Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-16
WHITE: PLAGUE TEST
DR.. D. LaszIo Detre Makes Dis
covery in Diagnosis.
ONE DAY ONLY IS NEEDED
Would Save Cows Because Immune
to Human Bacilli.
SLAUGHTER NOT A NECESSITY
Austrian Bacteriologist Will Present
His Theories for Consideration
Of tuberculosis Congress-.
SLAUGHTER NOT A NECESSITY

NEW YORK, September 16.-Announce-
ment of a new method of diagnosis of
tuberculosis, disclosing unerringly the
type, degree and stage OF the infection.
will form one of the epochal features
of the international tuberculosis congress
which will convene in Washington. from
September p to October IL ensuing.
This discovery, held to be fraught with
potent possibilities in aiding medical war
fare upon the white plague" is the
achievement Of DR.. D. Laszlo Detre, pro-
lessor Of bacteriology in the University
of Budapest. who has come to the United
Estates as Hungary's accredited repre-
sentative to the international gathering.
DR.. Detre, who Is at the Waldorf-As-
toria, yesterday consented to explain the
details Of his discovery through the Her
aid BY his method of cutaneous reaction
II Is possible to determine in twenty-four
hours whether an infected person Is suf-
fering from human or bovine tuberculosis
thus allowing immediate and unerrlng ap-
plication of the especial preventive most
efficacious in attacking either OF these
two types of tuberculosis baciln. Further,
it has aided In establishing just what
portions of the human anatomy are most
susceptible to each type of bacillus.
Affirming that human bacilli Will not
| infect cattle. DR.. Detre added:
Bovine tuberculosis Is conveyed to hui
man beings through milk or butter which
have their source from infected cattle.
| but never, l am certain, from consump-
| ton of the ,.ieaf &C tubercular cattle. AS
to the application of the tuberculin test
| to cattle there must be discrimination
| used. Every cow that responds to the
| test must not necessarily be slaughtered.
There is wide difference between infec-
ton and disease. Segregation. clean
| illness and hygienic care Will cure cattle
! which are lot badly infected.
Secret of His Discovery.
Like many similar discoveries con-
tinued Dr. Detre, mime consists In great
part of a synthesizing of the results OBJ
| tanned by various scientists. DR.. Robert
Koch discovered the tubercular bacillus.
! He announced also his belief that tuber-
| culosis of men and of animals was caused
by the same or a very similar organism.
| An American bacteriologist. Prof. Smith.
| was the first to discover, in 1885, the diff
| ferences to be constantly found in the
| FORM growth and other properties of tu-
| bercular bacilli found in tubercuiar LESSONS
| of human beings and of animals. Then
| in his remarkable address before the Lon
don hygienic congress, DR.. Koch proved
/ that the suggestions of Prof. Smith were
well founded. Indeed, he showed that he
never could transfer infection to cattle
by incubation with human bacilli, but al
ways with bovine bacilli.
| "Thus a dUalism was established. Fur
| Their research found that human and bo-
| vine tubercular bacilli. though very SINH.
lar. constitute distinct and separate or
| ganisms. This established conclusion
| causes the query to arise as to which tyne
| caused Infection in the human organism
and what was the difference in the LESSONS