Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-11-24
Pnor. KocHs DIscovsRY.
A Cure 10 Not Csstaiu. but the Deeults
are Woudesiul.

BERLIN, Nov. 23.--The bestowal By the
Emperor Of the grand cross Of the Order Of
the Red Eagle on Prof. Koch vas gasstAed
tonight. This 10 the first time that THE
decoration has been bestowed upon any ono
who did not possess the preceding classcs
Of the order. Though confidence In the
ultimate value of Prof. Koch's discovery
does not Abate, public disappointment over
the immediate results of the treatment
grows daily. Prof. Koch's assistants, Drs.
Levy and Cornet, and others, estimate the
number of cases at about I ,700; the greater
number of these were suffering from ex-
terror tuberculosis. and are progressing.
There were comparatively few cases
Of tubefcules on the lungs. Ths q.
perts are beginning to concur in the
opinion that cure Of this disease BY the
treatment is uncertain. Prof. Koch die
elaine responsibility for the statements put
in his mouth In regard to his experiments.
He blames the press for raising exaggefA-
ted hopes of instant benefit in every form Of
tuberculosis. Prof. Virchow, speaking In
the Medicinesche Gesellschaft, referred to
the subsidence of the enthusiasm, but de-
Tended Prof. Koch against the charge Of
prematurely publishing his discovery.
Prof. Stellwag Of the Vienna University,
addressing the students, advised them 70
be cautious In expectance, believing only
what Prof. KAch has directly stated. $50
far" added Prof. Stellwag, ''the possibility
Of the cure Of lupus alone has been proved.
while IL has not been scientifically estab.
lished that lupus arises from the same
bacillus that 10 associated with lung tuer-
cles."
An eminent authority on bacteria. DR..
Ullman writes; at will take fully year
Of frequent injections. besides treatment
under right sanitary conditions, to enable
one to form reliable opinion a. to the cura-
bility of consumption, either In advanced or
In early stages" DR.. Ullman worked for
several months in Prof. Koch's laboratory.
He believes the remedy promises good re-.
suits In cases Of external tuberculosis a.
though, he says, relapses must be guarded
against. DR.. Surycki, reporting to the
medical society Of Carscow, which sent
him here to investigate, declares that even
the cure Of external tuberculosis BY the
new process 10 uncertain, while he sees no
ground for believing that 1t will cure con-
sumption in any stage. DIR. Krause
Of Vienna affirms the benefit Of the
remedy for tuberculosis of the bonea,
skin and joints, but does not believe that Il
will ever heal lung tubercles. DR.. Kfauss
wss in attendance here for several weeks,
testing the experiments. Profs. Frasntxsl
and Runkuritz, in their latest report, con-
firm the opinion that the injection does not
materially check advanced phthisis. They
do, however. check early phthisls. but the
bacilli may revive and reinfect the tissues.
The opinions of number Of other experts,
German, Austrian and English. all Of the
same tenor, are becoming known, and
tone down the excited public expecsa-
tions. Not many English or Americans have
come for treatment. A number of patients
have already left, under the urgent advice
Of the physicians not to risk the seventies
Of Berlin winter. but to await the use Of
the remedy under better climatic conditions.
Patients who are crowding the hospitals
justly complain Of the suspension Of their
treatment, owing to the alleged want Of
lymph. Favored doctors having private
clinics have got supplies and charge from
90 to 100 marks for single inoculation.
while poor patients on whom experiments
are tried, are lying in the charity hospitals.
Their treatment has been interrupted. and
their disease threatens to become xggrsva.
ted. Profs. Leiden, LeDstor and 0erhsrdt
urge upon Prof. Koch the speed
lest abandonment Of the secrecy
regarding the nature of the lymph.
The vossiche Zeitung states that cut Of
nine cases treated with the remedy by Prof.
Trendelenbufg Of Bon University yestef-
day, few bad fevered tempratufe reach
ing 40 deg. In other cases. though un-
doubsedly affected, with tuberculosis, there
was no reaction whatever. Pfesiden
Dsrpmann of the Veterinary College Of
Hanover predicts the application Of the
Koch remedy to cattle and swine, thus pro-
tecting farmers from heavy losses. Prof.
Koch will prosecute series Of experiments
with the view of discovering remedies for
scarlet fever. measles, typhss and other
epidemics