Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-01
KoCn,s CONSUMPTION CURE.

s1cians
A few interviews with some Of New Ha-
VEINS leading physicians on the subject Of
DR.. Koch's cure for consumption are here
with given:
Dr.. Cheney was visited and kindly gave
his views upon the subject He said it |
would be premature to give a positive |
opinion regarding DR.. Koch's new treat |
ment for tuberculosis. The reason it has |
attracted 80 much attention in the medi-
cal world was, he said, because of DR..
Koch's well established reputation in sci
ence as o careful investigator and accurate
observer. He was not q man given to
visionary speculation nor inclined to jump
to conclusions. A. statement of expert
ments and their results coming from such
a source carried great weight with it,
The statements Of DR.. Koch constituted at
present all orr knowledge of the subjeet..sd
Fts The facts seemed to be that DR.. Koch
had discovered q remedy which rendered
animals experimental upon insusceptible
to inoculstion with tubercle-bacili, and
which arrested the tubercular process in
those already affected, when not too
far advanced. This remedy had no
effect when taken into the stomach, but
must be injected under the skin. Human
beings are affected by much less guam
tity than that required for animals. By
far the most susceptible to the action Of
the remedy were those affected with the
tubercular process in any form, persons in
good health, or affected by any disease
other than tubercular, requiring larger
dose. The dose for tubercular subjects, in the
words of DIR. Koch, is Zone cubic centimeter
of the hundredth attenuation" or 0.01
cubic centimeter. This dose produced in
L .~I& of
| the limbs, and feeling of prostration
| which soon passes away" A much larger
| dose, O.25 cubic centimeters, produced
| upon DR.. Koch himself and others, ''ten-
sion In the limbs, prostitution, tendency to
cough, oppression of breathing, which
| rapidly increased, later an unusually violent
| chill, nausea, vomiting and rise Of temper
ature." These symptoms gradually abated
| in the course of few days. The remedy,
toms strikingly analogous to those of tu-
berculosis of the lungs, or consumption.
DIR. Cheney continuing, said: An inter-
| teresting practical fact connected with
DR.. Koch's researches is that in
| testing for substances capable of
| destroying the tubercle bacilli, he found
that eight was as potent as chemicals,
sunlight killing layer OF bacili in few
| minutes or hours, according to the thick
ness Of the layer" Ordinary daylight did
| the same thing in four or five days.
1t was pretty certain, the doctor said,
| that no remedy or remedies would ever do
away with the paramount need of light,
| fresh outdoor air and proper food. The
| fundamental laws of health would always
remain the same. ..-... -
As to the treatment itself, the doctor
added, the lymph would doubtless before
| long. be placed within thee reach of every
j opI no rocr1fa IF ito T1ca nor11d
alone decide the question as to its efficacy.
DR.. Carmalt was seen and his opinion
| asked concerning DR.. Koch's remarkable
discovery The doctor evidently had care
fully read all the statements and facts
which have been published concerning the
matter, but would not set himself up as an
authority beyond that extent He said
that DR.. Koch was perfectly reliable man
! as well as his colleagues who have been
associated with him, and that his previous
work from a scientific standpoint has been
of great value. His present discovery is
of immense value to medical science from
the fact alone, if nothing else, that DIR.
Koch has discovered the fundamental
causes of consumption in all its phases,
namely, the tubercle bacilli, which attacks
the other organs well as the lungs. DIR.
Carmalt said that the eminent German
physician after making this discovery had
n
l solution of the remedy in purely scien-
: tito manner. The theory is apparently
sound, and now all that is needed is time
/ to await the result of experiments already
| made. 1t is yet, of course, in an expert
/ mental stage, but has progressed so far al
| to warrant experiments on the human
/ body. If the results are satisfactory il
I will be one Of the grandest achievements
| | in the history of the profession.
The dockor vhila not yyi11ino fo commits
himself with making any prophecies fol
. the future, was evidently more or less san
Q | guine that satisfactory results would b.
q | obtained, and said that SO far it seemed
perfectly plausible. In case of success, b.
. would be among the first to adopt thu
first. He thought that DR.. Koch had beel
1 somewhat misrepresented in articles thai
, 1 have appeared, as stating sureties of
! marvellous nature, which never emanatet
: from him at all. As example, the state
1 ments which have appeared to the efec
that the lymph was an effectual remed,
( for tumors, etc. While this may in tim
be proven true, it has not yet been ad
vanced by DIR. Koch himself, but has com
Z | from other quarters, where the doctor
+ principles have been applied by process
: of logical reasoning.
Concerning the fact of DR.. Ksch's secrec
: about the preparation of the lymph, tn
q doctor said he thought to certain point
, | was the wise thing TO do. But when tn
: time comes that certain facts have bee
! demonstrated and the doctor is sure of hi
/ | preparation, then public interest woul
!, l demand detailed knowledge of the pre-
I I cess, which would undoubtedly be given
q | The present attitude of the French govern
1 | eminent to have nothing to do with it I'm
: | til that time is perfectly right.
In summing up as to his opinion of d.
Koch and his theory the doctor said: g
!. consider it plausible scientific theor
: coming from q reliable source and whe
the theory has been satisfactorily demon
:. strated by experiment it ought to and VI
u questionably will be adopted by the enti1
7. profession"
d When DR.. Francis Bacon was asked whs
he thought of DR.. Koch's consumptio
cure, he replied: eve shall very 500
's know more about it, but the present tim
7. is too early to give an opinion that woul
>. be of any great value The statements O
% Dr.. Koch are entitled to the greatest re
8 spect, as he is an eminent physician an
If and great investigator. If the statement
n made by the doctor had come from some
!. one not SO well and favorably known t
d the medical profession, the stories woul
+. not be entitled to 30 much credence. A
n present there is no lymph in this country
J. but it will probably be imported very soor
# after which it will be tried extensively
X The mode of treatment, continued the doc
+. tor, is to give the patient hyperdermic il
# jections of the lymph, which is a fluid ez
,e tract, under the skin. One injection ma
le suffice, or it may be necessary to give fri
t, quent applications of the treatment
,e There are trustworthy accounts of in
,e provement of consumptive cases that hay
4 been treated in Berlin with the remedy.
The following is from the Rocky Mour
r tain News, Denver, Colorado:
le Within a week consumptives and Others su
n fering from tuberculosis diseases in this cit
- will be enabled to avail themselves of Dr. Koch
ts great discovery. DIR. M. Keiner, formerly {
Ia In the Rocky Mountain university, and DR.. Ro
i | ert Levy has sent to DR.. Koch for a quantity
10 the lymph, and soon as it is RECEIVED they W
ar ing to try the remedy at the dispensary Of Il
=. Crosse Medical college in Larimer street. Thes
~ two physicians have already provided Their
selves with the necessary apparatus for 1n1ectir
an the lymph and are anxiously awaiting the receI
of tho desired article DR.. Kleiner is very enthus
ei astic over the discovery, and he believes that
ty will do Just what DR.. Koch claims for it. Poop
"a In this city he said, will soon be able to judge Il
!, | themselves the result OF the new discovery. II
n effects Of an injection Of the lymph will be n
IL ticeable in four weeks, and should the renee
n prove as curative as it is claimed, DR.. Klein
J, and his associate will have their hands full.
- The public will be notified just as soon as Il
lymph Is received, and those who wish may ha,
n it applied free. The experiment will be watcht
AZ with interest by all the physicians in this stat
u and should Improve success there is no dou
m but that permanent institution for the admin
on city.
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