The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-02-03
HOPE FOR CONSERVATIVES.

were ludue LOT UuclF reception at
ST. Joseph's hospital.
HOPE FOR CONSERVATIVES.
The Line OF Treatment Propose d by Koch
Making Progress.
1t is now two years since the 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 tuberculosis, 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 a
host of other psychologists and
clincicians, has been engaged in
devising some means of destroying
this germ, or rendering it innocuous
after its entrance into the human
body. This distinguished German
pursued his investigation upon the
hypothesis that the bacillus itself
produces during it's development,
either in its own organism or from
the tissues in which it resides, a
| poison which ultimately destroys it.
This is much after the fact that the
yeast plant in fermenting liquid
creates alcohol finally in such
quantities as to inhibit it's growth,
or that the germs of putrefaction are
self-limited through the deleterlous
substances to which their activity
gives rise.
The lymph which was manu-
factured and presented to the pro-
fession by Koch in the autumn of
1890 was the product of the growth
and life of the bacillus of consumption,
and the analysis made of it showed
that it was composed of number of
| organic substances, the chief of
which seems to be an albuminous
material to which the name albumose
is given. When the bacillus develop
in the body this active principle
cause species of death of surround
ing tissues known as coagulation-
ecrosis, and the necrotic tissue thus
formed is SO unfavorable for the
existence Of the germs that they die.
After much experimentation the
lymph was heralded to the world.
somewhat prematurely it is true, as
specific for consumption, and dor' ors
and patients flocked to Berlin from
every land, the former to secure ON,
of the precious fluid and to learn The
method of it's employment, the latter
to grasp at the straw which might
save them from an early grave.
Since the first few months of
excitment awakened by the glad
tidings of the discovery, and
the subsequent disappointment
engendered by it's apparent failure to
satisfy the sanguine expectation of
the medical profession and of the
unfortunate victims of this awful
malady. the public has heard little
or nothing of the vaunted cure. But
in these two years physicians have
not been idle, and everywhere the
lymph has been tried and tested over
and over again in every species of
disease of the human organism to
which the tubercular microbe gives
rise, in lungs, larynx, brain, bones,
joints, skin and alimentary cannal,
and an enormous number Of patients
have been submitted to the influence
Of lymph injections; in the cases Of
majority without much success, but
in a few with undoubted advantage.
Tubercuocidin is an albumose
which Hunter thinks is derived from
the plasma of the bacilli themselves.
klebs also considers it a secretion Of
the germs. In experiments upon
animals fully developed tubercles
were found to be entirely reduced by
tuberculOcidin. while in man over
Is per cent. of seventy-nye cases
OF marked pulmonary tuberculosis
treated by Klebs were cured. The
purified lymph causes no fever. and
treatment with it does not interfere
with the daily occupation Of The
patient. Tuberculocidin has been
for some time in the hands of the
medical profession, and is therefore
within the reach of every one who
applies to his family physician for
treatment with it, although none of
the usual precautions as regards diet,
change of climate, hydrotherapy and
the employment of other drugs found
to be valuable in consumption are
neglected by him.
Thus it seems that considerable
progress has been made in the lines
laid down by Robert Koch in his
original announcement, and the great
German bacteriologist will deserve
the blessings of all mankind, every
should his discovery result only in
the amelioration of some cases and
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