The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-09-04

oculated with BaciIIi of novine
Tuberculosis.
Officials Of the Chicago health depart
ment are conducting extensive tests TO
substantiate or disprove DR.. Koch's
theory that the bacilli of bovine tuber-
culosis cannot be transmitted TO hu-
map beings, says a Chicago dispatch TO
the st. Louis Democrat. This step has
long been under contemplation 10y
them. but how to do it without laying
themselves liable TO indictment for
murder in case a volunteer patient
should die under their treatment has
been a great problem. Now this OBJ
staclc has been overcome.
To clearly understand the matter 1t
should be borne in mind that Of the
various kinds Of tuberculosis there are
three that are most common. These
are the deadly form known as pulmo-
n9ry consumption. lupus tuberculosis,
purely disease of the skin, which de-
rves it name from the reddish brown
patches which characterize IT, and mill
ary tuberculosis, which has its seat in
the brain. 1t is with the second of
these that the local experiments are
being conducted.
The bacillus or germ Of all these dis
eases Is the same. 1t Is, nevertheless,
n distinction which puzzles the laymnn
that this same germ is exceedingly diff
cult for medical science to overcome in
one form Of the disease, while it is
harmless in another. The first of these
10.
the lupus form. Hence all danger Of
death is removed from the Chicago eX-
periments while at the same time the
results to be obtained viii be fully as
decisive and important to the medical
world as they would be were the pa
tient TO undergo test possibly fatal
in its outcome.
three men have submitted them
selves TO the tests, which are now in
the first stages of the experiment
Active bacilli Of bovine tuberculosis
were procured by the officials of the
health department, and then all that
remained was an operation similar to
that OF vaccination. Pieces Of skin on
the arms of the patients were scratched
aside, and the bacilli were applied TO
these wounds. Now all that either the
doctors or patients can do is to await
the result.
These tests are being conducted un-
der the supervision of Dr. Adolph Gehr-
man, chief Of the municipal laboratory,
and Ir. W. A. Evans Of the Columbus
medical laboratory. Assisting them, as
he says, but really the leader, as his
intimates say, is DR.. +. w Reilly, as
sistt tnt health commissioner of Chicago.
200 much stress" said DR.. Reilly,
when questioned about the expert
ments, cannot be laid upon the fact
that, while no danger Is incurred by
the patients OF DR.. Gehrman and DR..
Evans, the results viii be equally as
decisive as If they had been subjected
TO incubation that might bring about
pulmonary consumption. DR.. Koch
says there would be no danger even in
the latter case, but he admits that this
is only a theory. He acknowledges
that he has transmitted no bovine
bacilli to humans. This has now been
done In Chicago, and the results will
be worldwide in their medical impOr
tance.
How will we determine these re-
suits? Easily enough. In six weeks
or two months the patients will either
have the reddish brown patches which
characterize lupus tuberculosis or they
will not. II they have, DR.. Koch is
plainly wrong. II they have not, he is
plainly In the right. In either event.
the deduction drawn will be open to
llotle dispute in the medical world,
though doubtless If they have not de-
veloped lupus tuberculosis the expert
ments viii then continue by the inocu-
latIon Of bovine bacIlli into a human
10 determine beyond question his sus-
Cepubility therefrom 10 pulmonary
consumption.
should the men now being expert
mentcd upon develop lupus tubercuo-
sis. their punishment will be only tenn
porary discomfort and possibly a little
pain under the surgical knife, because,
il the spots do not yield to other treat
mout. they can easily be cut out
"Our experiments are being conduct
ed chiefly from an economic stand
point Millions Of dollars worth of
Nalllo are NNtllE'Nu dhA uAlly uetd use
tests have shown them TO be afflicted
With animal tuberculosis, and their
killing has been ordered because Of the
fear Of danger TO human beings from
tuberculosis meat or milk. If our pa
tlents develop no lupus tubercle, the ne
cessity of this great slaughter will be
obvlated. Until, however DR. Koch Is
plainly proved TO be in the right our
restrictions on this class Of cattle will
= continue in all Of their present vigor."
one of his patients is a messenger
boy of 1s, another Is a clerk in the
health department, five years older,
and the third Is an attache OF the Co
lumbus laboratory, aged 80. The eX-
periments will be widened as soon as
possible, as far as age Is concerned
Both older and younger persons will
he sought, though 1t will be difficult