Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-15
CONSUMPTION CURE.
Professor KOch's Wonderful
Discovery.
Valuable Contribution to Med
ical Science.
His Medicine Is Sure Remedy for
Tuberculosis.
Consumption Can Be Cured if Treated in
Time-A Glimmer of Hope for
One-Lungers.
Associated Press Dispatches.

BERLIN, Nov. 14.-Professor Koch
publishes an article in the Deutsche
Mediginische Wochenschrift, on the
cure of tuberculosis. Professor Koch
says he is yet unprepared to indicate
the source from which the curative mat
ter is derived, and the mode OF prepar-
alton, for the reason that experimental
work is still in progress. He states that
the curative lymph itself, can be OBJ
tanned from DR.. Libbertz, % Luenebour-
ger strasse, Berlin.
The lymph is described as consisting of
brownish, transparent liquid, so pre-
pared as to be proof against deteriora-
ton. When diluted with water for use,
the matter is liable to decay. 1t is
necessary, therefore that the attenua-
tions be perfectly sterilized by heat and
preserved IN wadding covering, or pre-
pared with solution of phenol, fifty
per cent. strong.
When taken into the stomach the
curative matter proves to have no effect.
1t must be applied simultaneously by
means OF valveless syringe, which
must be rinsed with absolute alcohol,
and kept in perfectly asceptic
condition.
Twenty-Five hundredths of a cubic CEN
timeter intensely affected a healthy man.
who was subjected to the experiment,
while two centimeters applied to guinea
pig had little effect. Prof. Koch in
jected twenty-five hundredths of cubic
centimeter under the skin of his own
arm, and within few hours experienced
a contraction of the limbs, and a marked
feeling OF lassitude; at the same time he
felt desire to cough, together with diff
ficulty OF breathing. These symptoms
increased rapidly, and in five hours he
experienced an unusually violent rigor,
accompanied with nausea, and the tenn
perature of his body rose rapidly. After
twelve hours the symptoms began to
abate. and the next day his body re-
sumed its normal degree. Heaviness OF
the limbs and languid feeling con-
tinued for several days, however.
The same results follow when the fiuid
is applied to diseased persons suffering
from other than tubercular affections,
but in persons affected with tubercul-
osis, the same quantity produces gem
eral and local reaction. The reaction
can best be observed in those whose af-
lection is visible, as, for instance, per-
sons suffering from lupus. Within few
hours after injection the lupus sores
begin to swell, and finally assume dark
brown tint. The fever subsidies, the
swelling decreases and the sores gener-
ally disappear, scabs of matter falling off
the latter. Portions OF the skin not
clearly recognized as lupus are not af
fected.
1t is asserted with confidence that the
remedy may be considered auxiliary to
diagnosis, and in doubtful cases incipient
consumption can be diagnosed by its
use.
Professor Koch expresses the belief
that his remedy will certainly prove
cure for incipient consumption wheth-
er. however, the cure will be final and
definite, has not definitely been proven
further experiments are necessary to de-
termine.
The remedy can only influence living
tubercular tissue. 1t has no effect upon
dead tissue, and produces no effect upon
tissues which have already been killed
by the application OF the remedy. 1t is
quite possible that such remedy may
still contain living tuberculosis baclli,
which may again invade the adjacent
living tissue. 1t follows, therefore, that
tubercular tissue that is still living must
be the first to decay. When this has
been accomplished, every effort must be
made to remove the dead matter by sur
gerry. Where this is impossible, and
secretion can only slowly proceed, the
living tissue must be protected by the
continued application OF the remedy.
The remedy is applied in cumulative
doses; a small quantity at first suffices
to produce strong action; but as each
succeeding injection causes the disap-
pearance of a quantity of tissue, capable
OF reaction, increased doses are neces-
sary until the patient experiences as
little reaction as non-tuberculous people.
Patients who have been treated in the
early stages of phthisis, have all been
freed from morbid symptoms within
from four to six weeks, when they may
be regarded as healed. Consumptives
with large cavities in their lungs will
probably derive benefit from the new
remedy only in exceptional cases. In
all cases Professor Koch emphasizes the
necessity of early treatment. Only in
the incipient stages of disease, he de-
clares, can the remedy fully develop its
efficacy. He deprecates the mechanical
and indiscriminate application of the
remedy, holding it preferable that the
treatment should be applied in suitable
institutions, where careful observation
is possible.
There is regular exodus from the
Mediterranean shores of consumptlves.
to Berlin. Many American doctors are
coming to hear Koch's lecture Novem-
ber Goth.