Part 1

Produced by Bryan Ness, Norbert H. Langkau and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.)

PROF. KOCH'S

METHOD TO CURE

TUBERCULOSIS

POPULARLY TREATED

DR. MAX BIRNBAUM.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN

DR. FR. BRENDECKE.

With an Appendix being Prof. Koch's First Communication on the Subject, translated from the

DEUTSCHE MEDICINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT

and explanatory notes by the author.

MILWAUKEE, WIS., H. E. HAFERKORN, PUBLISHER. 1891.

COPYRIGHT 1890, BY H. E. HAFERKORN.

PRESS OF THE HARTMANN PRINTING CO., 126 Reed St., MILWAUKEE, WIS.

Translators Preface.

Consumption is curable. From time to time the news of some great discovery rushes over the land like a mighty wave; but never before has the intelligence of a great achievement been received with such universal delight. There is hardly a man, woman or child that does not bewail the loss of some dear relative taken away by Tuberculosis, the most terrible of all foes. More terrible because it stealthily creeps into the system and takes a firm hold before its presence can even be surmised.

Now the appearance of a deliverer is hailed as would the advent of the Messiah. Koch, formerly a poor and obscure student, being especially interested in bacteriology has plodded and worked for years. Even in the year 1882 he has made known to the world the evil spirit in describing the tubercle-bacillus as the specific generator of tuberculosis. We then knew the enemy but had no weapon to fight him. Now Koch has also manufactured the sword with which to combat the evil genius. The experimental tests thus far have not tended to lessen the merits of Koch's remedy. Added applications have resulted in additional success. The investigations are not yet complete; only meager particulars have thus far been given to the public from authorized sources. To guard against misleading representations the translator has undertaken to give to the American public only what has actually been achieved. He felt himself called upon to do this not only because he has followed the progress of Koch's labors with the keenest interest, but also because he himself has worked and labored on this field for many years.

Justly has a vast excitement taken hold of all classes of the people, an excitement that has caused all other contemporary events to fall back. The search for an actual remedy for that exceedingly ravaging disease, tuberculosis, has at last been crowned with success, and even the most uneducated will be able to estimate the significance of this event.

We need but consider, that pulmonary consumption, the most frequent form of tuberculosis, annually demands over 30,000 victims in the cities of the German Empire over 15,000 inhabitants, and out of every 100 deceased 12-13 have fallen prey to this sickness.

The number of sufferers from pulmonary consumption can not nearly be determined, it certainly exceeds all other diseases by far. In the case of many people we can only infer from their appearance and hereditary tendencies, before visible signs can be discovered, that they will succumb to this terrible disease.

And this disease is now curable. Millions of people who have considered themselves doomed, will be given back to life; their regained strength will greatly increase the national wealth. In short, we look forward to an era, such as was not dreamt of even by the most vivid imagination only a few years back. But rather than be carried too far by our enthusiasm, let us study Koch's new method to cure, as far as we are now enabled to pass judgement on it.

First of all we must explain: What is tuberculosis? What relation does it bear to pulmonary consumption?

Pulmonary consumption is only one form of tuberculosis, by far the most frequent. This is the reason why pulmonary consumption, pulmonary tuberculosis, consumption and tuberculosis are used as synonymous terms.

Tuberculosis is the general expression. By that we understand a disease which is generated by a certain kind of organism belonging to the class of bacteria. These organisms are the tubercle bacilli, which were discovered by Koch in the year 1882.

Now these tubercle bacilli settle most frequently in the lungs and here cause serious derangements of the lung tissue. Pulmonary consumption is the result.

But the tubercle bacilli will also settle in any other portions of the body and cause tuberculosis.

Frequently the tubercle bacilli nestle in the larynx and the result is laryngeal consumption.

They may infect the mucous lining of the tongue and nasal passages and cause the rarely occurring diseases--tuberculosis of the tongue and nose.