Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26

kuNyEA but ordinary knowledge, Is taking
IksGGy about Doctor Koch and his dis
eoveries, it seems proper that we
should become acquainted with the theory
upon which these experiments rest.
For many hundreds of years there was no
such thing as medical science Disease was
regarded as a calamity, but its origin was
unknown. If the sick man recovered, he
was thankful, if he died, his relatives mourn
ed his loss, but never thought that it could
have been prevented.
nant pool impure water or unwholesome
food, and death as well as sickness was some
thing beyond mans control. During epidem-
les people fled from its presence, but if they
could not get away they died and called it
fat
Even when doctors began to minister TO
disease they we're hampered by lack of ana
tomical knowledge. They knew nothing about
of the brain, or the action Of the digestive or
gans, and almost the only remedies employed
were bleeding and the administering OF opiates
and purgatiyes.
the blood it opened new field, and when
Jenner demonstrated the virtue of inocula-
ton for smallpox, he practically fathered the
germ theory. But he did not elaborate it;
that was left for future investigators.
The germ theory is briefly this: All organic
substances contain bacteria, which are minute
specks, and which play an important part in
many ways. They assist in rpening fruits,
IN fermentation, In the formation and action
of cells and in regenerating animal and vege-
table organs In short, bacteria are necessary
to all organic existence.
But these bacteria can exert an evil influ-
ence and the theory is that nearly all disease
is propagated by infected germs, which are
introduced into the system through the air
passages or the pores of the skin.
These germs are invisible except under a
powerful microscope, and are then seen to
be rods or disks, varying in size and color, ac-
e0rdIpO To the Datl1ra Of the disease They
are not vegetables, as formerly supposed, but
animal organism, and possess a marvellous pow
er of reproductions is to say, should one
germ be introduced into the system it will
multiply indefinitely.
On the blood they act as a poison, and un-
less they can be expelled death is the result.
1t was on this theory that Doctor Louis Pas
teur founded his cure for cholera and hydro
phobia.
He identified the microbes of these diseases,
and by inoculating number of animals and
transferring the virus from one to another, he
obtained the poisonous matter in state of
greater or less strength.
Then by inoculating the human patient
with germ that would produce light at
tack of cholera hydrophobia, he strove to
make the system invulnerable to these at
Gus.
Acting on this same theory, Professor
Robert Koch has discovered the germs OF
diphtheria, tuberculosis, lupus and perhaps
cancer, DuJ the dppICdCiOn OF the remedy ls
somewhat different from Pasteur's treatment.
Kcch's remedy is more of a cure than pre-
ventive, as it is not intended to inoculate a
perfectly healthy person with disease.
The lymph is a brownish transparent liquid,
the composition of which is a secret Intro
duced into the stomach, the remedy has nc
effect, but injected under the skin between
the shoulder blades, it appears to act directly
on the seat of disease.
At first it causes high fever, with some
pain in the limbs, fatigue, inclination to cough
and difficulty of breathing. After twelve or
fifteen hours these symptoms abate, and
thence Improvement is very rapid.
Professor Koch himself says that the rem
edy does not kill the bacilli, but the tuber-
culous tissue and protects the healthy tissue
from fresh incursious until the bacill die for
want of matter to live on. This may require
many applications, but unless the disease is
IN an advanced stage, permanent cure seems
assured
1t is proper to say that the most beneficial
results have been exhibited in the treatment
OF lepers, but there are hopes that the lymph
will be found to be equally powerful in check
ing consumption, the great scourage which
yearly. sweeps away millions of human beings
Professor Koch, whose name will always
be linked with this remedy, was born in Han
over and is the third of thirteen children.
From his early youth he was a close OBJ
server of nature, being particularly fond oil
microscopical research He was a student
at the University of Gottingen and graduated
with high honors, and at Posen, when a prac
tlcing physician, he entered upon the study
of bacteria, which he has pursued ever since