New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-09

experts in the Agricultural Department. had
been experimenting upon a new mode Of treat
ing germ diseases. In this Investigation he has
co-operated with DR.. Rudolph Emmerich, of
Munich The fundamental idea Of the new sys-
tenn is the of an engine or ferment that
is produced by the same bacteria that causes
the malady TO be overcome. OF course, one
recognizes d certain similarity between this plan
and the use Of an antitoxic serum. in the case
OF diphtheria. Hence. with the purpose OF ascer
tanning how far his method differed from that
Of Behring and others, Or. Loew invited by
The Tribune recently to furnish some further
details
Before quoting the replies which that obliging
scientist was good enough to afford to The
Tribunes inquiries. it may be well TO mention
some other facts in regard to engines An
engine has a singular power Of inducing GER
tain kinds II action at a distance. The discolora-
ton Of white wines is due to such action. The
change Of hue observed on the freshly cut sur
face Of an apple is also explained in the same
manner. The oxygen Of the air combines with
the tannin in the pulp. and a new compound is
produced by their union. The combination is
promoted by the presence of engines existing in
the cells Of the fruit.
These and other engines which favor Oxida-
don are known as eyeglasses. and the particular
engine which hardens and darkens the juices
that enter into japanese lacquer IS named
laccase.
II is a curious fact that the effects observed
are not produced by direct contact between the
engine and other substances on which it acts.
Moreover there seems to be nc limit TO the ex-
tent Of It's action When a chemical union takes
place there is a certain fixed proportion be-
tween the quantities Of the elements brought TO-
gether and beyond this amount any single ele-
ment is powerless. But an engine goes On in
nuencing adjacent substances in a surprising
way.
Diastase. which assists in the conversion Of
starch into sugar: rennet. which curdles milk
IN cheese making. and pepsin which promotes
the digestion Of food in the stomach, further IL
lustrate the behavior Of engines.
In order more fully TO elicit Or. Loew's
views he was cat. .lsed last week in the fol-
lowing manner
as an engine to be looked upon as a living
organism. like bacillus. or the product Of an
organism. such as ptomaines are"
1T is not an organism. but an exceedingly
ehangeable and soluble compound, having a pro-
teinlike nature which. by virtue Of containing
much chemical energy. can exert powerful action
on other compounds There are many engines
many more than have been studied thus far
Enzvmes are secreted by every animal and vege-
table organism"
How can you identify enzyme-by its
form or by its properties"
"Only by its activity or mode Of action under
favorable conditions Of temperature. or the kind
of chemical reaction it giyes-acid. alkaline or
neutral"
1T has been suggested that an antitoXin. Ike
thai Of diphthera. does not act directly on the
bacillus Of the disease but overcomes the poison
or toxin. left IN the system by the bacillus. Is
that the way in which. in your opinion the en-
lyme would fight disease
The so-called antitoxins are, according 20 the
WOW # Professor Emmerich and myself moth
ing else than engines which act not only upon
the poison but also upon the bacillus. Il the So
called antitoxins did not attack the bacillus the
latter would multiply infinitely in the injected
body"
wherein do you regard your procedure better
than the old one"
The old methods Of immuniZation Tor "hIc"
. substitute is now proposed, are three IN mum
-. ore arnnlovs injections Of attenuated cult
ures Of the disease germ. another uses hi'eFeu
o,,l,,,ree and the third introduces into the pa
TENTS veins serum derived from an INN
artr,al Now. the last is better than the FIRST
18Th # which are unsafe The proper at
.a,,a.ior Is not fixed for different bacilh.
eltered culture may contain engines out II A'So
.o,,ains impurities. and even polsohs
ton which Professor Emmerich and
ae,ed ia superior TO those just de-
-, ,va think. in that it applies the purified
,Naia,ed epzvme. the active principle Of the older
,hods II can be prepared in dry and du-
.a,la state at a very moderate cost