Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-02
VACCINATION FOR TUBERCULOSIS
Trial of the Same Principle Which
Gives Immunity From Smallpox.

From the New York Herald.
1t is safe to say that there Is no subject
in which the general public has greater
and more abiding interest than that bearing
on the prevention and cure of tuberculosis.
No malady Is more prevalent and none
more fatal in its ultimate tendencies. The
dreadful faint of it's hereditary influences
has left its trace alike on rich and poor,
and there is scarcely a family which has
not lost one or more of it's members by its
dreful and relentless ravages. Nothing
that has any bearing on this absorbing
topic escapes due attention, interest and
study. The scientists work for new facts
and the victims await results with con-
stantly renewed hope. 1t is no wonder,
then, that the novel view Of the Italian ex-
pert Maragliano, that vaccination with tu-
bercle bacilli may prove an effective rem
edy, will be calculated to renew the dis
cussion of some of the vexed questions con-
nected with one of the problems of the age.
His theory Is certainly a taking one, and
its plausibility appears to be founded on
the well-recogniZed principle of stimulating
the natural vital resistance against disease
in the exposed individual.
The law of protection against any infec-
tious disease Is based on natures power to
resist Its poisonous influences. In strong
and healthy persons the system manufac-
lures it's own antidotes against the various
toxins that may find their way into the
circulation. Thus persons are rendered i'm
mune against attack. In other words, the
invading forces are outmatched by those
for defense. Scientifically these repellant
agencies have very high-sounding names
although the antitoxins. which belong to
the group of so-called ANTI" bodies, are ia
mliar enough to the ordinary reader. These
antagonistic properties are manufactured
in the blood, mostly as new corpuscles, and
are calculated to meet given emergencies
of disease invasion. 1t is with the view of
reinforcing such protective qualities that
Maragliano advises his method of vaccina-
ton, and on the same principle of action as
that which governs like immunity against
smallpox.
His method is to prepare cultures of ba-
cill of varying strength, and by incubation
to produce an overwhelming quantity OF
counteracting antitoxfnS In the blood OF the
patient With a becoming enthusiasm he
claims some very remarkable results by his
procedure. It only remains now for other
experimenters to verify his results In prac-
tice. This, according to report, has been
done to some extent already, and 1t is to be
sincerely hoped that his ingenious theory
may be still further substantiated. At all
events, it seems worthy of more extended
trial in test cases, based, as it Is, on the
present accepted views regarding natures
method of throwing off disease.
Although, regarding what he calls passive
immunity in a person hereditarilyy predis-
posed to tuberculosis, it may be difficult to
prove a negative proposition that we may
prevent thing that may never happen, the
plausibility of the proposition Will al least
tend to allay unnecessary anxiety, espe-
cially as he claims to have actually pro-
duced such results in animals. So far as
he has gone along these lines the results
have been very promising, out the main Is
sue rests upon the fact of positive. cures
after the malady has been fully developed.
Whether the latter shall be ultimately at
tested or not, the new remedy can at pest
ne considered not much more than an ad-
iuvant to the other well-recognized means
at hand 1t may help nature in her work,
but cannot be expected to suppiant her
Fresh air. good nourishment, abundance of
sunshine and the increased strength gained
thereby are, after all, the main elements or
disease resistance, and 1t is emlnently
nroper that such should be the case, as, &C
eording to the general law of compensation,
those things that are of the greatest GOOD
to all should have no restriction In their
disnensation. Thus, we can the more COM
nlacently await any new Developments IN
the vaccination theory.