The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-15
MORE HOPE FOR CONsUMPTIvEs.
English Doctors Experimenting with
"a Poison Cure"

London Mail.
The theory of the conquest of consump-
ton by poison, as outlined in yesterday 5
Daily Mail, is exciting, as we'll II may, the
most extraordinary interest.
The treatment by injection OF formic al
dehyde is being put to very thorough tests
at the Brompton Hospital for Consump-
ton.
1T is a thoroughly rational scientific
treatment, and the most hopeful results are
expected from it, is the official pronounce
ment.
1t is believed that when practiced under
the best conditions, preferably in conJunc-
ton with the open-air treatment II gives
the consumptive a better chance than he
has ever had before.
There have been seven cases recently In
which the poison has been injected regu-
larly, and in most of them the most bene-
fetal results have been obtained. In one
all signs of consumption disappeared, and
this despite the fact that the weather and
other unavoidable conditions were not OF
favorable character.
With two cases that were put under the
treatment towards the close of last year
very bad luck was experienced. The pa
tients came up To the hospital from the
country right into the London fog, with
the result that they got bad attacks Of
bronchitis straight away. one OF them was
sent back TO Wiltshire, the risk from fog
being regarded as toe great.
Circumstances such as this-as well as
the advisabiliCy of giving the treatment
thorough test Of its own in place set
apart-have caused consideration TO be
given to the idea of establishing sana-
tOrium in the country for this special pur-
pose and il is quite likely that as the re-
suit of private medical enterprise an insti-
tuition OF the kind Will be opened before
very long
At the present time there are at Bromp-
ton two advanced cases which are under
going the treatment, and In both OF them
an improvement is being effected. They
have, so far, had fifteen daily Injections
and, though both have large cavities in the
lungs, their attendants speak most hope
fully about them.
The medical profession, however, dislike
the word cure" applied TO any treat
ment. All that IL is possible TO do they
say, is 10 arrest the course Of the disease
and to render il quiescent That is to say,
the bacilli may be completely destroyed,
and there may be no more active cOnsump-
ton. but the havoc which IL has wrought
IN the lungs must OF necessity remain.
and a man who has once had the disease
must always be more or less liable 10 be a
attacked by il again.
Stil, in the sense ia which the public
view the term, cures" have been effected.
and so close is the attention which is now
being given TO the problem that in authori-
tative circles IL is believed that more will
come in abundance.
Continued practice and experimentation
at Brompton have insured more and more
skillful application OF the treatment, with
correspondingly beneficial results.
For instance, at first II was only found
possible 10 inject the liquid fOrmic aldehyde
very slowly indeed through small pune
ture IN the VEN OF the arm II TOOK ABOUT
a couple of minutes 10 introduce the neces-
sary quantity, about two and half ounces.
Now, however. IL is injected in about
twenty seconds. remarkably short time.
The quicker the poison Is absorbed the bet
ter, and the more thorough the sluicing OF
the lungs with the germicide. The patients
feel no pain. rather liking the treatment
than otherwise. while the puncture is so
small that all that is necessary after the
operation is to close IL for about half a
minute with a piece of cotton wool. after
which IL Is sealed
There has been an impression for long
time past among eminent consumption spe-
cialists that some such method this was
the best way in which to tackle the disease
with an antiseptic. and IL Is an interesting
fact that at st. Georges Hospital recently