New-York tribune., 1906-05-08
ANTI-TUBERCULOUs SERUMS.

The American Consul at Milan, Mr.. Dunning,
sends to Washington an account of recent en-
deavOrs in Italy to find a successful method
of resisting tuberculosis by inoculatiOn. They
show little originality and were evidently in
spired by Dr. Behring's activity during the
last three or four years. Nevertheless, the ac-
count of these experiments deserves scrutiny
because of the Importance of the work itself.
The medical profession has not ceased to hope
that researches of this kind may in the future
prove more fruitful than they have proved in
the past. Besides. human beings are not the
only sufferers from tuberculosis. 1t attacks
cattle as well. If protection for, the latter
should ever be secured. stock raisers and dairy
men would have occasion for profound thank
fulness
An Italian expert named CarCanO has evolved
n serum for the treatment of human subjects.
The manner in which it is prepared is not dis
closed but there is one thing which cOmmendS
its author to favor. His own confidence in its
virtues counts for little but he has asked other
practitioners in Milan (where he lives) to try
it. II it is good for anything, therefore. indie
pendent testimony to its value will be available
sooner later. Not long ago DR.. MarmOrek,
a young Austrian, who was connected for a
time with the Pasteur Institute in Paris, de-
vised a serum for the same purpose, and he
has supplied samples for trial both al home and
abroad. Too short time has elapsed for an
impartial and final estimate of its efficacy Yet
the disposition which he shows and which Dr.
CarcanO also evinces, is extremely creditable
and in contrast with Dr. Behring's unwilling
ness to let any one else test the product CON
corning which he expressed great hopes last
year. Still, the utmost caution should be exer-
csed by the general public in forming opinions
as to the efficacy of Dr. CarcanO's remedy. 1t
will not do to forget the reaction in sentiment
which followed DR.. KOch's lamentable failure
ten or twelve years ago. Again, one of DR..
CarcanO's fellow cOuntrymen DR.. Marigliano
of Naples, announced in 1904 that he had hit
upon the secret that these and other investi-
gators haEe been so long and so eagerly seek
ing, but nothing has since been heard of him
or his labOrs.
According to Consul Dunning Italians have
also been trying to learn something about the
prevention of bovine tuberculosis They en-
ployed the serum which DR. Behrlng makes
for this particular service, which is not ident-
cal with the serum for the treatment of human
subjects, and is more easily prOcurable The
test was not especially significant however
for it was limited to three cows It was sue
ccssful apparently, but in one respect the men
who conducted it departed from Dr. Behring's
own practice. He believes that better results
are secured when his serum is employed with
young calves, and he sees objections to applying
the method to mature animals. A good deal more
experimenting seems to be needed before vet
erinarians will accept the means for safeguard
ing cattle which Dr. Behring offers them, but if
he does not perfect it some one else probably
will. AS long ago as 1892 Dr. Trudeau at Sara
nae Lake demonstrated that rabbits and guinea
pigs could be made immune against tubercu-
lOsis The discovery Of the necessary methods
Of applying the principle much more widely
seems to be only question of time.