Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-11

value of the lymph. I know nothing of
DR.. Painters ailment and therefore cannot
say whether his case was one which should
have been benefited by the treatment.
at cannot be too firmly borne in mind
that no claims are advanced for the Koch
| lymph as cure. 1t is means to an end, as
any other article in the pharmacopaia is,
and nothing more. Its efficacy as means
to an end depends very much on the nature
of the case There are certain selected
cases in which the lymph has brought about
| a cure, but there are hundreds of others In
which the lymph is of no more avail than
! any other medicine.
| ItHas Effected Good Results.
every much injury has been done by the
premature claims set up for the lymph as a
| cure; whether it is so or not will only be
demonstrated in time. 1t has effected good
results in some cases, but in many others 1t
has not been of any use at all.
DR.. NJ. A. Arnholt said: eyes, sir,
have read the article, but have not had
time to give it a careful study. From what
have read it is Just what l have expected
and been waiting for for some time. 1
think it is the best exposure of the tuber-
culosis cure that have read. / did not be-
lieve in it from the first and was rather
wary of taking it up. 1t is like all these
so-called wonderful discoveries that spring
up III the night like a mushroom, only to
die in short time. Neither do believe
that drunkenness can be cured by the
lymph, as a certain physician claims. 10
my mind it is similar to the Burgen process
Of injecting gases into the stomach. Numer-
Gus physicians took to the idea and pur-
chased instruments to experiment with, but
it was of no more use than puff of foul AIR
into the pure atmosphere. Then the
Brown-Sequard cure came along and'fel
fiat Physicians cannot be too careful In
experimenting with new ideas.
Glad to See the Exposure.
''There has been few who claim to have
been cured of tuberculosis, but 1 have yet
to hear from any physician who claims an
actual cure. You know as well as that
consumptive person is the last one to ac-
knowledge the dread di sease. l don't be-
lieve in it, and you can say for me that
am glad to see the exposure of this lymph
process, as L think this so-called cure has
done more harm than good"
Dr. Thomas Shaw said, in connection with
the value of the Koch lymph, that he had
never looked upon it as reliable cure. 1t
was absurd to suppose that man with
lung gone could be restored to health by the
treatment He had had no faith i'll the
claims for the Koch system, and couldn't
understand how people allowed themselves
to be carried away by excessive zeal in its
behalf
DIR. r. W. Stewart, who has been using
the Koch lymph at the Mercy Hospital, has
an article on tuberculosis" in the June
issue of the Medical Reyiear. After an ex-
animation of the subject he refers to the
Koch lymph He saws that ''the most re-
markable remedy yet brought to light, and
one which has made its already famous dis
coverer a household name in every home in
the land is Koch's lymph, or. as it is more
properly called, 'tuberculin.
Cases Benefited by the Remedy.
cit is exceedingly difficult to give salts
factory opinion as to the value of a remedy
like this which has so many biased oppo-
meats and blindly enthusiastic advocates.
What have to say is the result of consid-
cradle attention to the voluminous litera-
ture of the subject, as well as personal OBJ
servation of great many cases under treat
ment in the hospitals of Berlin, and also
about three months experience with the
be brief, my opinions must necessarily be
dogmaticaL Tuberculin is of consid- |
cradle value as a diagnostic agent,
but is not always reliable, the re-
action being often wanting in the sur
gical forms of tuberculosis and also occa- |
sionally in the pulmonary form. As rule |
the most marked benefits are obtained |
where the necrotic tubercular tissue can be |
thrown off from the surface as in lupus |
tubercular laryngitis and tubercular ulcers. |
Most cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in
the early stages will be benefited by the |
remedy, some to very marked degree, so !
that a cure may be fairly claimed Ad- |
vanced cases of pulmonary tuberculosis |
where cavities have formed, and especially
if the disease is rapid in its progress, are
not likely to be benefited, and will probably !
be injured by the treatment. In the surgical
forms of tuberculosis, tuberculin will be an
aid TO the operative treatment by assisting
in the complete eradication of the tubercular
tissue"