The morning call., 1893-12-14
NEW CURE FOR CONSUMPTION.

Over threa years have elapsed since
Robert Koch announced the discovery
of a remedy for tuberculosis by inoc-
uiation. In a short while Koch's lymph
was the subject of discussion all over the
world, and was for sale by druggists
everywhere. Its constituents were al first
a secret, but it soon became known that il
was an albumenoid derivatiye extracted
from a pure culture of the tubercle
bacillus, in solution of glycerne. 1t also
became known within few months after
DR.. Koch's discovery that the remedy was
not applicable TO advanced cases OF phthi-
sis, and that its value was uncertain in all
cases. No one was more candid in admit
ting this than hoch himself. He acknowl-
edged that his announcement had been
premature and that his remedy had not
been perfected. He stated that be pro-
posed to pursue the study of the subject.
1t is now reported that he has perfected
his remedy. The statement is not official
and requires corroboration. But the i'm
portanee of the subject is such that people
will hope the rumor is true, and physicians
will look eagerly to Berlin for news. 1t is
hardly possible to conceive boon which
would be greater than discovery of a
real cure for consumption.
Il is of all diseases the most fatal. The
average proportion of deaths from con-
sumption is to deaths from all other causes
as to Z. That is a bout the proportion in
San Francisco. With few exceptions
the annual deaths from tubercular disease
in the civilized portions of the world range
from 50 to SO in the thousand, but in
cities they are higher. In Paris the rate
is, roughly, 4 in the EhousaRd, IN Vienna 8,
IN New York 4, In San Francisco about
Sc. So far as We know these proportions
have been invariable. Consumption has
existed In every part of the world from the
beginning Of history, and the mortality re-
sulliDg therefrom has only fnctuated with
locality and general bygieDic conditions.
Il is supposed TO carry of three million
people every year.
During the past ten or fifteen years
med ical publications. and occasionally lay
periodicals, have devoted considerable
space TO facts and theories on the subject
Of the disease. We have been told that
an active agent in causing the disease is
cows milk; that it is hereditary; that It
is not hereditary; that it often takes on
zymotie character; that il is independent
OIL Sal4sdtI Au2N IL &c l1S-
quently caused by iniemperance; that it is
durable By alcoholic treatment. Each one
of these contradictory propositions is
maintained by men Of ability, who have
facts at their fingers ends to sustain their
theories. But the only points on which
all authorities appear to agree is that the
most common cause Of consumption is the
bacili generated II the sputa of consump-
tiYes, and the most common cure is life In
the open air al high elevations, where the
winds are not trying. Life insurance
companies are slanch believers in the
heredity and contsgion of coDsum ption,
and. in fact, il is quite often found that
the victim OF consumption belongs to
family in which other generations were
attacked by the disease, and in like man
neT the brothers and sisters of q copsump-
tive are apt to catch the malady. Again.
bodies which have gone through a post
mortem examination often exhibit cica-
tried tubeTcles, though death was not
caused by tuberculosis, the inference
being that the deceased had been attacked
by consumption and had recovered from it.
In the present state OF medical knowI-
edge the only remedies which can be pre-
scribed with any degree of confidence are
life in the open air and care TO avoid ls slons
of the respiratory organs through cold and
damp. Codiiyer oil is said 10 DO much
to strengthen the system. Other drugs
have their advocates. But the cases of
recovery from well-dedned tuberculosis.
which are more numerous than are gen.
orally supposed, can usually be traced to
change Of air and life. TIE New England
49, 4
cured D. taxing 10 shs mountains and
trauping tEeoty miles day. The deni-
zen of ci.i@s shakes Of the disease IL he
can ge. into TIE eeuntEg sud follow the
plow. TIE eolsgaD;iTs sfflor RECEIVERS IL
be gets irio sn crzEss grCrs: tie rsBeher
shakes OF i5s dlSssss Ebso bs gees 20 sea
Bat fer z dirsrf ere e tas disease By
logical Ds:ho1s re EEss 1zi: feg : rsYels-