Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-12
DIR. KOCH's LYMPH.
Results Of the Experiments ~ Summed Up
by q Physician.

Results OK the Experiments n Summed Up
by Physician.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
DIR. J. NJ. Da Costa Of Philadelphia, who
stands at the very head Of the medical profess
sion in this country and is unexcelled as a
clinical observer and instructor, says that the
lymph is Of very little use, il any, in the treat
ment of consumption in cases in which soften
ing has commenced The London physicians
have reached the conclusion that in cases OF
hereditary or confirmed consumption its use ID
positively injurious, the danger lying in the
dispensing of the disease into sound tissues
In pulmonary troubles without hereditary tain,
it is still claimed by its advocates as universal
panacea. but these are the cases of lung disease
that yield to general medical treatment and
hygiene. But in these cases there is danger In
the use OF the lymph causing dispersion of the
bacilh when localized, as in incipient pbtbisis
so the conclusion is reached that this now cele
brated lymph may be Of some benefit in con
sumptive cases de novo," or in that class OF
pulmonary complaints in which no heredity
can be traced, but this lacks confirmation OF
awaits further experiment
Now, in face of these facts. it seems strange
to me that at the advent of the introduction e
the medical public of this lymph SO many OF
the medical profession throughout the world
readily accepted a theory that is Numerically
opposite to that Taught in the schools Of ply.
siology and pathology in the past half century,
When the dream Of the alchemist for the phil
osopher stone or the transmutation of the bases
metals into gold, and when the vagaries Of the
mechanical crank for perpetual motion shall
have been realized. then may we begin to lool
for a manufactured lymph that will radically
cure a case OF confirmed or hereditary con.
sumption. II there is a cell individuality in the
formation Of living bones and tissues how car
this organic condition be metamorphosed:
Now the type and life of anything is this cell
individuality. For example, il my parents and
grandparents died from consumption of the
lungs. and am living and dying daily from
phthisis, is there no difference in the proto-
plasm or elements Of the primitive cell in the
formation of my lung tissue from that of a
healthy person? This cell individuality from
the beginning carried with it its diseased at
tributes and like begat like. Is it possible, by
any human means, to change this cell individ.
ualityt Can the leopard change his spots OF
the Ethiope his skin? Can what is bred in the
bone come out of the flesh? The late Prof
Henry once said to me: 'All things are posi-
BILE to science until we enter the limits OF the
infinite" We can burn the diamond and satisfy
ourselves Of the purity of its carbon, but We
cannot reproduce il again. We can analyze
anything in nature, but how limited is our do
main of reconstruction. Thus far shall thou
go is the inexorable law governing finite crea-
lures and creations.
When it can be shown that the elements OF
the primitive cell in living bones and tissues
can be changed by human means then we may
begin to listen to the manufacturers of RENE
dies prescribed for the cure of hereditary dis
eases like consumption. We can palliate and
prolong life, but a radical cure is impossible
from the nature OF the case.
j. Il. HAYES, MD,
Medical division, pension Office,