The Washington times., 1907-02-10

Laveran was the first 20 employ arsenic
along with the red ''trypaE" in attack
ing the Gambiau -'trypaHoSome," which
Is the cause OF the sleeping sickness.
ana 10 recognize the superiority OF ar
senlc- In May, 1905. DR.. Thomas, an
EngllShmaL, employed atJNyl III prefer
tnCe 70 other arsenical combinations.
ana atONyl Is now universally used. The
red 'trypan.' though useful in treat
ing animals. Won serve in the case of
human beings; il brings IN nephri.ls.
That is why IL has been abandoned at
the Bastcur Hospital
SO We cont see how there can De any
question of atUibut.nE 10 Dr. Koch the
discovery Of the remedy for the sleep
ing sickness. il is the work OF English
and French scientists, ard though the
English were 10 first 10 .-mploy arsenic
ia attacking the "trypanosomes" Of ami
mails. NJ LaySran seems TO have been
the first To employ II IN the case of
human beings as "a cure Tor the sleep
ing sickness The adoption Of atoXyl,
due 20 Dr. Thomas and soon followed
by NJ Laveran. was happy innovation.
Peculiarities Of the Malady.
We made a reservation regarding DR..
Kochs enterprise in Africa. let Us now
explain. He does more or less toward
establishing that reservation himslf; it
is also insisted upon at the Pasteur Hos
pital. We have seen the three priests
y.
that they were more exposed than the
sisters These latter. taking advantage
of the dearly bought experience Of the
fathers. are careful not TO take Up
QudTteTSi near water courses. And they
avoid going out in the evening. II Is
IN the evening and near water courses
that one runs the greatest risk OF being
bitten by the "glossine" that InOcuIates
one with the Gambia "trypanosome p
These patients are evidently greatly i'm
a IL
lassltude. that heaviness OF the legs
which is one OF the first symptoms and
which prevented one Of them from
walking mp the steps The gIaudular
swelliugs in the ueck-the lymphathic
glands clOgEed with Ecrms-have dis
appeared The fever Is reduced And
no more "tTyDanOsOmes' are found in
the blood. Everything seems To have
come back 10 the normal And yet NJ
LOUIS Martin. tho distinguished phVSi-
clan Of the Pasteur Hospital. is unwill-
ing 20 regard the cure as final. The
JT|p3nOSomes' may be hidden. en-
cysted somewhere, and may perhaps be
able 70 resume their activity when all
the arsenic has worked out of the sys-
TEN or after fatigue. As to that. no
one can tell. Only time can decide and
not untI the cured sufferers have
been watched Tor a term OF wears Re
lapse IS TO be feared And yet II IL
occurs. il can be promptly COmbated.
II Is also true that In the arsenicaI
medication we have a valuable method
Of treatment, the ONLY one upon which
we can rely. But. as Dr. Louis Martin
keeps insistinE-and as Dr. Koch ad-
mits between the lines of his report.
and as the best English authorities in
s.st-it Isn't proved that the cure is
final 1t is possible that. especially If
the patient lives in Africa. he will
have 20 go back 20 atoXyl sooner or
later. il order to curb the "trypano-
somes' that were put 10 sleep and that
% lHE.# 10.
tally. that have been introduced into
the system.
This would mean half-cure. as in
many cases of malaria. And vet even
this would be great boom. and that
Is why Il IS worth while to remember
% whom 10 Is reallN dne-L.a TAmns