disconcert- !
ing flashing red light a fluoroscopic
exam : ation was made and the reporter;
thereupon was u ivied in to the office j
of Dr. Gilbert V. I ite.
"The X-ray shows that you are suf-;
fcr n ':< m infiltration of. the lungs," ?
said Dr. White. v_
"Now, just what is that?" asked the,
reporter. "I mean, is it something
that nine men out of ten may have or
i ? it Serious '.'''
"It certainly is not something which:
nil en o\u of ten have," replied Dr.
Wl "It may be serious, very seri
ous. I will say this it may be most
erious ; : il is allowed to go un
I n ated."
"Is it a forerunner of consumption ?" i
a. ki d the ri porter.
"it some! ?tu i is,'' said Dr. White.
Cost Would Be $55
"I run going to Europe in about a
month, perhaps," said tho reporter.
"Do you think 1 could get results in
that time?"
"Oh, : ?? :- 1 think we could fix you
up ul ? ght in a month," was the reply.
"What treatment would 1 get?''
"Electrical treatment and inhala
: ion :," said Dr. White.
"Ai d the cost ?"
"Fifty ' va dollars for a month's
treatment."
"For how many treatments?"
"I don't know exactly, but you'd get
all yon need. We'd rather givo you
three treatments a day if you need it
than let you drag along with three a
week. ?*! ou'd get all you properly
Id hav "
"Well," said the reporter, "I prob?
ably \v; !! see you again."
"You're sure there's no heart com?
plication'."' was tho reporter's final
"Decidedly not," was Dr. White's re
ply.
Schirffrlin. Considers
Action Against Hylan
The question of bringing action
against Mayor John F. Hvlan on a
charge of criminal libel as the result
of an official communication to Health
Commissioner Copeland, asserting that
tho drug firm of Schieffelin & Co.
has broken the law by sidling narcotics,
is "und. r advisement" by William Jay
Schieffelin and counsel, it was said at
Mr. Schieffelin's office yesterday. The
probability is that action will be
brought against the Mayor.
The question of libellous utterance
may hinge on whether the Mayor, under
the law, can indulge in a damaging
statement in an official communication.
It was said yesterday that the Mayor
is mistaken as to tho law when he says
the Schieffelin firm was compelled to
file with the Health Department a copy
of each prescription sohl.
The law, it. was said, provides that
W^%^rU%tm?rmi?(\ M PORTERS SINCE ISG?^J^TJ? ^gjMl
LONDON PARIS
Mc Gibbon &C6.
3 West 37th St.
ONE DOOR FROM FIFTH AVENUE
WILLOW FURNITURE
Never hefore has our Stock been un
Comprehensive as at this time?built
on beautiful lines and substantially made.
Settees, Day Beds, Couches, Arm and
Side Chairs, Tables, Desks, Dressers,
Sewing Baskets, Tabourettes, Bird Cages, Lamps
IN NATURAL, STAINED OR ENAMEL FINISH
IMPORTED PRINTS
Cretonnes, Linens and Chintzes for
SLIP COVERS and SUMMER DRAPERIES
HALF PRICE- 25c to 1.50 a yd.
WIDTHS?30 Inches and 50 inches
A WORTHWHILE OPPORTUNITY
HTOHK OFF N ? V M TO BiSO l". M,
M)fc-?WW^W??V(Mr(;7uMON roa QUALITY 0%?%PJWJtMl
one of the triplicate narcotic-selling
orders shall be filed by the purchaser
of the order, while the seller is merely
compelled to keep on filo a copy of the
order.
Tho testimony quoted by the Mayor
appears to have been part of the rec?
ord made by David Hirshtield, Com?
missioner of Accounts, when he inves?
tigated the official acts of Lucius Polk
Brown last year. Mr. Brown was head
of tho Food and Drugs Bureau of the
Health Department. The Hylan Ad
Bronx Prosecutor
Will Investigate \
Socialist Schools
- i
i
District Attorney Martin Is i
Indignant 7'liat ??ldren '
of Borough Are Exposed
to Bolshevik Teachings
Indignation that the children of The
Bronx should be exposed to such teach- j
ing as is pursued at the Boston Road j
Socialist Sunday School was expressed !
by District Attorney Martin when the
matter was brought to his attention
after a brief absence from tho city, j
His department will investigate the
matter and ho will cooperate with the
Federal and municipal authorities in
any action that may be taken.
