The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-17
DR.. KOCH'S FLUID.
The Liquid Lymph With Which
He Inoculates Consumptiyes.
What It Looks Like and How It
is Used on Patients,

In all parts OF the civilized world DR..
Koch's cure for consumption is exciting tre-
mendous interest. More than 1000 doctors
from all parts of the world have gone to Ber-
lin to study the new method Of treating con-
sumption. and patients by the tens OF thou
get inoculated with the magic lymph. Speak.
ing editorially, the New York World says Of
DR.. Koch's discovery:
"Dr. Koch has furnished the physicians Of
the world with an effective weapon against
the most redoubtable enemy of the human
race. He has done that which must alleviate
suffering in nearly half the homes in all civ
ilized countries. Other physicians are adding
constantly to the benefits that science has
bestowed upon mankind, and some great
ones have made immortal additions to the
agencies with which disease is fought. But
there is no name on the roll that will equal
his, for no other malady is so universal nor is
any more deadly than that his remedy as
sails, and what is already proved shows that
this remedy far surpasses in effectiveness all
hitherto essayed, and may even promise the
eventual eradication OF consumption.
lust what DR.. Koch has done in this re-
gard it may be well to state. In 1852 he laid
before the world evidence of the real nature
upon the presence Of specific germ, which
he called the bacillus tuberculosis. All
previous knowledge on the pathology Of this
disease has no value in comparison with this.
Koch showed that the germ existed in the
tissues of all consumptive patients; that if
this germ were lodged in the bodies OF animals
previously healthy they died Of tuberculosis:
that there was no tuberculosis without this
germ, and that the disease was propagated
by the transmission of this germ and not
otherwise. Upon that discovery followed
the universal inquiry: Can that germ be
killed In the body without hurt to the bodyr
for it was obvious that to kill the germ was
the radical cure Of the disease. Koch now
answers by producing remedy which, as
proved, does kill the bacillus and does not
hurt tho patient. He saves all patients in
whom the disease has not gone so far that
death is impending"
A correspondent Of the World attended
clinic Of DR.. Bergman, famous Berlin
physician, and from one of his assistants OBJ
tanned the following account Of the precious
liquid and the manner OF inoculationg pa
tients:
1T is important to understand that tho
tuberculosis disease, which exhibits itself in
many forms with children, begins usually
with what is known as wasting away, attack
known as scrofula, in which the en-
larged glands appear on the neck,
followed by hideous scars. Lupus is
commonly called tuberculosis of the skin. In
lupus, the skin, bones and joints also suffer.
In 1882 Koch made it known that this disease
was due to minute germ which ravages the
entire body. When seen under the most
powerful microscope this organism looks like
fine scrap of the thinnest thread. Once
having entered the body it rapidly grows and
multiplies, gradually destroying the tissues
on which it lives. Koch's method Of destroy.
ing the bacilli is founded on exact scientific
principle He claims that his fluid will de-
stroy che living tissue in which these germs
activity and ultimate expulsion of ths germ
from the body must ensue."
"What does Koch's precious liquid look
like? I asked.
'sIt has somewhat the color Of sherry, and
slightly viscid. It is supplied from Koch's
laboratory much too strong for use. Before
injection it is usually diluted to one one
hundredt of its original strength. 1t is a
most deadly poison. An overdose produces
se1,iivcs results. One patient so overdosed
was unconscious for thirty-si1 hours, and
was expected to die at any moment. The
remedy il usually administered by subcutan-
DR.. Koch. This consists Of the usual glass
cylinder and hollow needle, but instead Of a
piston to eject the contents an india-rubber
ball is used, which when pressed forces out
the fluid with much power.
THE incubation is generally made under
the skin between the shoulder blades. When
the fluid is used on healthy persons COM
monty no particular result ensues unless
large dose is administered. But when in
oculated in tuberculouS patient extraordt-
nary effects are produced in whatever por-
ton of the body there is any tubsrcular liv'
ing tissue. Koch's liquid is carried every
enemy. The parts affected become irritated
and inhamed: the whole system becomes
affected; the patients temperature rises
until at the end of twelve hours it may reach
the excessive height of 106 degrees. 1t soon
falls however, and each succeeding injection
rises less than the previous incubation, final
ly followed by no noticeable rise at all. Such
cases we regard as cured; the patients are be-
lieved to be free from tuberculous tissue; but
it is undeniable that after an interval inocu-
lation may again produce rise Of temper
ature. and tubercular bacili may reappear.
It is certainly not true that the disappear
ance Of bacilli or their complete absence
from the sputa implies that the patient has
no tuberculi; but it is certain that after
the treatment by Koch's method
the sputa, which formerly swarmed with
bacilli, becomes free, the patient loses the
hacking cough, the night sweats inability to
eat, and gains weight and spirits. The pres
encs Of bacilliin the sputa Is certain proof
of tuberculosis, but their absence does not
prove the contrary. Some very bad cases
Of consumption which have been inoculated
by Koch's treatment received no benefit
from 1t, whereas milder ones have. In the
case of one patient who died Of different
disease while under treatment, post-mor-
tenn examination showed no sign of the ar
rest Of consumption