Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-11-28
FRIDAY MORNING. NOV. %, 1890.
THE NEW TREATMENT FOR
CONSUMPTION

CONSUMPTION
For centuries the medical profess ion has
been treating pulmonary tuberculosis OF
consumption of the lungs, disease which
largely prevails among both men and AMI
mails, by building up the constitution so as
to present as vigorous resistance as possible
to malady, neither the cause nor cure OF
Which was understood. The profession had
advanced far enough on the road to dag
nose the disease with accuracy, but there II
came to a halt, the quiet OF which was only
disturbed by skirmish, often successful, /
with the symptoms in detail. But the
germ theory has opened new field to the
searchers, and for some years doctors nave
been diligently exploring itin all directions
Eight years ago DR.. Koch, Of Berlin, made
public the fact that he had discovered the
tubercle bacillus, living germ-a worm OF
infinitesimal size. and addressed himself to
the search for something that would kill Ii
his theory being to cultivate weaker
bacillus which being introduced by lnJec-
ton under the Skin Woul.l-like incubation
for smal[pox-Oyercome the more danger
Gus bacil. The scene OF his patient eight
wears work has been the Charity Hospital
at Berlin. His work has been attended
with many disappointments. Treating
these baclli outside of the animal body he
found that ethereal oils, tar pigments, mer-
curial vapor, salts Of gold and silver-es-
pecially cyanide of gold-would check their
Foil 6 70 l.:
bacilli when in an animal body without
also killing the animal. Two months age
Dr. Koch came to point in his expert
ments when he could announce to the pro
fession that he had found what he sought
for. He, however, declined to make pub
lie for a little while to come, though it is
known to some of his co-laborers in his
work. He claims. and the result Of the
treatment in large number OF cases goes fai
to establish the claim, that his remedy will
certainly prove cure for incipient con
sumption of the lungs. That the cure will
be final and definite he does not think has
vet been established and further expert
Ients and time will be necessary to decide
this. The lymph which he has discovered
is brown transparent liquid, which is in
serted under the skin with a hyperdermio
syringe. The immediate result is to pro
duce lassitude, desire to cough, difficulty
of breathing and chill-all attendants of
consumption. These pass away in twenty
four hours, except the lasSitude which con-
tinues for some days. With cOnsumptlye
patients who are still strong, their cough
ing and expectoration are increased after
the first injection, and then become less
and less, and finally cease. The expectora
tons gradually lose their puruleAt charac-
ter, contain less and less bacilli and finally
assume healthy mucous character. Con
sumptive patients with large cavities il
their lungs, will, Dr.. Koch thinks, only
receive benefit from the new treatment il.
exceptional cases, and he emphasizes The
necessity of early treatment Of lung disease.
Patients who have been treated in the in
cipient stages Of consumption have beel
healed as general thing, in from four tt
six weeks.
Dr.. Koch says that what the lymph kills
is not the bacilli but the tubercular tissue
and that in this dead tissue there may pos
sibly still survive some Of them who may
attack the adjacent living tissue. His
theory is that when the tuberculous tissue
has been made to decay it should be re
moved by surgery. He says he is as ye
unprepared to explain to the profession tlt
method of preparation of the lymph, as
his experimental work has not vet bee
brought to completion, but the lymp
itself can be had by application to him. Al
about one-fourth of all the deaths in the
world result from consumption, DE-. Koch's
discovery and partial success have excite
III the medical profession and the world a.
large the deepest interest land several Ame
Tican physicians have gone to Europe to
learn more of it and secure lymph for eX
periments. The German Emperor has be
slowed title on the doctor. A large build
ing is being prepared in Berlin for the man
ufacture of the lymph and the German par
lament will have bill before it making III
appropriation sufficiently large to enable
the doctor to devote his future exclusive
ly to the development of his discovery.