The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-30
FIGHT MANS DISEASES
HERMAN DOCTORS IN BATTLE
 WITH HUMAN AILMENTS.
Organize War on Cancer-New Dis coveries as to Tuberculosis, Scar let Fever and Catarrh.
 X-Ray on Animals.
Rsrlin Correspondence of Chicago Dail

Berlin Correspondence of Chicago Daily | News. Germany's great medical investigators were, never so, busy as they are today: Nirchow, Koch, .Roentgen, Leyden, Berg mann, Loeffler, Behring and Waldeyer no longer monopoize the field of inquiry and discovery. They have countless imitators, young and old, possessing in patience what they lack in skill, who scorn to .'practice medicine for gain, preferring to consecrate their talent to solving the myriad riddles of mankind. Disease has never faced so determined an army of specialists as these plodding German sci entists. The majority of them, even the most famous are poor men, without par ticular professional or social rank, con tent to labor unrewarded and unknown in the hope that perseverance will eventual ly lead them out os obscurity into renown and wealth.
 Cancer is engaging. perhaps. the great est amount of attention in Germany at present Headed by Prof. Ernest won Ieyden of Berlin, a National Cancer In- quiry Committee" has been established which is pursuing a thorough going course of investigation, with the aid of liberal government funds. The Commit tees report for the year 1901 has just been issued The most important obser- vatiOn it makes is that out of 12,0O0 cases of German cancer enough evidence has been gathered to induce the conclusion that cancer is not hereditary. but conta- gious An ind ependent inquiry by pr. Aschoff of Berlin developed other inter- estng cancer information. Dr. Aschoff finds that women are more subject to cancer than men, also that the disease is of greater extent in the upper than in the lower classes of German society. The search for the elusive cancer bacillus con- tinues to provide occupation for every German specialist.
 Clouds of Conflicting Theories.
 There have been many claims, but none which the fraternity has been willing to accept as final, although several have been projected from authoritative sources At the recent German surgery congress fin Berlin no less than six different can- cer bacilli were announced, each differing radically from the other. Prof. Loeffier of Griefswald has contributed the most interesting suggestion for cancer cure the injection of malarial blood as an an tidote. But his conclusions are based largely upon the negative proposition that little cancer exists in malarial re- gtons, and he has not found many dis tinguished supporters. With a strong British committee working along simi- lar lines, it is possible that the next year may bring forth great light upon the
 
 Tuberculosis research has centered for the last year largely around Prof. Koch's claims with reference to the noncommu- instability of the tuberculosis germ from animal to man. Whatever the ultimate fate of Prof. Koch's theory may be- it is certain that 1t has not been finally dis proved. He is, in accordance with his promise at the London congress, working continuously at further demonstrations of Haf thA 1I,K,f- ment with which he has several times electrified the world may be added to at any time. Koch has many professional critics in Germany. who have lost faith in his pronouncements since the failure of his lymph serum.
 Makes Cattle Tuberculosis Proof
 Professor Behring of Marburg who won the Nobel prize for his discoverey of the diphtheria serum, contributed valuable theory to the worlds tuberculosis knowl- edge a few weeks ago He announced that he had found it possible to make cattle tuberculosis proof by a system of inoculation when they were very young. He claims to have eXperimented to that end with entire success on his stock farm. herds which were not subjected to the vaccination having become d!seas- ed. while animals who were treated with his virous proved to be callous to tuber-
 
 pared to state that human life can be in- sured against consumption by similar treatment but his friends say that it is 8 logical deduction and would be given a more positive character if it were pOssi- ble to experiment with human subjects
 Professor won Lcyden's scar!et-feveI serum attracts serious and generally favorable attention. 1t is known as 6 'convalcscent serum" because taker from patients on the verge of recovery from scarlet fever. The serum is com posed of blood extracted from these patients by a harmless operation ant then after mixture with secret ingreden is injected in d dose of twenty cubic cen timeters Lewden bases his use ol scarlet-fever blood on the theory that inasmuch as convalcscent IS not likely to have the fever second time hls blooC contains protective qualities which mak' him immune for the rest of his life. Fiji teen eases have been treated with the neV serum within the past few weeks Al termianted favorably, half of them eN ceptioually so. The latter recoNert' their normal condition on the first da! after the injection of the serum. Ih serum is quite harmless as only th blood of strong, healthy, young patients is employed Experiments have so Ia been made only with grown people Du LeXden Is confident it will be equally CT