New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-05
JUDGMENT AGAINST KOCH.

Though the world owes n great debt to the
discoverer of tie bacillus OF tuberculosis, II IS
steadily coming to realize that he IS not an in
fallble authority concerning that disease. Prior
to 1901 the medical profession in general
though not absolute accord about the pracu
cal identity OF the human and bovine forms OF
the malady. In an international congress in
London that year Koch uttered the opinion that
they were essentially different, and that the
two varieties were not intercommunicable. The
declaration produced profound sensation, but
1t was received with much skepticism Even
then there was Il considerable volume Of evil
dence pointing in the opposite direction. How
ever, further investigation was desirable, If not
Iecessary and it has since been carried on
under official and unofficial auspices with vigOr
both in America and Europe. The latest YER
dict, from the royal commission in England
is adverse to Koch, as have been nearly all the
important utteranccs OF the last three years
upon the subject. To-day therefore, the emf
nent German is almost alone IN believing that
tuberculosis cannot be conveyed to man from
cattle and to cattle from man.
Upon d question Of this sort, obviously mega
tive testimony must be less valuable than posi-
tive testimony. II equally competent experts
make tests and secure different results, 1t may
BIO hard to say why one set OF experiments
failed and why another succeeded. Still if dis
case is transmitted By feeding or incubation In
only a limited number Of cases, that fact demon
strates an alarming possibility Part of the
trouble with KOch's researches. though, Is in
telligible He locked in the wrong place for
fleets. He fed tuberculous human sputum TO
healthy calves. and after killing them. a few
months later, examined their intestinal canals
He could detect signs of trouble there and
inferred that none had been experienced. DR.
Sidney Martin, for the British royal commits
sion repeated these very tests, but sought in
dications of infection elsewhere, and found
| them! Re concluded that the germs penetrated
| the body by other avenues than the intestine
unless the surface OF the latter had been injured
Koch's belief that the germs of bovine tuber-
culosis could not hurt human subject was a
/ mere surmise, based the fact that among
! children an exceedingly small proportion or
| cases of intestinal consumption are observed
! DR. Martins experiments, by showing that the
| effect of contaminated food may be felt in an
other part Of an animals body, are strongly
| suggestive Of the danger TO which children are
exposed, and have fully as great force as Koch's
| guess. Furthermore, a number Of physicians
| have in the last few years inocuated them
| selves or other persons with baciIli from dis
| eased cattle, and have succeeded in develoDing
| the preliminary symptoms of tuberculosis That
| is kind of experiment which Is not to he req
| commended, and it has not been undertaken nv
men of special note However, enough has thus
been accomplished perceptibly to strengthen the
| case against Koch
The conclusions reached by the British royal
commission and the majority of other experts
| who have studied the subject have a profound
| Significance for people who use much milk.
| They point to the danger that this necessary
article OF food. may occasionally breed disease
among consumers Of 1t. In Swithinbank and
| Newmans "BacteriolOgy OF Milk It Is asserted
that Mt the present time from 25 to 30 per cent
| OF the mich cows In England are affected with
| tuberculosis. When samples Of milk are taken
at random in London, Liverpool, Manchester
| and other places, 1t is noticed that great differ
| ences exist in the quality OF the specimens, but
| That from 8 to u per cent OF the milk from the
country contains germs OF tuberculosis in greater
| or less abundance. Sometimes the number Is
small, but 1t has not yet been possible to say ex-
| actly where the minimum limit Of peril lies
when infected milk is fed TO guinea pigs or in
Jected into their veins It frequently, though not
| invaria bly,, communicates the disease Hence
| the only thoroughly wise course to T"rSue is to
| make sure that the milk publicly sid con-
tains no tubercuious bacill' ~ II. IN ;f~-e cities
protection is often afforugd by i rigid super