Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-01
Koch Defends His Theories;
Will Experiment for Proof

In the presence Of nearly every con-
gressist DR.. Robert Koch threw down
the gauntlet to the opponents Of his
theories yesterday. and practically said
that human beings cannot contract con-
sumption from bovine products-milk.
butter. cream. etc.
The few known cases where bovine
tuberculosis is said to have produced a
general and fatally progressive tubercu-
losis in man appear to me not to be above
suspicion
DR.. Koch Reiterates Theories.
listened to with interest. His conclu-
sions follow:
Many of my opponents have made
strenuous efforts to prove that the tuber-
Gle bacilli in man and those in cattle
cannot be Of different species, and they
imagine that they can thus refute my
contentious. This, however. is q perfectly
useless endeavor.
Il have never held that we are dealing
with two distinct species. but have only
in certain Observation-Disclosures
which are of the greatest importance in
combating tuberculosis. Whether these
differences justify us in speaking Of spe-
cial varieties or even species Is, from my
point of view, quite irrelevant.
Others Of my opponents have at
tempted to refute me by showing that
the bacillus of the human type may be
transformed into the tubercle bacillus
of the bovine type. and vice versa, by
passages through animals or by Guilt
walton under artificial conditions. In
this connection can merely repeat that
I am interested only in the practical
significance of the difference between
the two types.
For our purposes-that is, for COM
fIhoYNnInaiC iC q tai
without Significance what changes tu-
bercle bacilli will undergo after being
passed through a series of animals or
during cultivation under some arti-
sumo milk and butter do not hold back
and make experiments; they eat them
In the fresh. unchanged condition. In
my opinion. therefore. we are concern
ed here with the properties Of the fresh
and unchanged tubercle bacillus only.
Difference Of Bacilli.
'The tubercle bacilli Of the human
type are characterized by the fact that
they grow rapidly and abundantly in a
thick layer on glycerin serum. They
are virulent to guinea pigs. slightly vir-
ulent to rabbits and almost non-viru-
lent to cattle.
THE tubercle bacilli of the bovine
type grow very slowly and in thin
equally high virulence to guinea pigs,
rabbits and cattle To my knowledge
the bacilli of the human type have
never been demonstrated in. cattle.
1.-The gist of 1t Island I beg you to
take note of it-that up to date in no case
Of pulmonary tuberculosis (consumption)
has the tubercle bacillus Of the bovine
type been definitely demonstrated. II on
further investigation 1t should be estab-
lished that pulmonary tuberculosis is pro-
duced by the tubercle bacillus Of the hu-
man type exclusively. then the question
will be decided in favor Of the view which
have upheld. and We must direct our
regulations for combating tuberculosis by
all means primarily against the tubercle
bacilli of the human type.
ION account Of the great importance
Of this question intend to undertake. as
soon as feasible. experiments along this
line on a broad scale. At the same time
1 wish to make my plea to other tuber-
culosis workers. in order that as many
cases as possible may be examined, to
join with me vigorously in this task.
But I wish to lay stress on the fact
that the conditions laid down by me for
the carrying out of these investigations
must be followed. L consider it quite pos
sible that in this manner the essential
facts for deciding this important ques-
ton may be collected in about two years
and presented to the next international
congress-"