The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-23
STUDENTS
MEET.
Continued from Page u


host of the malarial parasite, of which
man is considered as the temporary host.
With the able assistance of my friend.
Mr.. tombstone, I am at present making
Investigations in this field, but 1 do not
feel sufficiently posted as yet to speak
with any confidence of the results of my
personal observations. However, l shall
show you a slide this evening in which
you will see the malarial parasite in hu-
man red blood corpuscles. 1 exhibit also
two cancer slides, one of adenomatouS
carcinoma of the rectum, procured from
a case operated on by DR.. Mays of this
City. And also a slide of round-celled
sarcoma, from a case operated on by
Drs. Taylor and Hodgins. These speci-
mems l consider typical; they were cut
and stained by Mr. tombstone and myself
in Mr.. Johnstone's laboratory, and with
out being egotistical l think l may say
they are equal to any / have ever seen.
l will not trespass any longer on your
time, as Mr.. tombstone has to read to
you his observations on the size and
measurements of the lepra bacilli made
by himself with extraordinary care and
painstaking, and all of which measure
ments | have gone over with him, and
verified so that l can vouch for his good
and excellent work.
/ would again say in conclusion these
meetings must no longer consist of an
entertainment at which the same two or
three members do the talking whilst the
others sit around, and / shall only call
the next meeting when / am sure some
of these. members yet unheard from.
promise me to take the floor
Mr.. tombstone read a paper consist
ing of notes upon the bacillus of Ha-
waiian leprosy, with new measurements
Z Of u-hi he 10
copy:
ROSY, WITH NEW MEASURE
MENTS.
The subject of leprosy is a familiar
one in Hawaii, yet it is surprising, upon
reviewing the field, how little systematic
work has been done here, since the dis
covery of the bacillus Of leprosy in 1874.
1t is true that large sums of money have
been expended by the Government dur
ing the past twenty years for the inves-
tigation of leprosy by experts, but thus
far very little, if anything, of value has
been added to the literature of the dis
ease. This failure has been in part due
to the desultory character of the work
done, which, judging from the wording
of the reports published has evidently
been coupled with crude and unscientific
methods. ] remember an instance in the
early eighties, where leprosy expert re-
ceiving a large salary with all expenses,
was found attempting to verify his OBJ
servations with a borrowed, out-of-date
microscope having it's limit of magnifica-
ton at about 400 diameters. Anyone
reading his reports made after leaving
Hawaii viii find therein much theoreti-
cal wisdom accompanied by a strange
dearth of practical conclusion and ex-
detrimental result
On the other hand there is no doubt
that past failure to successfully cult
waite the bacillus artificially has proved
a serious bar to the progress of inVestl-
CATION. This obstruction few have thus
far tried to pass: but while the scien-
tific fraternity has awaited and hoped
for the removal of the barrier, very lit
tie has been accomplished by individuals
in the field opened by Hansen's discov-
cry of the bacillus of leprosy in 1874. The
fact is, so little has been done that even
his original measurements have been re-
peated and republshed without vertfica-
ton and with little variation by writer's
to the present time. So nearly do the
text books agree in this regard, any one
would think the authors had all made
their microscopical measurements from
the same slide; and this in spite of the
fact that any properly prepared, typical
section containing the bacilli, shows diff
ferent averages for varying portions or
the same preparation. In width, howev-
er, the bacilli are found to be quite con-
slant, or varying at most only from VI
to OF of a micron. "a micron is o.Ool
of a millimetre, or about 1-25,ooo of an
inch, and is the standard of microscope
cal measurements
The following notes are the partial re-
suits reached in a special investigation
begun about year ago in which an at
tempt Is being made to verify as far as
possible the results published by others;
In other words, typical slides of Hawaii
an leprosy, prepared under both known
and experimental methods, are being
compared with the results reached else
where, as far as these are obtainable. In
my work thus far / have been material
ly assisted by DIR. Fl. G. Sloggett, VINO
has kindly gone over my data and mas
at different times aided me with techni-
cal advice. I wish it understood that the
present statements are tentative and Will
be subject to revision as the investigation
progresses. For instance, while the tndl-
vidual measurements are scientifically eN-
act, the averages will be subject to slight
notifications as their number increases.
systematic attempt will be begun In
the near future to artficially grow the
bacilli, but in the meantime there is no
reason why the subject should not be
studied through the natural growth and
development of the bacilli in the tissues
of the human body.
Before serious study of the leprosy ba-
cilli in the tissues is possible there are
several matters which must receive care
full attention. and it must always be kept
in mind that technical dexterity is the
first requisite for success.
l The specimens must be so embedded
that they can be cut into sections as
thin as two, three and four mcrons and
only in special cases should they exceed
five microns from 1-12,000 to $4,000 of an
inch). BY a new method of microtomy
lately discovered in my work, 1 am able
to produce such sections, with scarcely
the loss of an intervening section, which
was impossible with the old methods of
cutting. 2. The illumination must be
achromatic, strictly focused in accord
ance with optical laws and so arranged
that the same light results be re-
produced under any circumstances and
at all times. g. Special and very care
full methods of staining the sections must
be used, so as in no way to modify or
obscure the resulting optical picture.
The series of slides under consideration
was taken from a well-developed and
oTt ,,L1 H. 10