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Home Publications American Chestnut Proceedings 1981 Hypovirulence Offers Hope, Not Facts

Hypovirulence Offers Hope, Not Facts

A recent Science (209: 597, 1979) article on the use of laetrile to control cancer ended by saying "Clinical trials on the drug conducted. by the government are unlikely to resolve anything (in people's minds), because in the absence of a cure what people want is hope, not facts." At times hope for a cure can cloud scientific minds. In the late 1950's, a miracle cure for white pine blister rust was widely acclaimed withou any experimental verification. Finally, experiments demonstrated there was no curative effect due to the treatment and a million-dollar program was quietly scrapped.


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Author(s): E. George Kuhlman

Publication: American Chestnut Proceedings - 1981