Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-22
HOW LYMPH IS PREPARED
Prof. Koch Reveals the Secret
o. His Discovery.
His CLAIM is SUBSTANTIATED
He Tells How He Made the
Investigation.
Tho Guineo Pig Becomes Factor in
Science--How 1t Is Prepared--The Ger
man Scientist Reveals the Secret of His
Discovery.

BERLIN, Jan. 15.-The long -talked-of
secret Of the ingredients is entering into
the composition of Prof. Koch's famous
lymph is given to-day to the world at
large. Prof. Koch says: Since pub
fishing two months ago the results of
my experiments with the new remedy
for tuberculosis many physicians who
received the preparations have been en-
abled to become acquainted with its
properties through their own expert
ments. So far as l have been able to
view the statements published and the
communications received by letter, my
indications have been fully and com
pletely confirmed. The general con-
census of opinion is that the remedy
has specific effect upon tuhercular
tissues and is therefor, applicable as a
very delicate and sure regent for dis
covery latent and diagnosing doubtful
tuberculosis processes.
Regarding the curative effects of the
remedy most reports agree that despite
the comparatively short duration of the
application many patients have shown
more or less pronounced improvement.
1t has been affirmed that in not few
cases even cure has been established.
Standing quite by itself is the assertion
that the remedy may not only be dam
gerous in cases which have advanced
too far-a fact which may forthwith be
conceded-but also that it actually pro-
notes the tuberculosis process, being
therefor injurious. During the past six
weeks l, myself, have had opportunity
to bring together further experiences
touching the curative effects and dag
nostic application of the remedy in the
cases of about 150 sufferers from tuber-
culosis of the most varied types in this
city and in the Moabit Hospital.
can only say that everything have
latterly seen accords with my previous
observations. There has been nothing
to modify in what before reported.
As long as it was only question of
proving the accuracy of my indications,
it was needless for any one to know
what the remedy contained or whence it
was derived; on the contrary, subse-
quent testing would necessarily be more
unbiased the less people knew of the
remedy itself. Now, after sufficient
contirmatory testing the Importance of
the remedy is proved, my next task is to
extend my study OF the remedy beyond
the field where it has hitherto been ap-
piled, and if possible to apply the prin-
ciple underlying the discovery to other
diseases. This task naturally demands
full knowledge Of the remedy. l,
therefore, consider that the time has
arrived when the requisite indications
in this direction shall be made. This is
done in what follows.
Before going into the remedy itself |
deem it necessary for the better under
standing of its mode of operation to
state briefly the way by which | arrived
at the discovery. If healthy guinea
pig be inoculated with the pure cultiva-
ton of German kultur of tubercle
bacilli the wound caused by the inocula-
ton mostly closes over with sticky
matter and appears in its early days to
heal. Only after 10 to ID days hard
nodule presents itself which soon break
ing forms an ulcerating sore which CON
tinues until the animal dies.
Quite different condition of things
occur when guinea pig already suffer
ing from tuberculosis is inoculated.
from four to six weeks before is best
adapted for this purpose. In such an
animal the small indentation assumes
the same sticky covering at the begin
ming, but no nodule forms. On the CON
trary on theday following or the second
after the incubation the place where
the lymph is injected shows q strange
change. 1t becomes hard and assumes
a darker co!oring, which is not confined
to the lnoculation spot, but spreads to
the neighboring parts until it attains
diameter of from .05 to / centimeter. In
few days it becomas more and more
manifest that the skin thus changed is
necrotic, finally falling off, leaving a
fiat liberation which usually heals rap
idly and permanently, without
any cutting into the adjacent
lymphatic glands. Thus the injected
tiibercular bactilli differently affect the
skin of healthy guinea pig from one
affected with tuberculosis. This affect
is not exclusively produced with living
tubercular bacilli, but is also observed
with the dead bacilli, the result being
the same whether as l discovered by
experiments at the outset the bacilli are
killed by a somewhat prolonged applica-
tion of low temperature or boiling heat
or by means of certain chemicals. This
peculiar fact followed up in all direc-
tions and this further result was OBJ
killed pure civilizations of
tubercular bacilli after rinsing in water
might be injected in great quantities
under healthy guinea pigs skin without
occurring beyond local sup
peration.
Professor Koch here interpelates note
that such injections belong to the sim
plest and surest means of producing sup
peration free from living bacteria. Tuber-
culosis, guinea pigs on the other hand,
are killed by the injection of very small
quantities of such diluted civilizations.
In fact within six 10 As hours according
TO the strength of the dose and injection
which is not sufficient to produce the
1eath of the animal may cause xtended
necrosis to the skin in the vicinity of
5he place of injection, If the
lilution is still further diluted
Until it is scarcely visibly cloudy
he animals inoculated remain alive
Ind a noticeable improvement in
heir condition soon superyenes.
# the injections are continued at inter-
,als of from one to two days, the ulcer
sting incubation wound becomes
mailer and finally scars over, which
otherwise it never does; the size of the
wollen lymphatic glands is reduced, the
'ody becomes better nourished, and the
morbid process ceases unless it has gone
90 far, in which case the animal perishes
rom exhaustion. BY this means
he basis of a curative process against
was established. Against
he practical application of such dilu-
ions of dead tubercle bacilli there pre-
ented itself the fact that the tubercle
acilli are not absorbed at the inocula-
ion points, nor do they disappear in
mother way, but for a long