New-York tribune., 1901-07-24
CURE OF TUBERCULOSIS.
EorH'S HOPEFUL VIEW REGARDING
PREVENTION OF DISEASE.
NEITHER HEREDITARY NOR TRANSMITTED
FROM ANIMALS. HE SAYS-HoNOR
FOR LORD MILNER

Copyright: 1901: BY The New-York Tribune)
IBY TO THE rRIBUSE.l
London. July "a, 1 a. m.-Robert Koch's ad-
dress yesterday at St James's Hall before the
Congress tuberculosis was an event of world
wide Importance. since he the recognized
leader in the campaign against consumption.
The hall was crowded with medical men, and
there was a group of scientific experts around
Lord Lister the platform. Professor Koch
was introduced by Lord Lister with the SIM
rlicity becoming to each great man of science
and was welcomed with British heartiness His
address occupied about eighty minutes. and was
followed with intense interest. Professor Koch
read IL in English, with deliberate painstaking
effort 10 repress his marked German accent and
with no lack Of emphasis when controversial
Messages were reached.
Tall. full habited. with a high forehead. large
spectacIes and STOPPING shoulders he was the
embodiment Of German scholarship and thor
oughness in scientific investigation.
Professor Koch's main theme was the best
method OF fighting tuberculosis in the light of
experienced gained in combating the bubonic
plague. cholera. hydrophobia and especially
yeprosy which he described as caused by a para
site closely resembling the tubercle bacillus
He pronounced hereditary consumption to be
extremely rare, and considered that the sputum
of consumptive patient the chief source of
infection.
He gave account OF recent experiments at
Berlin which served to prove that human tuber-
culosis could not be transferred TO animals.
Lord Lister subsequently admitted that the evil
dence seemed satisfactory. Koch had also salts
fed himself that the converse proposition was
also true and that human beings were not sus-
ceptible bovine tuberculosis communicated
through milk. butter and meat. This conclusion
fo eN-t.
dence cited by Koch, and several experts from
the Continent thrashed out the matter with vari-
ous results Koch himself declared that the dan
ger Of infection by the milk and flesh Of tubercu-
lar cattle was hardly greater than by hereditary
transmission, and that measures against it were
.nadvisabe.
The chief source of human tuberculosis was
the diffusion OF sputum. and natural prevent
tive measures were the removal of patients from
small. overcrowded dwellings. the establishment
Of special hospitals for them. compulsory notih-
cation TO the health authorities of cases of
tubercular disease. systematic disinfection of
sick rooms and the founding of sanatoriums
where cures could be effected.
Koch took hopeful view of both preventive
and curative measures, explained how much
good work had been done by consumptive hos
pitals in England. and highly praised DR.. Biggs's
system of organization in New-York worthy
Of the study ana imitation OF all municipal and
sanitary authorities.
THE Daily Mail" is again calling attention to
the delinauencies of war officers. Numbers of
letters have been received from members of the
Imperial Yeomanry complaining that heavy
rears Of pay are still due TO them, and THE
Mail" is directing public attention 10 the matter.
Several Of the play books of the late Augustin
Daily which were not sold in America are to be
disposed of here in the first three days of next
week.
Lord Ailner was received with marked
thrsias1n at the Gudhall yesterday, and when
the freedom of the city had been conferred was
the guest OF honor at the Mansion House where
Mr. Balfour and Mr.. Chamberlain were his chief
supporters. Honors of all kinds have been liter
ally thrust upon Lord Miner since his arrival
from South Africa. for he has not desired either
& title the freedom of the city, yet ne has
been forced against mis- will 10 accept proofs
that his services to the empire were appreciated
by the King, the ministers and the nation
Lord Miners health has been restored, and
he has regained his oldtine CHEEKY manner. He
has discussed the South African policy in detail
with Mr. Chamberlain, and is in full accord with
him Oh all points Lord Miners friends predict
that he Will not remain at Pretoria more than
eighteen months and that he will succeed Lord
Curzon as Viceroy of India. /. n. f.
DIR KOCH'S NEW THEORY.