"I shall certainly investigate this
most thoroughly," he told Tho Tribune.
"If I find that anti-American and dis?
loyal statements arc being made I will
prosecute to the full extent of the law.
"I do not intend to permit The Bronx
! to be a hotbed of seditious utterances.
I have determined positively to stamp
? out all these anti-American meetings
i and teach the promoters that they must
, live in conformity with our laws.
"Their talk about freedom of speech
! is a lot of nonsense. They haven't the
I first idea of what freedom of speech
; means. They are continually violating
| all the rules of free speech as applied
I under our law.
"This kind of propaganda is espe
| cially harmful when fed to young
? children, who are unable to appreciate
; what it means or to discern its real
motive. I shall make special efforts to
> see that the youth of The Bronx is
\ saved from further contact with these
i Bolshevik doctrines."
Senate Auto Bill
Expected to Make
City Streets Safer
Magistrate Cobb Predicts
Provision for Tests of
Ability of Drivers Will
Put Check on Accidents
The Kr::ght-Wheelock bill, passed by
the State Senate Tuesday, in the opin?
ion of Magistrate W. Bruch Cobb, of
tho Traffic Court, marks the most for?
ward step in automobile legislation this
state has taken in years. Magistrate
Cobb declared the bill is absolutely
non-partisan and was drafted with the
solo idea of reducing accidents.
The bill provides for examination
of all persons desiring a license to
operate an automobile, in addition to
a license feo of $2. It is limited in
application to New York City.
"Every effort," Magistrate Cobb
declared, "was made to defeat this
bill. It was characterized as class
legislation and the prejudices of one
part of the state were arrayed against
the other. While I prefer a state-wide
bill, it was found that its enactment
would be impossible."
Magistrate Cobb said before the bill
was drafted every possible agency was
consulted. That part of the bill which
provides for examination of all drivers
was included because it was felt that
most accidents were the result of the
carlessness or inefficiency of those
who operate automobiles.
"The $2 license fee. about, which so
much talk has been made," said the
magistrate, "is a trifle in comparison
with the beneficent purposes of the
bill, and is intended only to meet the
administrative cost of examining op?
erators."
S. P. Redmond, the local head of the
Secretary of State's office in New York
She Might Have Lost
81950
In helping a woman to make
out her Income Tax retnrn, we
discovered that she had not col?
lected three semi-annual interest
payments on a mortgage ?he
owned?a temporary loss of about
$1950.
Wc quickly convinced thi?
woman that she should let us look
after her invest ment s for her.
Usually, our moderate fee is more
than offset by the
saving we effect for
the trusts placed in
our hands. Ask for
our trust service
booklet.
FULTON
TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
F?ubH?hr?t laoO
Utmbtr Federal Renn* S\tt*m
Pinter IluiUling
1 -t(> {>roadway
City, to which applications for licenses
must be made, Baid he did not think
? fewer people would take out licenser-,
and that the bill which has been sub
mitted to Governor Smith for his sip
. nature is ?ii'Torent from the old law
only i:t tho fact that it provides for a
?Tactical examination.
Heretofore, Mr. Redmond explained,
a? y one who wished to take out a
? license Tilled out a blank which re
. quired answers as to experience and
whether the applicant ever had ben
1 arrested tor accidents in driving. Th?->
j present bill, Mr. Redmond said, would
i provide for a demonstration of tl?<?
driver's skill in operating an au:
mobile. lie predicted tin? lull would re
duee the number of automobile ace
' dents in the city.
Start today to buy
War Savings Stamps
An excellent investment
and a patriotic duty
i
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