The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-07
Professor Koch interviewed.

JULES HURET.
Professor Koch Interviewed.
Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal.
BERLIN. Aug. 25.-Your correspondent
was received by Professor Koch in his pri-
vafe residence, Is Kurfurstendam.
at Is impossible that DR.. Garnault should
have become a consumptive by incubation
with particles of the flesh OF a consump-
tive beef" said the professor such
fatality could have ensued only If the in
ocuIation had been performed by tubercle
bacilIi as prepared in the laboratories"
THE professor spoke in his usual dicta-
toriaI fashion, as If science, as interpreted
by him. had the right of way before nature.
But" interposed the correspondent, Il
have seen the infected arm myself, and
the Pasteur Institute moreover recognized
the swellings as due to tuberculosis"
The reference to the Pasteur Institute
seemingly made no more impression upon
Professor Koch than the observation OF
mere layman like myself.
.sIt cannot be-" he said. eff the physi-
clan were infected with consumption he
would be consumptive all through; the
disease would not be localized under the
skin OF the arm Besides" he said, 1.-THE
shortness' Of the time intervening between
the alleged incubation and the present con-
fiic;s with the statement.
1.-THE thing from which Garnault really
suffers Is an afiiction to which butchers
and veterinary surgeons handling meat
from consumptive beef are much subject.
BY the nature OF their work these men are
liable to cuts and bruises that afford the
tubercie bacilli opportunity to take root.
But the affiiction is entirely harmless, for
the tubercles stay where they are. They
do not attack other parts. particularly not
the vital parts OF the body-the lungs. I
once had a patient, a butcher. whose arm
was dlsfgured by tuberculosis growth
for eight years; that Is, / had him for
eight years, at least, under observation.
After that the swelling disappeared without
disagreeable consequences whatever. In
fact. my patient had never felt its pres
ence: it never gave him an hour Of uneasi-
ness; il was merely an eyesore."
MILK AND CONSUMPTION.
The professor next showed your corre-
spondent a photograph representing the
hand Of a sailor with cross tattooed on
IL. The cross was conspicuous for small
knobs looking like pimples on the surface
OF plant. Pointing to them. the professor
said: They are tubercles, produced by
the milk from a consumptive cow. with
which the sailor tattooed himself by way
of a needle. I inspected the tubercles.
They were the real thing, consisting OF
opaque, pale-yellow matter. I cut out one
OF them and inoculated a guinea pig with
1t. 1t died shortly afterwards Of consump-
ton. AS to the sailor. the growth never
inconvenienced him at ALL"
While wondering at the unsailorlike ac-
ton OF Herr Koch's sailor, who tattooed
himself with the milk OF a consumptive
COW, instead OF the regulation colored sub
stance. your correspondent put this Ques-
ton to Professor Koch: IF, In place OF the
pig. you had inoculated a human being
with the tubercles, would the victim
have been liable to catch consumption
Undoubtedly he would" replied Koch.
''for tubercles transferred from one human
being on the other always take In such
case as you mention the inoculated limb
would have swollen up in short order. fol-
lowed by an infection OF the whole organ
ism.
Everything I have said,' remarked
Koch. leaning back in a self-satisfied man
ner. tends to confirm my theory. namely.
that Ii is very difficult TO transfer animal
consumption upon the human being"
WAS NOT SCIENTIFIC.
Your correspondent thereupon told Koch
that Garnault followed up the first expert
ment, OF June IL. with another. "On July
Il" he said. "the French doctor placed a
particle or beef tubercle. as big as a pea,
under the skin or his arm after removing
the skin and cutting away quite a bit OF his
own flesh. The tuberculosis matter, there
fore. necessarily mingled with the blood"
Koch affected incredulous air while
the correspondent made this statement.
Finally he said: II repeat. DR.. Garnault $
experiments are unscientihc and do not
deserve serious consideration. Instead OF
playing with beef tubercIes, as he did, he
ought to have inoculated himself with the
cultures grown in the laboratory. each
atom OF which contains millions of bacilli.
The correspondent endeavored to recall
10 Dr. Koch's memory what Garnault in
tended to show by his act-that he was q
practical. not theoretical, investigator
but he would not listen. All these things
are unscientihc." he repeated over and over
again. "grimaces for the gallery. Take
my word for II, Garnault Is not i'll at all
The growth on his arm has Eol and viii
not affect his general well-being in any
manner. form
But the Pasteur Institute says he has
consumption" insisted the correspondent.
II that be true" cried Koch, what OF
Il? A single, individual case cannot upset
2 scientific fact. II proves nothing. abso.
iutsly nothing. And again." he added, BY
way or an afterthought. who knows but
that Garnault had consumption before he
inocuiated himself? II is understood thai
one-half OF human beings are afflicted with
tuberculosis. even IL they do not know IT
II Is not certain at all that Garnault be.
Ionged 10 the other half"
Koch rose TO intimate that the interview
vas at end.
would you be so kind as to formulate
POUR theory concerning tuberculosis meat