The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-17
New Hope for Consumptivcs.

It is now two wears since tho KOCH lymph
made such stir in the world as an expected
cure for consumption. 1t was in 1882 that
DR.. ROBERT KOCH Of Berlin made his
famous discovery of the bacillus Of tubcr-
culosis. a bacillus which has caused greater
havoc among mankind than cholera or war:
and during the ten years which have
elapsed since his first announcement OF The
cause OF consumption. he. together with
host of other bacteriologistS and clinicians,
has been engaged in devising some means
OF destroying this germ. or Of rendering it
innocuous after it's entrance into the hu.
man body. Tho distinguished German
pursued his investigation upon the
hypothesis that the bacillus itself pro-
duces during its development. either in its
own organism or from the tissues in which
it resides. poison which ultimately de-
stroys it. This Is much after the fact
that the yeast plant in n frrmrnting
liquid creates alcohol finally in such guam
tity as to inhibit it's growth. or that the
germs of putrcfacton are sclf-lmitcd
through the delcterious substances to which
their activity gives rise.
The lymph which was manufactured and
presented to the profession by KOCH in the
autumn Of 1890 was the product of the
growth and life Of the bacillus Of consump-
ton, and the analyses made of it showed
that it was composed OF number of or
ganic substances. the chief of which seems
TO be an albuninous material, to which the
name alDumosc is given. When the bacilli
develop in the body this active principle
causes species OF death Of surrounding
tissues known rs OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
the necrolic tissue thus formed is so ,ln-
favorable for tho existence Of the germs
that they die. After much experimental
ton the lymph was heraldcd to the world
somewhat Drematurely it is true. as n spc-
ciilc for consumption. and doctors anu pa
tients locked to Berlin from every land.
the former To secure some OF tho precious
fluid and learn tho method Of its employ
ment. the latter to grasp at the straw
which might savc them from an early grave.
Since the first few months of excitement
awakened by the glad tidings Of the discuv-
cry. and tho subsequent disappointment
engendered by its apparent failure to salts
fy tho sanSulne expectations of the medical
profession and OF the unfortunate victims
OF this awful malady, the public has heard
little or nothing of the vauntcl cure. But
in these two years physicians have not
been idle. and everywhere tho lymph has
been tried and tested over and over again
in every species OF disease of the human Or
gauisin to which the tuDcrcuar microbe
gives rise. in lungs. larynx. brain, bones,
joints. skin. and alimentary canal, and IN
enormous number OF patients have been
submitted TO the influence Of lymph injcc-
tons; in tho cases Of majority without
much success. but in few with uudoubted
advantage.
Yet certain notifications were made not
long ago In the original lymph which seem
to have improved it's remedial power while
lcsscning its occasionally dclcterious Of
fccts upon tho organism. As will be re-,
membered. the original lymph when inject
ed lnto the body OF tubcrcular patient
caused ma!aisc and fever. An English ply
stefan named HUNTER and German IA
biologist named KLEBs have each indcpcn
IDENTIFY analysed the KOCH lymph and clinli-
mated from 1t substances which seemed 10
be foreign to the true remedial principle.
and have for some time been using in hospl-
tails and in their practice tho active
ingredient OF tho lymph. TO which KLEBs
has given the name tuberculocidin. IL was
the foreign and unnecessary elements of
the lymph which gave origin to the fever
and other disagreeable symptoms. Tuber-
culocidln Is an albumose which HUNTER
thinks Is derived from the plasma OF the
baclli themselves. KLEBs also considers
1t secretion OF the germs. In experiments
upon animals. fully developed tubercles
were found to be entirely reduced by tuber-