15
etc. The remarkably rapid effect which this vaccine often produces on some of these condi
-
tions, especially on the joint affections, which have resisted all other kinds of treatment
gives this vaccine a specific diagnostic value similar to that of salvarsan in the treatment of
syphilis and its complications.
TABLE XII
Giving the results of treatment with stock, gonococcus vaccine during 1915.
Nature of infection.
Number of
cases cured.
Number of
cases relieved.
Number of
cases
unaffected.
T o t a l .
G o n o r r h œ a l u r e t h r i t i s . . .
13
11
2
26
Gonorrhœeal arthritis and tenosynovitis . . .
72
39
8
119
Gonorrhœal epididymitis . . .
2
. . .
. . .
2
Gonorrhœal endometritis and peritonits . . .
3
5
. . .
8
Gonorrhœal cystitis . . .
2
. . .
. . .
2
Gonorrhœal affections of the eye . . .
7
4
7
18
Total . . .
99
5 9
17
175
Streptococcus vaccines.—Polyvalent streptococcus vaccine issued from the Institute has
been used both curatively and prophylactically for a number of different conditions including
puerperal sepsis and actual or threatened sepsis after accidents and operations. A large
number of Pyorrhœa alveolaris cases with their attendant symptoms of dyspepsia, neurasthenia,
debility, sprue, etc., were also reported to have been greatly benefited and even cured but
in all these cases other treatment was also given such as cleaning of the teeth, emetin
injections, etc.
In this connection may be mentioned certain interesting observations made during an
epidemic of Pemphigus which broke out among the Territorials in Fort St. George. Soon
after their arrival from England, a number of them broke out with a virulent eruption
on the fore-arms and legs which, by its position, was presumably the result of mosquito
bites, the covered parts being remarkably free. The eruption started as clear vesicles and
blebs the contents of which when inoculated on culture media mostly proved sterile.
The irritation resulting from them was so great that the men freely scratched themselves
so that many of the foci suppurated and cultivations in this stage gave pure growths
of the Pemphigus streptococcus. Scabbing followed with the production of ulcers below
the scabs, which took a long time to heal in spite of local and internal medication. All the
affected men were put under stock Pemphigus streptococcus vaccine treatment. The results
obtained were highly gratifying. Of thirty-one men who developed the complaint, eight were
cured after one injection, seven after two injections, five after three injections, seven after four
to eight injections and the remaining four men were under treatment at the time the report was
received. The noteworthy feature in this set of cases is the apparent absence of organisms in
the contents of the eruption in its primary stage which lends support to the view that it started
as a direct effect of the mosquito bite on the highly irritable skins of persons unaccustomed to
the climate, the vèsicles later getting infected during scratching or otherwise with the
streptococcus of pemphigus.
Pneumococcus vaccine .—This was used in a number of cases of asthma and bronchitis.
Many of these were reported ' cured' or ' relieved' but, as the after history of these cases,
which are well known to be of an intermittent and paroxysmal nature, could not be closely
followed, it is difficult to say what is the real extent of the benefit that resulted from the stock
vaccine.
B. Coli vaccine .—Cases of cystitis and perineal suppuration are reported to have been
benefited by this vaccine.
Tuberculins.—As usual there was a diversity of opinions regarding the efficacy of tuber
-
culins in the treatment of tubercular infections. It was not used on any large scale in the
General Hospital as its employment there during previous years does not seem to have given
trustworthy results. The Superintendent of the Madras Lunatic Asylum used it in a series of
cases including tuberculosis of the lungs and glands with very successful results. Of the
thirty-four pulmonary cases fifteen were reported as cured, four were relieved, eight died, two
were discharged before completion of treatment and five were still under treatment at the end
of the year. This series included cases of different degrees of severity, both febrile and a febrile.
Bacillary emulsion consisting of a mixture of equal parts of the human and bovine strains was
used, many of the cases having been run up to a dose of 2/3 mgr. A few of the cases were
diagnosed clinically aspulmonary tuberculosis whilst, in the majority, the diagnosis was
confirmed by microscopic examination of the sputum as well. Of the six cases of glandular
tuberculosis treated in the same Institution, five have been reported as cured and one as