, 1890-12-24
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ON DR.. KOCH'S CURE.

seems already not too early to acCt m hln as
a benefactor of the human race. tn t he has
discovered the secret Of combating, and with
almost miraculous rapidity para ysin9; certain
forms of the action of one OF those deadly m-
crobes which find Judgment III mans body is
confidently believed and there is good reason
u expect that his remody will prove potent to
arrest its baneful operation in another and
more terrible developemeAt Of disease. The
fprmer of these conclusions is baSed>On the
carefully watched and recorded experiments. at
Berlin. Inveterate lupus Of the face-a
malady selected as Offering tie" best marked
and most easily recognizable exaI lie of tuber-
cllous Election yielded with marvellous sGfed
to the application Of the new treatmentf The
progress Of the malady was instantaneou8ly
checked, the diseased tissues were thTowa off.
and q new and healthy cuticle promptly shew-
ed itself to be in process OF formation. Every d
result, in short, which had been expected from
the experiment has in rigorous sequence fol-
lowed, and the verdict of the experts-pro-
visional to SOME extent as it still, Of course,
must be-is to the effect that the success OF
the remedy is certain in tuberculouB diseases
of the skin, joints, and bones, and IN early
cases Of tuberculosis of the lung" Further
than this scientific opinion at present declines
to pledge itself, and no doubt the qualification
to which the efficacy Of the treatment is bellev-
ed to be subject in cases of phthisis IS one OF
-" slight Importance. On this point, however,
" doubtless much more to learn, and
DR.. Koch's own >0ncllsions as to The precise
stages in which the mOnary bacillus can be
hopefully attacked by his method will be
awaited with the utmost curiosity and interest.
In the meanwhile the mere establishment OF
the fact that the originating sources OF con-
sumption can be cut off anywhere and,by anys
means is an event of +he most profoundslm-
~portance to the suffering race of man. Well
does it Justify the throb' of joyful hope which
it's announcement has sent thrilling through the
nerves of the civilised world. Well does 1t
warrant the munifceut impulse under which
the German En- error, it is stated, is about TO
bestow O donation of two million marks on the
discoverer-one-hal Of the sum as a reward
for his inestimable service, the other htty
thousand pounds to be placed at his disposal
for the founding Of a State institute to be de-
Ht~lt tn. s'rther development of his dis.
covery. To- statement that his Imperial
Majesty has a, ,dy carried-out the intention
attributed to him contradicted but II 1t be
true that the Emperor entertains such a gene
rous design he will have ~ 1 a resolution
as wisely patriotic as it is pbll, for assuredly
the Sovereign of great Empty may well feel
an almost personal debtor Of ANY man who can
lay the laurels Of such a victory as this at the
feet of their common nation.
1t is not to Germany alone, however, that
the task of hon2uring this new lngor OF
worldwide blessing can be left. Thc cQp try
men of JepEer an> *he co }trymen OF fasteur
will unite =the{1 pnS to him mi an" ne t 5Gs
matter only strike the keynCve Of c1orus o!s
praise and thanksgiving irem, all le fders OF I
the ea~.'n. For Sc 1ar as we
are aware, In which the insidious onemy wnom
DR.. Koch has at last stricken and laid low Is
not known and feared there is none to which
the news of it's extirpation would not bring a
blessed feeling of relief. Among the nations
of Northern and Central Europe q profound
and painful significance attaches in q higher
degree than elsewhere to the truth. In the
United Kingdom, as is shown IN an artlcIe
which appears in another column, much has
been done of late years to stay the ravages OF
this fell disease. Improved sanitation has had
much to do with the reduction Of the death-rate
from consumption, for, while fewer are attack
ed by it. the proportion of deaths to cas- has
been greatly diminished, The Establishment
of admirably managed hospitals for the poor,
and the discovery of health resorts for the rich,
have also tended to ameliorate the lot OF the
sufferers, and in many cases to effect. cures.
Nevertheless. the dreadful fact remains
that fifty thousand lives are still lost every
year in the British Isles by consumption
There are few households in this country