The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-02-25

IL
While the data for an exact appfecla-
ton Of the cure for consumption pro-.
posed by Koch are by no means com
plete. sufficient facts exist 70 warran Z
discussion OF the subject at the present +
time. The unprofeEsional readersl'onld /
understand TINT Koch, mainly by rsaaci,
~ his discovery of the cause OF CHI
SUMPTION. lima fua- scypral yearS leentlt
most Erroniil.ent figure II mcdic.I
science that has been known IN our gen
GRAFTON. His methods have been model
Of scientific ACCURACY, anu the autliorit,
Of his statements Is now almost unques
toned, Iii an article published by Koc'
simultane ously in this country aud ~
Germany, on November IA, 1880, the oe
tails Of tho new treatment Of seyerH
forms Of tuberculosis are given. ~
Berlin paper. six days later,is q aescrip
tion Of the mode Of preparation 81 tne
scurative lymph
The hitter, In MI probability, Is SUB
stantially correct; at least no correction
or contradiction has thus far appeared,
and die method Is essentially tie on
that isemployed In obtaining poisonou
products from other toxic bacilii. ING
method, as described, consists 10 placin,
ia an incubaiing apparatus pure cul
sure Of tubercle bacilli in gelatinlze
beef broth. Tie apparatus y diyide'
into an upper and alower portion ny
diaphragm Of ungalvanized porcelain
the ebacilli being placed In the urpe
- Yf.
tho gelatine liqpefes. and . liquid slowly
filters through the porcelain into tliis
lower compartment This liquid 10 tls
curative lymph. The lymph thus Oh
tanned may contain a ptomnine. although
tile tubercle ptomaine. Il II exists, In
never before been found Certain pto-
maines are obtained from microorgan.
isns by methods rcSemtllng that Just
described. The toxic ptomalnes are pro
duccd BIZ the toxic lncilli, and these ar
supposed to ~ the direct cause Of
various diseases, the baciln being toxic
only in 50 far as they produce thess
potomainek As very many baciili or,
not toxic, many ptomaines have ns
posonous properties. Probably tht
production Of ptomaines Is limited, and
intha ease Of toxic bacigli. those tia
have produced plomaines In the body
are thrown of, after having, To- q create
or less extent, damaged the parts III
which they have been lodged; but til
organisms thus thrown Of. II they fino
Judgment In another body. may multi
ply, produce piomaines again, and re,
peat the processes just described. IL Il
in this way that certain diseases ar
propaganda by coptagion.
from the meager AMI disconnected
reports that come from Europe, It ap
pears tllat an analysis Of Tie lymplifa il'
10 reveal tie presence Of ptomains
chemically considered; but the lynip
certainly contains one or more sub
stances capable Of producing certain q
the effects q toxic ptoinaiueS How
ever, the chemistry Of the ptomaines I
In lie infancy, und We must await exac
and elaborate researches before Il vii
lie possible 10 decide upon The eompo
sition and properties OF the lymph Oh
tanned b. Koch. The statements mad
by Koch himself are Of q chaIacte
fully 70 justify the profound impres
sion lhey have made upon the public a
well a. upon the medical profession
Koclfs previous career entities his ut
terances 70 the most respectful con
sideration. A few years since he dis
covered the cause Of tuberculosis, an
this discovery at the present day has y
scientific opposition worthy Of seriou
consideration. lie now states that b
probably has discovered cure "a
tuberculosis.
can not but think that this also WI
soon become an acknowledged TACT
can not resist the conviction that II
idea ID the mind Of Koch which led
tl,e discovery Of the curative lynlpl
was fhat toxic bacillus Is capable /.
producing poison which would possibl
DESTROY the bacillus or al least limit Z
activity and dislodgc Il from the system
Probably The curative and active ageI
IN die lymph was obtained from tue
Gle hacilli and produced by them Il
now mid that Koch regards his siudi
IN taberculosis as complete. awallii
only fhe results Of experience with .
gard b the permancncy " the cure 81
Is application % advanced cases
disease Ills also said that Koch Is o
tending his experiments and Is 3
deavorinx % fad cures for typhus n
typhold, scarlet fever. measles, al
dIplthsria IL may be that hls line 81 I
search win Be In The direction Of iindil
k1<cial poison. produced BY micl
Organisms peculiar 70 each infectio
disease, which will act upon these mic
oreanIsms and the diseased parts as I
sufAsive lymph has been found 20 I
upon tubercie bacilli and tuborculo
tlssua
u u possible, In the light Of what \
recently been accomplished BY Kos
that IN the near future many curatl
lymphs win 10 discovered, each p
ducod By The special micFoorganism
q particular disease Il VIII then be !
zoo much 10 expect that these agel
viii promptly arrest the different 4
eases 70 which they are applicable ]
example, tie typhoid lymph. the dil
thsfitic lymph, the lymph Tor measl
thai for scarlet fever, and 30 on. '
promptly arrest these diseases and q
pasients from tlie deVencratinna and
Three OLA Kind.
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