The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-12
MEDICINES NEW CURES.
Said to Rob Cholera and Consump-
ton of Their Terrors.

Win Ills AnC1-CnOioT6 6oTum-Or.
Crotte's Statement That He Has Cured
600 Gases of Consumption With For
mol.
London, Aug. 2s.-If We can believe
half we hear humanity Is on the verge of
triumph over some Of the worst ills
that flesh Is heir to. There comes this
week from India a report of most hopeful
results from the extensive experiments
made during the last two years with the
Haffkine method Of cholera incubation.
From Paris comes the almost incredible
announcement that 600 cases of tuber-
culsais have been cured by a new treat
ment out Of total of 800 cases expert
mented upon. There have been SO many
premature announcements of great dis
ooveries in the medical world that both
physicians and laymen IRE rightly in
oredulous of'suoh tidings as have quot
ed. Both these startling statements,
however, are backed up by authentic facts
which are entitled to respect and certain
ly demand world wide consideration.
The cholera oure-cholera prophy Tactic
Is more correct. for do not understand
th at any curative power is claimed for
the incubation Treatments no new
thing. It was put forward more than
three years ago, as most persons will
remeplbeE aud 1t was received with
more or less suspicion in medical circles.
The treatment is simply anti-cholera vac
cination, which Is supposed to render
the subject cholera proof. DR.. Haffkine
assumes that the microbe known as the
comma bacillus is the true cholera germ
"a point by the way which is still dis
puted by some medical men. He inoou-
lates each person twice with a serum,
containing the first time a milder type
Of miorobe, and the second time five
days later, with living specimens of the
comma bacillus. The patient suffers
some discomfort for about five days as
the resuls Of the second incubation. He
has pain in the loins and some fever,
which eventually pass away without any
unpleasant sequelae.
During the last three years DR.. Haff-
kline and his assistants have inooulated
about 10 600 persons with the anti-chol-
era serum, 1900 of whom were Euro
peens in India. DR.. Simpson, the
Health Officer of Calcutta, obtained mu-
nicipal authority TO make an investtga-
tion three years ago, and his repors, just
issued, deals with 1850 cases in which
he used the Hafkine treatment, or rather
with such Of those cases az 1t is known
were subjected to cholera infection
Whenever Gases Of cholera occurred the
medical officer was directed to ascertain
whether the patient had been inooulated,
and also how many Of the household had
OF had not been inoculsted. These inter
sstina facts were ascertained:
Cholera appeared In seventy five house
holds wherein one or more inmates had
been inoculated Within five days of the
advent of the disease. In these cases the
plague attacked both classes Of inmates
but the inoouiated ones enjoyed greater
immunity. This class Of cases is SET
ABIDE on the ground that the treatent had
NOT taken full effect. Then como the
Gases occurring In households where one
or more members had been inooulatsd
wiahan the period Of from five days to
one year previous to the appearance of
tho disease. Out Of 500 inmates who had
mot boon inooulatsd a. were attucked and
- died Among the 800 inmates who
had been inocuiated only one died. The
number Of the inoculaeed who were at
tackled is NOS stated. Cholera also up
peared In houses, 90 Of whose inmates
had been inooulatsd more than a year
previous. or these six died, while of 2Ss
uninOoulated persons 2s died. II IL ex-
platned regarding the SIX deaths just
ment3Qrad that they were Of pessons who
hsdthssn snooulseed soon aftsr the treat
maNs was Introduced, and that the virus
used was 1uo weak.
DA Simpson sums up these results by
sa31ag that among 65A uninoculated per-
sons there wsrs II deaths (about IL per
CENT? while among 400 inooulated per-
SONS 10 Tho same households there were
hus ID deaths less than three per cent.
6smi1ar results are reported from other
parts OF India. Among 5000 coolies work
ing In the tea gardens in Caohar 1000
have bsen inooulated. Fifteen Of these
were attacked b. cholera and four led,
hae among the other q, 600. 1874 were at
taoksd and 90 died.
The test Of tho system among Euro
peans lie perhaps more important, al
though IL il less decisive. The latter
poi0s b explained by the fact that in the
cases mentioned the inooulaitons were
a the earlier and weaker kind. The
RiSish East Lancashire regiment. sta
toned at Lucknow. suffered terribly by
ohoaesn year ago. Some 1873 Of Its
members had been inooulated fourteen
months previous. OF th csc IS were at
tackled and 18 died. OF the $40 other
members 40 were attacked and 70 died.
Pubic opinion III Calcutta, 1t is said,
ia In faver Of going on with the expert
MentsL but some medical authorities
there are opposed to 1t. 1t Is apparently
impossible to claim for DIR. Haffkin's
treatment that single application will
Afalanr i'm, tfxv Gora