New-York tribune., 1903-06-08
TREATING TUBERCULOSIS.
Consul General Mason Reports Sur
prising Results.

sented by DIR. Danelius and PROFESSOR iHeouoi
Sommerfeld an elaborate thesis describing their
experiments with system Of treatment or
tubercular disease by inhalation, or. rather, by
fumigaton, with the combined fumes or
eucalyptus. sulphur and charcoal. These ex-
periments have been the subject of such Keen
and sustained interest among the foremost
medical of Berlin for the last six months
that Consul General Frank Mason has made the
discussion the subject Of an important report 10
the State Department He says:
The high authority of the tests. the encour-
aging nature of the results reported and the fact
that these results may constitute an important
step toward the scientific mastery Of a disease
which has become of the most widespread
and fatal scourges OF the human race, give to
the proceedings of last night a popular interest
which transcends all the ordinary limits Oh
pathological discussion. Concisely stated the
history and nature of the new method are the
following:
During his extensive travels in Australia
Robert Schneider a German merchant. with
practical knowledge of chemistry, noticed that
the natives in the northwestern part of Austria
liza used decoction made by boiling the leaves
and roots of the eucalyptus tree as remedy Tor
consumption, which is prevalent disease IN
many sections of that country. He further OBJ
served that the natives living in districts where
the eucalyptus tree grew abundantiy were gen.
orally immune from the disease, ana thdt
natives suffering from tuberculosis frequently
came from other regions to live In the euca-
lyptus district, and with generally favorable re-
suits. From all that he could observe ana learn
by inquiry Herr Schneider concluded that the
effective remedial agent was the EUCALYPTUS
which is known in Tnateria medca as germl-
eide and antiseptic of recognized efficiency
With the aid of a physiological chemist ne
prepared combination of flowers or suIpnur'
powdered charcoal and the pulVerlzed euca.
lyptus leaves impregnated with essential OIL or
eucalyptus This mixture has been named
'sanosin," and is the material which has been
used in the recent experiments. since the ll1le
Of Galen the fumes of sulphur have been known
to exert a curative effect upon sufferers from
hot f6n nm
sulphurous acid with eucalyptus and carbon mas
a peculiarly effective potency in attacking the
bacillus of tuberculosis. On account or It's eX-
treme volatility sanosin Is put up IN sedleu
glass tubes, each containing a dose or about Two
grams (thirty-one grains). in which condltlon IL
is TO be sold, like other medicines, through
authorized druggists When used the tube is
broken and it's contents poured on an earthen-
plate heated by a spirit lamp; the volatile
eucalyptus quickly evaporates, and, IN com
bnation with the small quantity of sulphurous
acid fumes generated medicates with an aro-
matte, penetrating odor the air of closed room
in which the tuberculous patient lives and IN
hales the curative influence in an easy, natural
way.
The new remedy was brought to Berlin in
September of last year, where after due con-
sideration, 1t taken IN hand for elaborate
scientific test and practical experiment FRO.
fessor TheodOr Sommerfeld OF the University ol
Berlin, leading authority In pulmonary as
ease, and DR.. Danelius, also a lung specldAst;
took charge of the experiments, ana specidi
clinic hospital ward was opened for that pur-
pose in the Moabit quarter. Other physicians
were assigned to the various details or the Wofk:
One made regular and frequent examinations or
the sputa of the patients under treatment, keep
ing careful record of the changes IN each case
from day to day; another made daily inspections
of their general condition, temperature, pulse
appetite, ETC. that the collective record IN
each individual case is the work of several olI-
ferent expert physicians The patients were
taken from the poorest class of sufferers, many
of whom live at Berlin in damp, unsanltary
dwellings, and throng the public hospitals at all
seasons of the year. SO prevalent ana latal IS
withstanding all that science has hitherto done
to restrain it's raVages. the death rate IN berlln
alone from that disease averages ten a day
Each patient, before being admitted to the ne"
treatment, required to present a cert1hcate
from the Royal Hospital showing that he or she
had been treated there and was Suiferlng from
progressive tuberculosis; many when admitted
had reached a stage at which hope of relief by
ordinary means had been practically abandoned
Thus far 120 patients have been treated, or
whom it is stated more than 5O per cent nave
been discharged cured. Some have been en-
abled while under treatment and sleeping In the
hospital at night, to spend portions OF the Gay
engaged at their usual occupations The pur-
pose of the meeting last evening was, first, to
listen to formal theses prepared ana reao oy
DR. Danelius and Professor Sommerfeld, de-
scribing the process Of treatment and giving the
detailed records of q number OF typical cases.
and second to present in person for exam
ination by the assembled physicians. several OF
the patients who had been previously treated
for tubercular disease by one or more or the
physicians present, had received certihcates
from them entering the eucalyptus clinic ana
were now presented for examination as cured.
1t is not within the province or purpose or
this report to venture any opinion as to the
effectiveness or permanent value of this new
remedy So MANY sensational cures have been
announced in recent years for phthisfs. cancer
and other widespread human diseases that the
average layman is constrained to receive the
announcement of further discoveries In the same
field with a certain incredulity. At the same
time it must be conceded that, in view Of the
dominating Importance OF the subject, the rec
ord of what sanosin has thus far accomplished
is entitled to a more than mere passing recog-
milton. The period of experiment is, of course,
too brief to form the basis of any definite con-
clusion There is general unwlingness among
physicians to accept the arrest of tubercular
disease for so short period as six months as
proof of a permanent cure. Others doubt
whether any process of inhalation alone can
reach the ultimate seat OF the disease. 1t VIII
probably be safe to accept for the present the
conservative but positive statement of DR..
EngeI the expert charged during the recent eX-
periments with the examination Of the sputum,
in which he has had a long experience under
other forms of treatment. His statement is that
under no other treatment has he seen the char
acter of the sputum change so rapidly and uni
formly through the dmnution and disappear
ance Of bacilli and the elastic fbres peculiar to
tubercuar disease, as under the treatment with
sanosin.
To which may be added the deliberate testi-
rnony of DR.. Danelius and Professor Sommer-
field, that:
"The inbalations act with greater certainty IN
removing the catarIh which accompanies pull
nonary phthisis than any other medicinal or
physical measures directed to the same end
This is shown especially by the fact that the eX-
pectoration on the one hand decreases or disap-
pears entirely, or, the other hand-in acute
cases-changes it's character. The fact that the
patient generally is quickly relieved from the
troublesome and irritating cough is of the great
est Importance, especially as the sleep which is
absolutely requisite for recovery from funda-
mental disease can then be obtained. The appe-
tite In almost every case increases under the in
fuence of the inhaled vapors, and through an
increased consumption of food the second pre-
Iiminary condition for the cure is furnished"
-s----