New-York tribune., 1901-07-29
WYETH OPPOSES KOCH.
REASONS FOR DISSENTING FROM THE
GERMAN SPECIALISTS CONCLUSIONS.

Long Branch n. J. July 2S (SpeciaD.-Dr John
A wyeth, president of the American Medical AS
sociation, in speaking tonight of the theory
recently put forward by Professor Koch, in
London that tuberculosis is not communicable
TO human beings by eating the meat or drink
ing the milk of tuberculous cows. said:
Notwithstanding the reports that Professor Koch Koch
missble to man. should not cease to take an
precautions to destroy the bacilh that are toqnd m
in milk and beef. II Is by means proven oy ".
Koch or any else that this transmission of the
belief and opinion of the best experts and fnvesti-
gators in this department OF medical science rce n
of infection to human beings. especially 10 chliareh
Dr.. Koch is reported to have based his opinion in
part. the fact that primary tuoercul0sls OF @ Ine
number Of post-mortems made in Berlin he had
only two or three subjects IN & Whien PRIMARY
Lows that tubereulosis infection is very common
f tbn e rooutb and tonsils The baoilH lodging
there find their way into the system through n,iur
abrasions surfaces which are exceeofhsns ,s
common on the gums and lining membrane OF me
mouth tongue and tonSis From i HS pause the
Swollen glands Jumps so frequently seen unHer St
dren thus Infected It is therefore not necessary
for the germs to pass into the stomach ana ineeS-
It is gratifying observe the great interest the
public is taking in trs question OF ib
any other ten of the ills flesh is heir TO- Inc ex.
doubt the greatest means of spreading this disease
and since strict laws have been passed IN New
York City forbidding expectoraton In public con-
veyances in that city the death rate from tuber-
cuiosis has been very materially reduced. II these
same laws could be enforced to prevent expectora-
ton the sidwalks and in the streets a much
greater benefit would be derived. The best results
however, cannot be obtained until the people IN
general educated to the necessity of these pre-
cautions.
The law requires that a physician shall re-
port Board of Health very case OF tuoer-
culosis These patients should at once be impressed
with the danger of the spread of their disease TO
others the result of their splitting on the side
walks in the streets the matter expectorated
is loaded with baci, which are hard to Kill and
which blown about in the dust OF the street,
and carried by inspiration into the nosrfls, mouths
and lungs of those not yet infected.
If they would cheap gaUze cloth or hand-
kerchfef. expectOra ting into this and carrying 1t
home TO be destroyed by boiling or burning all the
germs would be killed Both the American Medical
Associa ton which meets in Saratoga in June 1902.
and the New-York State Medical Association, which
holds its annual meeting in October. 1901. at the
Academy OF Medicine New-York City VIII take
action upon this most important of all subjects.
especially with view OF appealing to the public at
large aid the medical profession in their efforts
10 completely eradicate this most pernicious and
destructive disease
In my opinion. another century will not pass
without seeing consumption reiegated TO the cate
CORY of diseases which have ceased to destroy the
human