Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-15

DR.. A. B. Shaw Of st. Louis, No., who has
been making microscopic examinations Of the
Brown-Sequard "elixir," discovered while ex-
perimenting Saturday last that the fluid was
alive with countless bacteria, although but
three hours had elapsed since the elixir was
prepared Bacilh tuberculosis, the bacillis
that IL supposed to cause tuberculosis, we're
found in great quantity, thousands being in a
single drop OF the mixture. DR.. Shaw could
arrive at but one conclusion, namely, that the
glands were from . sheep infected with the
bscilli Of tubercle, as the mortar and pestle
and the distilled water had besa thoroughly
sterilized before the mixture was made
Of the injection millions of these bacilli
wo9io nave been put into the system,
each one capable Of multiplying its sf indefi-
nitely. The danger underlying such treatment
can readily be seen, and the chances would be
ten to one that tuberculosis in some form would
manifest itself in the person inoculated. Dr.
shaw has since made other experiments, and
In two OF them the bacillus tuberculosis was
discovered. The rod-shaped bacilli were also
found IN several samples Of the mixture made
Dr. shaw said: II would lay down the follow
ing rules for the use of the elixir in view of my
dlscoveriss: First. The laity should not use the
injection upon themselves. Second. Physi-
clans should not use it until it has been sub
mitted TO microscopic examination to ascer-
tain whether it is infested with bacteria or not
and care should be taken that the glands are
taken from perfectly healthy animal. Third
All instruments and vessels should be thor
oughly sterilized, and even the distilled water
should not be used until examined for bacteria
WRITING IN AGONY
At Birmingham, Ala, on Monday night DR..
L. Lichstein. recently of New York, expert
mented on himself and q patient named
L. d. May with Brown-Sequard elixir. Both
are now writhing in mortal agony, the pain
having begun several hours afterward and
increased ever since. Nervousness, chilly
feeling and symptoms of blood poisoning
make their conditions dangerous The lamb
had been dead one hour and forty minutes be-
fore the injection was made. Other expert
ments by DR.. Davis, made the same night,
Alexander Hunter. who had been i'll for
twelve months with chronic dysentery.
COLONEL AVERY TAXES IT.
At Atlanta, Ga, the Brown-Sequard life
elixir was tried Tuesday night on Col Isaac W.
Avery, prominent journalist, for years editor
OF the Atlanta Constitution. Col Avery has
suffered from wounds received in the war, and
last winter was run over by a cab in Washing
ton. He Is suffering from partial paralysis
DR.. Z. d. Green tried the remedy on him, first
Q ling an injection himself So far Col. Avery
400 oAPottcuCcu ~ Tcud(kaDle eutctS, tue only
thing noticeable being a stupor like that re-
sultng from opiates. DR.. Green had high
fever and was sick all day, but was much better
last night.
THE PHILADELPHIA ExPERrMENTs.
The resident physicians room at the Medico-
Chirursicai hospital in Philadelphia was
crowded yesterday with patients who either
bad tried or were prepared to try the Brown
Sequard method of treatment. Those who had
tried it were not in any sense carried away with
~. TO man all the patients who have been
treated declined anything further il the same
line Among these were Andrew Drummond,
aged eixty-seven, janitor Of the college, and
James Henderson, aged ffty-six, who were each
given an injection in theuRrm on Monday.
For yesterdays clinic Prof. Booming, the
operating physician, had prepared q sterilized
solution Of the Brown-Sequard elixir. Prof.
Booming said that the object Of the expert
ments that were being made at the college was
simply to establish whether the Brown-Sequard
elixir had therapeutic properties that could
be recognized by their effects. He repeated
with emphasis that the faculty of the college
were not committed to any belief concerning
it, and would not apply it otherwise than as an
experiment upon patients, who were free to
take 1t at their personal risk.
Br. Booming then announced that there
would be no further public demonstration Of
the B-own-Sequard treatment at the Medico-
Chirurgical college. The patients treated yes
terday would be heard from privately. The
doctor said that out of III cases operated upon
i've OF them had developed Assesses. Alb
scesses, ne said, were not always injurious and
very generally they were beneficial after a pa
tent recovered from one and the Inflammation
was drawn from it. So nothing could be
based one way or the other on the forming Of
abscesses. While he and his professional asso-
oiates were skeptical as to the therapeutic mer.
Its OF the so-called elixir, the doctor said they
To
thing could be revealed to them to sustain what
has been ascribed to its remedial power
All the patients who suffered more or less
deleterlous effects from the treatment were
prescribed for. The two newspaper men who
undertook to test the elixir are recovering
under the care of DR.. Booming himself. One
was very much improved yesterday and the
other was still confined to bed.
COULD STAND WITHOUT CLUTCHES
The Brown-Sequard elixir was tried at
Mobile, Ala, yesterday afternoon. the patients
being DIR. Peter Colsson, for many wears a
victim OF rheumatic govt, and Thomas Bratton
OF Coneeville, Ala, afflicted with liver trouble
Or. Colsson prepared the elixir and a brother
physician injected it into his arms. Two hours
later, when questioned about the results, he
said:
II am certain feel better. NV Joints move
supple and the blood is circulating through
my legs, and you see am able to stand up
WAhous using CIutcneb.
Then, moving his toes up and down, he said
that was the first time he had been able TO do
80 in twelve months. Mr.. Bratton reported no
change in his condition.
INDIANAPOLIS PHYSICIANS pIFFER
DR.. W. B. Fletcher Of Indianapolis, Ind, has
made several new experiments with the Brown
Sequard elixir in his sanitarium. The results
were not as satisfactory as in previous test
cases, but information believed to be of value
was derived.
An insane man, who has been afflicted with
st. Vitus' dance since the war; was chosen for
the experiment. When the elixir was injected
into his system it had no noticeable effect i'm
mediately. DR.. Fletcher says if there was any
perceptible change it was simply that the man
seemed quieter and more at ease shan usual
The dose will be repeated today. 1t Is his
theory that In such extreme cases the treatment
must be continued longer than ordinarily to
bring about any marked change
Among the persons upon whom he expert
mented were also three men who had become
insane from gastric troubles. All seemed to
be benefited by it. The effect seemed to be
that OF stimulant very quick in its action.
There Is a division of opinion among the
indianapolis doctors as to the result Of the
many experiments that have been made here
and an exciting discussion is in progress. Doc
tor Fletcher who has long been one of the fore
most physicians in the state strongly MAIN
tains that the discovery is of value, but there
Is much vet to be learned about il His view.