The age-herald., 1897-11-07
THAT CONSUMPTIOH CURE Dr. HirsehfeIder's New Serum
 and lis Value as a Remedy, CONSERVATIVES ALLEGE D Cured Shown to Doctors-San Francisco Physi- clans Divided in 0pinion-New Physician
 and Chemist Say il is Absurd.

San Francisco, Oct. 30.-The medical profession of San Francisco is divided over Dr. Joseph O. Hirschfelder's dis covery of an alleged cure for consump- tfon. The discoverer is backed by Coop CT Medical college, of whose faculty he is a member, while those who deny his claims belong to the rival college of physicians and surgeons.
 Dr. Hirschfelder and his supporters claim that with the aid of Koch's tu- berculin he has perfected oxytuberculin. or serum, which has cured advanced cases of consumption in six months, and he has scores of patients who bear tes- ttmony to the remarkable healing pow CTS of this serum. His opponents de- clare that he has simply used peroxide of hydrogen in treating tuberculin in- stead of monoxide of hydrogen, winch Koch employed, and that his method isn't so good as Koch's because free peroxide is left in the fluid after treat ment, and must be expelled again by ex- treme heat before the serum is ready for use. These critics also say that con sumptive patients may be encouraged to believe anything about their condi- tion and that the new cure cannot be said to have any more value than those brought out by Koch and others, which proved dismal failures, until the pa- tlents treated show that their recov- cry is permanent. Meanwhile they call attention to the fact that Hirschfelder is selling his serum for $5 bottle and that many poor consumptives will flock to San Francisco, which, with its raw winds and cold fogs, has about the worst climate in the world for persons suffering from tuberculosis.
 Dr. Hirschfelder's discovery was first heard of last April, when the announce ment was made that he had perfected a lymph which had been tried upon dogs and had proved successful. and which had also worked remarka ble cures on human beings. The lymph was injected hypodermically, and the patients after few days ceased to cough. An examination showed that the tubercules were healed by the action of the lymph or serum, and in cases of
 laryngeal tuberculosis this healing could be seen plainly. Dr. Hrschfelder sent announcements of his experiments to many medical journals and societies, and from several sources received en-
 ceuragement. The majority, however, appeared to consider his work chi,nari- cal.
 Last Sunday, at the Cooper Medical college, Dr. Hirschfelder exhibited twen- ty consumptive patients who had bean cured by his remedy Some were in ad- vanced stages and deep tubercules Nh their lungs had not entirely healed, but the sputum which they coughed up showed no trac5s of bacilli. The show ing was so remarkable that when an account of it was printed, with an ac- count of Dr. Hlrschfelder's method of producing the serum, it created great sensation, and, being telegraphed all world
 Dr. Hirschfelder worked on his cure for two years, and spent nearly $15,000 in perfectng it. The work required costly apparatus and demanded large expenditures for Koch's tuberculin. From Berlin Dr. Hirschfelder has im- ported $4,O0O worth of tuberculin, and he has bought enough veal to feed an army.
 His method of perfecting oxytubercu- lin, put into simple English, is as fol- lows: Veal is soaked in water, and its juice is then expressed, boiled and fil- tered. Glycerine, peptone, and salt are put into the liquid, which is made slightly alkaline with carbonate of soda. In this liquid the germs of tuberculosis are grown. When they are fully devel- oped, the liquid, with the germs, is boil ed and filtered. The resultant liquid is tuberculin. This tuberculn is the basis of Dr. Hirschfelder's preparation. Per oxide of hydrogen is added, and the mix ture is heated for 130 hours, at the end of which time it is oxytuberculin. This is clarified with a caustic soda solution, and per cent. of boracic acid is put in to keep it from decomposition. The greatest care Is necessary in all the de- tails of making oxytuberculin. All bot- ties and utensials used are sterilized under 100 degrees centigrade of heat.
 Dr. Hirschfelder claims that in his usa of peroxide of hydrogen lies the whole virtue of his discovery. He de- clares that it makes valuable his serum, whereas Koch, working with monoXide of hydrogen, produced serum that had no permanent effect on tuperculosls. For five days he adds peroxide of hydro gen to his tuberculin until he has put in the same amount of peroxide as of tu- berculin. The peroxide is converted into water. but in this conversion it removes the poison from the tuberculin ard its it for curative purposes.
 This oxytuberculin was first tested on A. dog. Dr. HirschfeIdeT tnoculated a heaEthy dog. and produced all the symp- toms of consumption. The dog had a cough. lost flesh and would not eat. Then oxytuberculin was lndected, and in feW days a snarl1sd improvement was shown. Tn two months the dog was we'll as ever, and showed no traces of the experiment.
 Then the doctor was encouraged to try oxytuberculin cn several patients who were willing to take the risk. Tubercules in the lungs or larynx were healed rapid ly, the cough stopped, and the patients soon began to increase in weight. r
 Dr. Hirschfelder claims that in no case where his orders have been followed rfgidly has there been amy failure to cure. His most remarkable case Is that of Thomas H. Williams. Jr., a young sporting man who is as we'll known dn New York as in San Francisco. Wfl- diams has raised many fine thorough breds and has attended the big circuits for. years. He contracted consumption more than a year ago and visited several New York experts. They all told. him that he had not more than six months of life left, evem if he spent his time in Southern California; he returned to his hcrne in despair, but hearing of Dr. Hirschfelder's cure, he put himself under the doctors care. Williams appeared om Sunday and bore witness to the efficacy of the new cure He declared that he was thoroughly cured. Those who know him we'll say that he still shows signs of the malady.
 One patient with 1ary1ngeal tuberculo- sis opened his mouth, and the doctors were able to see scars of ulcers which he had healed. Tn another patient, who had been treated only a few weeks, the cavities in the lungs had not healed,