The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-27
Proc. kocH,s CLAIM.


The press reports of the last address
of Prof. Koch on the question of tuber-
culosis infection are ample enough to
enable the lay mind to reach an intelli-
thus far reached through scientific re-
search. So far as can now be judged
Prof. Koch stands virtually alone
among the great Investigators of his
time in the contention that infection of
human beings by bovine tuberculine is
not established. Other authorities al
most as eminent as he in that partic-
ular line Of scientific Investigation have
reached an opposite conclusion.
Prof. Koch expressly says that such
infection is not impossible; that the re-
ported cases are not conclusive; that
the history Of the report cases does
not in any instance sustain the claim
that consumption has proceeded from
infection arising from the use of tuber-
culous meat or the drinking of milk
from tuberculous COWS. On the con-
verse proposition, as to whether the
germs of human tuberculosis are ade-
quate to convey the disease to cattle,
there is little if any dispute. Prof.
Koch seems in his last address to ad-
nit the conclusion.
It is to the separate conclusion of the
great German authority on consump-
ton, that the necessary measures in
combating the disease should be based
on economic rather than sanitary
grounds that public attention will be
particularly directed. Yet it does not
seem plain just where Prof. Koch draws
the line between economic and sanitary
precautions. Better dwellings and
workshops, less crowding of human be-
ings, the isolation of those suffering
from consumption can hardly be re-
garded as distinctively economic meas
ures. They are at least ordinarily re-
garded as involving to a great extent
sanitary precautions.
1 The discussion of the dread disease
such as is resulting through the DELHI
erations Of the international tubercu-
losis congress at Berlin is of infinite
value. 1t is quite evident that there
is much yet to be settled as to the
transmissibility of the disease. But
the work of investigation goes on I'M
der the best possible auspices, and the
prospect is far from remote that dur
ing the lifetime of the present genera
ton the reduction in the number of
cases of consumption will be relatively
eases as smallpox, yellow fever and
cholera during the past twenty five
years.
On men and women themselves, as
we'll as on the public agencies, must
depend in great measure the progress
of the work toward doing away with
consumption. We have learned much.
If we act on the prevailing knowledge
much more can be done. Public and
private uncleanliness lies at the base
Of the disease. The greatest step
toward controlling it's progress was
made when it was established as d.
fectly transmissible from one human
being to another. The necessity of seq
regating those suffering from the COM
plant, a discovery which will no doubt
result in the general establishment of
sanitariums for consumptives in every
state, represents another practical
great step.
1t is of really little Importance, rela-
lively at least, whether Prof. Koch Is
right or wrong in his conclusion. The
precautions now being taken against
human Infection through the meat and
milk of diseased cattle will continue to
be taken, until human knowledge can
be regarded as definite and certain
concerning all the real sources of the
disease.