The record-union., 1891-01-16
KOCH'S REMEDY.
The Professor Makes Known the
Ingredients.
WAY IN WHICH HE MADE THE DIS
COVERY.
The Lymph Which Is Used in the
New Treatment Consists ofa Glycer-
ine Extract Derived From the Pure
Cultivation of Tubercle Bacilli Into
Single Extract.
Special to the REcoRD-UsIoS.

Single Extract.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
BERLIN, Jan. 15.-Professor Koch's re-
port, issued to-day. as to the ingredients
which compose his lymph, says it consists
of glycerine and an extract from the pure
cultivation of tubercle bacilli. Professor
Koch say:
$50 far as I have been able to review
the statements published and commune
cations received by letter, my indications
are fully and completely confirmed. The
general concensus of opinion is that the
remedy has a specific effect upon the
tubercular tissues, and is, therefore, APP
plicable as very delicate and sure pre-
paration for discovering latent and dag
onosing doubtful tuberculosis processes.
Regarding the curative effects of the
remedy most reports agree, despite the
comparatively short duration of it's appli-
cation. Many patients have shown more
or less pronounced improvement. 1t has
been affirmed that in not few cases even
a cure has been established. Standing
quite by itself is the assertion that the
IL
cases which have advanced too far-a fact
which may forthwith be conceded-but
also that it actually promotes the tuber-
culouS process, being therefore injurious.
During the past six weeks /, myself,
have had the opportunity to bring to-
gether further experiences touching the
curative effects and the diagnostic appli-
cation of the remedy in the cases of about
$50 sufferers from tuberculosis in the most
varied types in this city and in the Moa-
bit Hospital. l can only say that every
thing l have latterly seen concurs with
my previous observations. Now, after
sufficient confirmatory testing, and the
importance OF the remedy being, proved,
my next is to extend my study of the
remedy beyond the field where it has
hitherto been applied, and, if possible, to
apply the principle underlying the dis
covery TO other Diseases
Then follows lengthy description of
the way he arrived at the discovery of
the remedy. He says:
''If a healthy guinea pig be inoculated
with the pure cultivation of German
kultur of tubercle bacilli the wound
caused by the incubation mostly closes
over with sticky matter and appears, in
its early days, to heal. After ten or four
teen days hard nodule presents itself,
which, soon breaking, forms ulcerating
sores, which continue until the animal
occurs when a guinea pig, already suf-
fering from tuberculosis, is inoculated.
In such an animal the small indentation
assumes the same sticky covering at the
beginning, but no nodule forms. On the
day following or the second day after in
oculation, the place where the lymph was
injected becomes hard and assumes a
darker color, which'is not confined to the
incubation spot, but spready. In a few
days it becomes manifest that the skin
thus changed is necrotic, finally falling
of and leaving a flat liberation which
usually heals rapidly and permanently.
This effect is not exclusively produced
with living tubercular bacilli, but is also
observed with dead bacilli, the result be-
ing the same whether the bacilli is killed
by the somewhat prolonged application
OF low temperature or boiling heat or by
means ofcertain chemicals. tuberculosis
guinea pigs are killed by the injection of
very small quantities of diluted cultiva-
tlons; in fact, within six to forty-eight
hours, according to the strength of the
dose.
'sAn injection which is not sufficient to
produce the death of the animal may
cause an extended necrosis to the skin in
the vicinity of the place of injection. If
the dilution be still further diluted the
animals inoculated remain alive, and q
noticeable improvement in their condi-
ton soon supervenes. If the injection is
continued at intervals of from one to two
days the ulcerating incubation of the
wound becomes smaller and finally scars
over. The size of the swollen lymphatic
glands is reduced, the body becomes bet
ter nourished and the morbid process
ceases unless it has gone too far, in which
case the animal perishes from exhaustion.
BY this means the basis of the curative
process against tuberculosis is estab-
lished.
Against the practical application OF
such dilutions to the dead tubercle bacilli
there presented itself the fact that the
tubercle bacill is not absorbed at the in
oculation points, nor do they disappear
in another way, but for a long time re-
main unchanged and engenderg greater or
smaller suppuratiye foc. The only i'm
portant point was to extract from tuber-
culosis bacilli the curative substance.
/ finally succeeded with 40 to so per
cent. solution of glycerine in obtaining
the effective substance from tubercular
baciln. With the fluid so obtained /
made further experiments on animals
and finally on human beings"
The remedy which is used in the new
treatment consists of a glycerine extract
derived from the pure cultivation of
tubercle bacilli into simple extract.
There naturally passes from the tubercu-
lar bacilli, besides the effective sub
stances, all other matter soluble in so per
cent of glyeerine.
Consequently it contained certain
quantity of mineral salts, coloring sub
stances and other unknown eXtractive
matter. The effective substance is insolu-
bic in absolute alcohol. 1t can be precip-
itated by it, though not, indeed, in pure
condition, but still combined with other
extractiye matter, which is likewise in
soluble i'll alcohol. The coloring matter
may also be removed, rendering it posi-
bic to obtain from the extract colorless,
dry substance, containing the effective
principle in a much more concentrated
form than that of the original glycerine
solutions for application IN practice. This
puriiication of the glycerine extract offers
no advantage, because the substances CO.
eliminated are essential for the human
organism. The process of purification
would make the cost of the remedy ln-
necessarily high.