The morning call., 1893-08-05
ANOTHER ALLEGED CURE FOR
CONSUMPTION.

Eleven years ago Ut. hocn electrineu LIE
world by announcing that he had discov-
cred the bacillus OF consumption. Eight
wears later, in 1890. lie stated that he had
found remedy which would check the
growth of the tnberce bacillus, and the
faculty fastened to send to Berlin to pur-
chase the invaluable drug. All over the
world consumptives thanked heaven that
there was Il prospect of their cure. Elk
pertinent did not confirm their hopes. En-
perience proved that the remedy was
powerless In cases of advanced phthisls.
1t was found that IN some cases 1t was
followed by no effects and in others that
It actually promoted the tubercnlar pro-
cesses. Koch's remedy was dropped by the
public and has hardly been heard OF since.
Now comes DR.. Watkins Of New ork,
who declares that he has found out the
reason why Koch failed. He does not
seem to deny the existence of the tuDercle
bacillus. but he says that it can only be-
come malignant in cases where the biood
contains what he calls tubercular COT
puscle. Where this exists liability TO
phthiss is to be feared where 1t Is non
existent consumption cannot supervene.
even though the person associates with
consumptives and breathes an air which
is tainted with phthisical germs. The
tubercular corpuscle is a granular lrreg-
ular mass whose presence or alb
sence in the blood can be detected
by microscopic examination. 10 prove the
soundness of his theory DR.. Watkins. who
ascertaned that his own blood contains
no tubercular corpuscles, has inoculated
himself with the baclIi of consumption,
prepared by the culture of germs extracted
from the sputum of c0nsumptives. At the
END of twelve months the incubation Will
either develop consumption or will pass
off, leaving no evil effects behind. The
doctor stakes his life on the soundness of
his theory.
The layman will be puzzled TO discrim-
mate between a tubercle bacillus and a
tubercuar corpusce. Aud he will wait
the result of the experiment before FORM
ing an opinion OF the merit Of the new dis
covery. When DR.. Koch introduced us to
the tubercle bacillus the public was with
him. Few scientists of standing now set
their faces against the bacterial theory,
outside the ranks Of the fossils who are
too old to learn anything. But beyond
admitting the existence of the disease germ
the public and the faculty have not gone.
Neither has accepted the alleged discov-
cries of germicides. No agency has been
found which will destroy the bacill with
out destroying the patient. DR.. Koch has
kept the secret of his remedy, and analysis
has failed to disclose its ingredients. bur
as it failed to accomplish its purpose it is
not worth while wasting time 10 find what
II was made OF.
All these tentative remedies are worth
studying. 1t will do no harm to find out
whether, as DR.. Watkins says, the blood of
consumptiyes contains granular irregu-
lar mass" which the blood OF healthy per-
sons does not contain. Such contrast
would furnish a Quasi-foundation for a
belief that there may be something in the
New York doctors theory. But it must
be admitted that it is odd The doctors never
discovered this irregular object before.
especially as consumption has long been
identified as a disease of the blood, and
as that fluid must have been subjected
to the MI st exhaustive analysis.
Up to the present time the only known
cure for consumption is life in the open air.
especially in elevated regions where the
climate is dry and the atm osphere in.
MIGRATING. The Germans claim to cure
the disease by the administration OF
alcohol; other nations have not regarded
their theory as demonstrated. II, how
ever. dry, fresh. stimulating air arrests the
tubercular processes any treatment which
assimilated to the open-air remedy might
be hopefully tried 1t is quite within the
power of chemistry to reproduce mountain
air in bedroom. And. again. it doe:
seem that the specialists who treat con
sumption have not relied as much as they
might upon the art Of the surgeon. Fol
| LESSONS of the kidney, the spleen and the
stomach doctors lay bare the diseased
organ and treat it as they would treat ar
external wound; in dyspepsia the bowe
is scrubbed out and It's weakness dis
covered by an examin alton Of Its contents
when emptied of digestible fool. Why
should not the march of tubercular diseas,
in the lungs be subjected to the same direc
scrutiny under the naked eye?