The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-05
FIub About DR.. Koch.

Resolved. That the utmost efforts
should be continued in the struggle
against tuberculosis to prevent the con-
veyance from man to man OF tubercu-
Iosis infection as the most important
sources Of the disease; that preventive
measures be continued against bovine
tuberculosis, and that the possibility Of
the propagation of this to man be
recognized
In spite of all its experiments in
sunoculation and discussions of by
giene, this resolution presents the chief
conclusion Of the recent international
Eongress ON tuberculosis. 1t repre-
SCENTS a complete victory m the minds
of those men of all the world most
competent to judge for the contention
that consumption is transmissibIe to
human beings from cattle. Only one
delegate dissented, and, however dis
tinguished his fame might make the
disaPPrOVal, there can be no gainsay-
ing, among men genuinely thoughtful,
the impressive significance of this con-
illusion by all the rest of the member
ship.
A great deal of flub has been written
and spoken In behalf of Dr. Koch. No
one who knows the first element Of
medicine will deny his eminence. No
one who knows the first principle of
the warfare against this lowering
plague will dispute the debt of the
world to him for his studies in tuber-
culosis- But he is not infalIible On
the contrary, he has made more than
one conspicuous error in his studies IN
this particular field.
This fact does not destroy his use
fitness. 1t rather proves him the real
pioneer, and while it should make the
world cautious " accepting his conclu-
sions, it does not destroy the present
practical, almost immeasurable, value
of his tested discoveries. Those who
attempt to belittle the rest of the con-
gress because it does not follow Dr.
Koch 10 the very end put themselves in
the attitude of requiring us to believe
either that Columbus discovered india.
and not a new world. when he landed
on San Salvador, or that he did not
discover anything at all.
Mention has been made Of error on
the part of DR.. Koch Whatever that
error, Of course it cannot destroy this
eminent bacteriologist's fame for the
Identification of the tubercle bacillus in
1882. But the important thing now TO
remember IS that this discovery does
not give virtue to everything else c-
anything else which DR.. Koch may an
nounce.
Those who followed the course Of the
war against tuberculosis before this
convention brought it Immediately TO
local attention viii recall a compound
known popularity as Koch lymph"
which the German preferred, however,
20 call @paratoloid." 1t was announced
in November, 1890. Innoculation with
this lymph was supposed then to effect
p rapid cure, perhaps even a swift
and certain cure in advanced cases of
E&DCECuAo5l7- As Il AlsLLteI Oh idttr tLe
reactions consequent upon its use have
led since to general disbelief of its eff
cacy and safety, and in that doubt the
discoverer himself now shares.
The safety Of millions of babies has
been made now TO depend very largely
upon these things:
l. a general public understanding
that this man is not omniscient as to
consumption.
2. A general public understanding
that his doubt as to infection from
milk is not the result of late discov-
cries comparing in value with his
Identification Of the tubercIe bacillus.
but only the reiteration of a belief ex-
pressed as far back as the "Koch
lymph" days, and not shaken by scores
of cases wherein the disease Is traced
plainly back to beef or milk.
3. A general public understanding
that Dr.. Koch's own government re-
ports and certife5 to such cases.
4. \ general public understanding
that every American newspaper which
tends to belittle all the scientific world
save DR.. Koch alone is in danger Of en-
cOuraging a Iooseness as to one Of tn,
first items of food supply which may
only too easily have its reckon
ing in thousands of Anerican lives.