St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-14
DIR. NELSON'S REPLY.
He Answers Criticisms on the
Koch Tuberculosis Treatment.

DR.. Ford Nelson, of Minneapolis,
who has just returned from clenics in
the Berlin hospital, bringing with him
some of the celebrated lymph of Dr..
Koch's, has sent to the GLOBE the fol-
lowing reply to the criticisms made in
the GLOBE yesterday by DR.. Divide Mar
tel, of St. Paul:
"Who is this man Martel? And when
and where has he gained right to eX-
press personal opinion about this rem
edy? Has he been where he personally
could examine its effects? In deprecat-
ing DR.. Koch's prematureness, is not he
himself little premature? DIR. Koch
has been prominently before the world
for the last twenty years, and he has al
ways been known as the most promi-
nent and thorough student of bac-
since he found the tubercle
bacillus, and since that time he has
been at work finding the specific against
it. In this he has succeeded with the
most astonishing results. Everything
that DR.. Koch announced concerning
his discovery Ill his well-known speech
of Nov. Is, 1890, has been verified to the
smallest detail. Every result predicted
has taken place, and he stands today
higher, probably, than any scientific
man ever did, and not only that, but
enjoying the most thorough and i'm
plicit confidence and unbounded esteem
of the greatest known lights of the med
ical world to-day.
"ThiS man seems to consider himself
smart in being able to pick out from the
host of cases treated one single case
that returned with relapse. In speak
ipo nf thic roprody DC 50 ranonHU of
treme Virulence, "a tonic of such indOm-
liable energy that it can introduce into
the organism disorders of which the
consequences cannot be predicted and
have not been studied does he forget
that the same may be said of remedies
that have become so common in medical
practice as TO become almost house
hold word? If he had enjoyed the priv
ilege that enjoyed in being present at
Bergman's clinics in 'Charitee' he
would, perhaps, with as good reason
have recorded a case where patient
died. A case did happen where the pa
tient died from hemOrrhage just as
the physician was preparing his syringe
for the first injection. SuppoSiDg an
injection had been given just preceding
death. Such men as this Martel would.
| suppose, Immediately cry out, "The
This Martel picks quarrel with DR..
Koch for prematurely sending the lymph
to all quarters of the globe. 1t is simply
ridiculous. 1t he for moment could
hear the grOwlingS and curses in every
tongue of the physicians OF all nation
alitieS now in Berlin, who return to
their homes unable to procure even the
smallest quantity of the much-coveted
article; if he could see the files of thou
sands of kilograms containing demands
for lymph that have all been refused; if
he could see the files of letters from
prominent and even famous men in
dorsing certain requests for lymph that
have not received the least attention
and have been of no avail, his assertion
would even impress himself with its
utter righteousness, sincerely hope.
The fact is that the way to obtaining
difficulties as the way to the Golden
Tell of the legends. l positively know
that the lymph brought with me is the
only lymph brought to any of the North
western states.
1.-The German government is accused
of using quack methods in keeping the
secret of the remedy. aud is accused of
doing this in order ito trade on it under
the most miserable preteXts.' This is
the very climax of Righteousness,
though the article makes Pasteur the
father of it. If Mr.. Martell should 90
to Berlin with certified check of $780,
600 and offer it in exchange for bottle
of lymph, he would simply not get 1t.
The experiment has been tried. An
enterprising drug firm in Chicago made
an offer of S25, 900 for small quantity,
and the offer was not considered. The
dav after my arrival in Berlin certain
Belgian offered $4,000 giilden-all the
money at his conmand-for bottle of
the lymph, and all in vain. The Ger
man government does not trade in it.
and every man who knows the least
thing about this matter, knows that it is
a basely false assertion.
about the keeping the secret of the
remedy, | am prepared to state that it
was resolved to do so after consultation
with, and upon the most urgent request
of the greatest medical scientists, such
as Virchow. Bismarck and Lister-he
being in Berlin at the time-and also
Won Goepler, secretary Of the interior,
and the German emperor. The reasons
for this ought to be apparent to any
honest man. 1t is not from any I'M
worthy motive, but, on the contrary,
from desire to preclude even chance
for fraud and humbug that might work
untold harm.
81 desire to avail myself of this OPP
portunity to give DR.. Martel piece of
good advice free of charge. 1t is this:
Refrain from any criticism upon DR..
Koeh's lymph and its results until you
have had chance to make personal OBJ
servations. Such an opportunity will
be offered In very few days, when /
shall break Dr.. Koeh's own seal upon
package in my possession, and begin
not my experiments is an experiment
no longer-5ut my treatment of cases
with this remedy, before the results of