New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-13

Il Il
In his new treatment for tuberculosis Dr.
Cvrus Edison makes an interesting divergence
from the methods ut present most III vogue ~
oorec, with Pastcur. Koch. Behring ana th'ir
colleagues in charging the origin ana rlVaTeS
of the disease 10 bacteria. and in recognizing the
mood of destroying the bacteria TO get rid OF the
disease But he differs from them radically IN
the nature of the ecrInicide employed. Ihey
hovo uscd organic substances. such rs 'culturcS
If the bacteria themselves in various lheui''
immuniZcd blood-scrum, and the like he Oh
thc contrary. turns back to the realm of inorganic
chemistry. and makes use OF one OF the MOST
nowerful and most familiar Of the "coai-'ar
dcriyatives''-tC wit, phcnol.
For many years this acid has been well known
os norticularly effective antiscptic anizymouc
aud concrnlly disinfccting agent. Ever since IL
s ;utrn1ured for the purpose by SIR Joseph
ristor If has been widely used In the antis'p'lc
,noo+rcnt Of wounds and for the destruction OF
a., disocrccoble and noXiOus products of decom-
,,os;,i,n hoctcria and insect life. Many attempts
hovo hccn made to apply it also to the cure OF
discoscs but hitherto with little success, except
50 far rs external applications and llhalauohs
., vonor are concerned. Taken into the stom-
achn
-, an rritant poison. disturbing the Digestion
upfavorablv affecting the heart ana lungs "h"
cousinc PARALYSIS and collapse. Could it be APP
nlicd 70 ,ubcrculous tissues. il would destroy NV
bacteria and make possible the restoration VI
h..,ltb But to do this effectively without sui
ous injury to the body in ether respects HIS
seemed impossible
This however. Is exactly what i)r f'dS"' "''
undertaken TO do. He WAS encouraged To ihaNc
tho attempt by the knowledge. recent! I"'"'"'
,hot nhcuol is Il constituent of some OF me h''"
raj secretion, Of the body. Su'h i me c"S' IL
,o,lth In disease the amount Of phcnol Sccretca
+ sometimes enormously increased. mat l'u
hin, +, bclicvc. first. that phcnol is selected py
>,,rrc itself rs an antllotc To at least some
,.,.,.~iol no,sons. and second. that If suitably
.r,,i,i.tor. ! thc drug would BE- tolerated by the
,,,,,er system and would prove an effective
.,.,.o,o,ti, a.,cnf. II f. rot necessary her" -
ro,,oorsc the technical details Of his laboratory
,,.,rl, Tn, net result of them may, however,
bt briefly stated.
tie Ina, prolurcl a chemically pure aqueous
.o,r,ion Of phenol and pNocarplne -phchyIhy-
droylle which for short IS called a>'p''""'
This i 70 be administered by subcutancous IN
,..,ion II causes ~ such reaction rs does
t,.b,s ,uh,rculln nor ahSceSscS, nor, indeed. any
visible physiological phenomena. Bacterial &c,
vclnnm,rt IS. however promptly checked ana
b.al.hy r'andular activity Is much siimula'"l
Numerous ease. are cited in which the characters
ls,ic h,cilli # tuberculosis. formerly abundant III
fine sputl ~ The patients. have been mad" On
t,rolc 70 disappear. and what apparently W'ie
radical cures II genuine consumption have h''h
Effected In some cases no good results nave
h,.n observed. and in some the il'osyncraSi'' 4
IA. patlonts have made the continued use oi ihe
drug imposslhle Much further trial WILL or
coursc. be necessary to demonstrate tho a'tnai
worth of the ascpt,lin treatment At present
however. we may certainly regard 1t as an e1-
rcnmcnt II more than ordinary interest. ana OF
not les, than ordinary promise.