Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-12-04


bones, skin tuberculous, ETC.. can by the
use of this fluid be easily and certainly
diagnosed Moreover, In cases Of lung or
joint tuberculosis which have apparently
passed off, it will be possible, by the use of
the new substance, to ascertain with GER
tainty whether the morbid process is really
and absolutely ended.
Prof. Koch expresses the belief that his
remedy
WILL CERTAINLY PROVE A CURE
for incipient phthisis. Whether, however
the cure will be final and definite, has not,
he says, been clearl y proved. Further ex-
perlments and continued use OF the remedy
will be necessary to determine the question.
The curative properties of the new remedy
Prof. Koch declares, are of still greater
Importance for diagnosis. What the fluid
kills is not the tubercular bacillus, but the
tubercular tissues. This fact indicates the
well defined limits which the efficacy Of the
remedy will be able to reach. In other
words. it can only influence living tubercu-
lous tissue. 1t has no effect whatever upon
dead tissue, such as decayed gaseous matter
necrotic bones, ard the like. More than
this, it produces no effect upon tissues
which have already been killed by the ap-
plicatioE of the remedy. 1t is possible that
such dead tissue may still contain living
tuberculous baccali. These may then be
either expelled with the necrotic tissue, or
it may be that under special circumstances
they may invade adjacent living tissues.
1t follows, therefore, that tuberculous
tissue that is still living must first be made
to decay. When this has been accomplish
ed every effort must be made to remove the
dead matter by surgery. In cases where
this method is impossible and secretion can
only slow y proceed by the self-help of the
organism, the living tissue must, at the
same time be, protected by continual APP
plicatiOns of the remedy so as to guard
against the reimmigration Of the parasites.
The fact that the remedy causes decay
only of tuberculOus tissues, affecting living
tissues, explains why the curative fluid
may be applied in rapid increased doses.
After the patient has been under treat
ment for a period of three weeks a dose of
of the fluid of 500 times the strength Of the
original dose can De applied, for at the be-
ginning, when a large quantity of the liv-
ing tuberculous tissue exists, a smaller
quantity of the remedy suffices to produce
strong reaction, but each succeeding in
lection causes the disappearance of a
certain quantity of tissue capable of reac-
ton. 1t naturally follows, therefore. that
increased doses are necessary to obtain the
same degree of reaction. As soon as pa
tients treated with increased doses ex-
perience as little reaction as non-tubercu-
lous people, it may be assumed that all
tuberculous tissue open to reaction is dead.
Whether this conclusion is correct, time
will show. For the present, however,
Prof Koch is convinced that this conclu-
sion is sure one.
In all cases of lupus so far treated, the
amount of fluid injected has been, in the
| first instance, one-hundredth part of a
cubic centimeter. Time has been allotted
for one reaction to take its full course.
After period of from one to two weeks, a
second injection of the same amount has
been made, this
| TREATMENT HAS CONTINUED
until the reaction grew weaker and finally
ceased. In two cases of lupus of the face,
the sores, after three or four injections,
became scarcer and presented smooth
surface Each one of these cases had suf-
fered for many years, and had been treated
by other methods without beneficial re-
suit. Persons suffering with tuberculosis
of the Emphatic glands, bones or joints
have been treated with precision with the
same success. There has been rapid heal
ing in the milder cases and cases of recent
development of the disease, while in severe
cases the improvement, while slow, has
| been steady. Patients with profound tu-
berculosis of the lungs have proved far
more susceptible to the remedy than those
suffering with surgical tubercular affec-
tions. Consumptives have in almost every
case manifested a strong improvement on
greatly reduced doses With such patients
all therefore beginning should be with
disease of two-one-thousandth part. From
| this small dose one can advance to such
quantities as the patient can easily bear
In the experiments that have been con-
Quoted consumptives have accordingly first
received cutaneous injection of one one
thousandth part OF cubic centimenter.
Then, when the temperature increased the
same dose was applied daily until the fur
Their occurred. Thereupon the dose was
doubled, two one-thousandth part of a Gu
bic centimeter being injected regularly
until again no reaction occurred.
This method was continued with almost
an increase of one one-thousandth part Of
a cubic centlmenter or at most two one
thousands up to one one-hundredth part
so in this way the patient would be
brought to the recovery almost without
fever and almost imperceptibly to himself
As a rule the coughing and eXpectoration
are increased somewhat after first mice
tions. They become gradually less, and
in the most favorable cases, will ultimately
wholly disappear. In the cases expert
mented upon under the direction Of Prof
Koch the expectoration usually assumed {
mucous character, The number of bacill
expelled usually decreases on y when the
expectorations begin to assume the mucous
form. The bacilli then disappear entirely
for time, but on occasion again appear
until expectoratlon ceases. AT the same
time the night sweats cease, the patients be-
gin to look better and increase In weight
Patients who have been treated in the
early stages of phthisis have all been freeC
from morbid symptoms within from foul
to six weeks, when they may be regarded
as healed. Consumptives with large cavi
ties IN their lungs will probably only IL
perience benefit from the new remedy in ex
exceptional cases, though most cases show
temporary improvement. Prof. Koch de
preciates the mechanical and indiscrimin-
ate application of the remedy. He hold:
it would be proftaby applied in suitable
be possible Prof Koch says that sufficient
experience has not been collected regard
ing tuberculosis Of the brain and the
larynx and military tuberculosis to justify
the expression of any opinion in regard tt
the efficacy of the remedy. In all case:
Prof Koch emphasizes the necessity o.
the treatment. Only in incipient cases O.
the disease he declares he can remedy ane
fully develop It's efficacy.