The Washburn leader., 1899-11-04
Missouri Physician Called to Europe to
Explain Goat Lymph insanity Cure.

the vital force of healthy animals could
be transplanted into the human sys-
TEN, with the purpose of curing or
warding off disease and increasing the
duration Of life.
This is hardly the explanation that
would be given by medical scientist,
but it is in the main correct and con-
veys the proper idea to the mind OF the
lay reaeer. DR.. Brown-Sequard, for in
stance, made what he called an elixir
of life from living animals, while Prof.
Koch obtained lymph by the inocula-
tion plan, graduating it by various
transmissions, somewhat after the
manner of securing the new types OF
anti-toxines. In all of these remedies,
however, the one vital essential of cell
life was missing, and it was this defect
that prevented the accomplishment OF
great results at times when success
seemed almost within the grasp Of the
daring experimenters. DR.. Roberts
studied all of the systems closely, and
then guardedly told few of his medi-
cal brethren:
What we need is not preparation
from a dead animal. nor product OF
incubation, but the transplanting of
active cell life from healthy animal
direct to the patient"
This proposition was bolder even
than that made by Jenner, and re-
ceived as little consideration from the
medical fraternity. The bare idea of
I, country doctor presuming to tell the
savants of Europe that they were
working on wrong lines was prepos-
tercus. Dr. Roberts explained his
theory, and the professors shrugged
their shoulders and smiled. But the
Missouri physician labored on, and
finally there came time when it was
admitted that his idea of the trans
planting of active cell life might be the
correct one.
But, allowing that it u.s." argued the
doubters, what are you going to do
about it? 1t is impossible to maintain
life in these cells for any length of
time after they are taken from the ami
NAL, and consequently you are no
further advanced than other expert
menters, who use the products of in
oculation or extracts made from dead
animals
DR.. Roberts went ahead with his in
vestigations. At first he experimental
on various animals to satisfy himself
as to their health, hardness and gener-
al fitness for his purpose, and finally
picked out the ordinary goat as being
the most immune from disease. 1t is
we'll known that the goat in it's natural
condition is absolutely unaffected by
tuberculosis, glanders, anthrax and
similar ailments which attack all 9TH
er grazing animals, and that it is we'll
nigh impossible to inoculate it with
any of these diseases. Having satisfied
himself that the goat was the animal
he wanted, DR.. Roberts selected
number of young kids, averaging about
months of age, in order that he might
have the additional benefit of youth in
the cell life. From these kids he drew
the lymph, taking it mainly from the
thoracic gland. This lymph he inject
ed hypodermically into dogs, which
were later vivisected to note the effect
of the treatment. In one case he took
two dogs from the same litter, both
being of the same age and we'll along
in years. One of these dogs was killed.
Its interior organs, bone structure, ETC.,
showed plainly the marks of old age.
The other dog was subjected to the
lymph treatment for some months,
during which its general health was
manifestly improved. 1t became more
active, ate better, and outward evil
dence of the approach of old age dis
appeared to great degree. Finally
one of its legs was amputated, and the
bone compared with a similar one TAX