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ulcers can best be described as being comparable to a knife blade piercing the tissue
beneath the skin. After applying DMSO to the ulcerated area, the pain is gone in a
matter of seconds. DMSO has been effective in my case. I have had positive results.
My only wish is that all scleroderma patients be given the chance to try DMSO for
themselves. I hope you can now understand better what DMSO means to the
scleroderma patient. Please remember that you and the committee will be speaking
for many people. I truly appreciate your concern for this issue, and I hope your
efforts are successful.
Sincerely,
CYNTHIA HONAKER.
Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER,
Chairman, House Select Committee on Aging,
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
PHOENIX, ARIZ., April 13, 1980.
DEAR HONORABLE PEPPER: I am a C-7 (incomplete) quadriplegic and am writing
you regarding the use of DMSO. I saw the segment on 60 Minutes recently and it is
my understanding that DMSO is now before the House Select Committee on Aging.
I would like to offer you my experiences with DMSO.
In the latter part of December, 1979, I entered the University of Oregon Medical
Center to receive DMSO under Dr. Stanley Jacob. In the four months that I have
been taking DMSO, I have experienced no negative side affects. I have had numer-
ous and various movements in my legs during this time that I never had before
since my accident. Although they have been involuntary at this point, I feel that
this is a good sign and hope to have more controlled return as time progresses. I feel
very good, healthy and optimistic about my continued use of DMSO.
I am very grateful to Dr. Jacob for allowing me to become his patient and
sincerely hope that the FDA will release DMSO for immediate use.
Sincerely,
JAMES L. WAGES.
HALLANDALE, FLA., April 14, 1980.
Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER,
Committee on Aging
Washington, D.Č.
DEAR SIR: The DMSO controversy write-up in the Miami Herald, April 12th, 1980,
was of great interest to me. I am one of the 15,000 people in the country that
suffered with that rare and agonizing interstitial cystitis (Hunner's ulcer of the
bladder) for fourteen years.
Praying for a miracle, all those years, I had the good fortune to contact Dr.
Robert Hoffberger and his associates, Drs. Fuchs, Rappel and Hoffberger, Urologists,
Hollywood, Fla. 33023.
I became their patient in 1978. It was March 1979, Dr. Hoffberger started to treat
me with DMSO. First signs of some relief became evident in September 1979. I
steadily improved so that treatments were necessary at six week intervals, whereas,
in the past, I was getting treatments at two or three week intervals.
As I stated, I had chronic interstitial cystitis for a period of fourteen years. This
condition was diagnosed by urologists in the Philadelphia area following cystoscopic
examinations. This condition is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process
with resultant adhesion formation, and contracture of the bladder. The disease
causes constant severe pain so one is immobilized for the greater part of each day.
My life now is changed. I can walk, I can shop and I can go places. I am free of
pain and I am very grateful to Dr. Stanley Jacob for this medication.
Finally, I wish to state that my doctors have seen improvements and healing of
the ulcer following cystoscopic examination.
The osteopathic physicians, genito-urinary specialists that treated me accepted my
Medicare payments only.
In addition to the healing of the bladder through use of DMSO, I can also report
the relief of pains that I had in the knuckles of both hands. This was diagnosed as
arthritis by a physician.
I have written this letter to you knowing your concern for humanity, so that you
will use your influence in promoting DMSO.
Sincerely yours,
FRANCES WEERTZEL.
