KOCH'S CURE.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7868, 20 May 1891, Page 3

KOCH'S CURE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir,—The letter of "Ich Dien" cannot serve any good purpose, and showing on the face of it so much spleen, will fail to accomplish the purpose for which it was written— throwing mud at the Medical Society. The Medical Association has no wish to throw mud at Koch, but thought it right to make public the true facts of the case—the present state of the knowledge of the subject, a lamentable failure so far, pregnant with wonderful results in the distant future, possibly.

After Virchow's facts, who could possibly advise a patient to run the risk of disseminating colonies of bacilli throughout his body!

The paper read at the Medical Society was worthy to be read at any medical society in England. Koch was given his due meed of praise. I think, sir, you might safely in future relegate all medical warfare to the pages of the New Zealand medical journals. A Medical Society is necessary, and the Canterbury Medical Society is now the strongest Medical Society in point of members and the equal in point of work of any of the other branches of the New Zealand Medical Association in New Zealand.

Amidst the greatest difficulties, scoffs, and sneers, desertion and calumny, we have accomplished more than we expected. At the present time the Society has thrown the weight of its authority into the scale to counterbalance any attempt to mystify the public, or raise false hopes in the minds of those suffering from consumption. Dr. Prins and his partner will I hope read a paper at the Society on the results of their experiments, carefully report and publish in the " New Zealand Medical Journal" all cases experimented on in the Hospital,— Yours, &c, W f E. Hacon.

TO THI EDITOR OP. THE PRESS.

Sr_,—- With one who, for the sake of making a stale pun, has had the bad taste to liken his township to a dung hill, it would be waste of time either to argue or remonstrate. The public may, however, be led away by your correspondent "Ich Dien's " letter. To it I address myself. After Koch made his second communication, about the middle of November last, the scientific and general public were for a time carried away by enthusiasm, and many things were said and done that on more mature consideration would have been left unsaid and undone. It is even possible the enthusiasm might have affected the young German Emperor, who has hitherto posemore as an aspirant for popularity than a scientific expert. Since that date, however, Koch's lymph has been condemned by the most eminent physicians and surgeons in Europe, some of whom commenced by being in its favor. Virchow, Henoch, Ewald, Israel, de Benzi, Farbinger, Franckel, Jonathan Hutchinson, Amann, Lazarus, Vidal, Besnier, Hillspear, . Kaposi, all these and many others nave placed on record their opinion of this remedy, based on numbers of observed cases. Kaposi, but lately a warm partisan, and the authority on lupus, states that in ! regard to lupus " the lymph has no curative power, while its use is surrounded by dangers." In advanced cases of phthisis the dangers were recognised much earlier. i The public may ask why so few members of the profession attended to witness the first introduction of the lymph at the Hospital. I can only answer for my own reasons. Having diligently followed in English and foreign medical papers all that has been said or written on the subject, I did not care to identify myself with a treatment so adversely reported on. It is perI haps needless to state that it is not usual } for members of the profession to leave cards of kind inquiry on other practitioners' i patients, nor do they I hope make visits out of idle curiosity. lam afraid that in ad--1 dition to being behind the times scientifically, "Ich "Dien" is sadly out of touch i with all matters connected with good manners as prevailing between professional j men. This should at once stamp him as— well, not a doctor. In these days of preventive medicine it is rather old-fashioned to deride those who work for improvement in that direction. The saving of life effected by means of efficient sanitation is incalculable. Drainage, ventilation, supervision of food, disinfection, isolation, &c., these are the agents that have reduced the mortality percentages. Sensational medicine and surgery may save a life here and there. Correct hygiene saves them by thousands. Those in the intellectual condition of "Ich Dien " may delight in accepting statements instead of facts, more especially when the statements savour of the marvellous and the f_cts reduce them to the common-place, but it would be a bad thing for the community were those in charge of the public health to allow themselves to be led away by any and every scientific will-o'-the-wisp. The members of the local Medical Society simply discussed a paper in which the facts at present available were gathered together. The result of the discussion proved that those present had all interpreted these facts in the same way. This interpretation is in harmony with the opinions of the most eminent men in Europe, and received confirmation in the telegram published in the morning papers, Monday, 18th — " The Philadelphia hospitals intend to abandon the use of Koch's specific."—Yours, 4c., E.J.

TO THB XDITOB 0_ THB PRESS.

Sib,—ln the interests of the public healrj I write to urge that immediate steps shouT* be taken to prohibit the continued use o 1 Dr. Koch's lymph in the treatment of consumption. I see by reference to yesterday's

Supers that the Canterbury branch of the ew Zealand Medical Society, sitting in full conclave, has condemned this new-fangled treatment in the strongest terms as " a lamentable failure." lam well uware, Sir, that the most eminent scientific authorities in Europe are divided in their opinion as to the value of Dr. Koch's process, which is said to be still *« sub judice." But this, I maintain is a matter of no importance whatever in the present crisis. We move faster here than they do in the effete civilizations of the old world, and I strenuously affirm that if " the highest medical authorities " in Christchurch are convinced that the discovery of this baneful German is fraught with danger to the human race, the matter admits ofnot a moment's delay. I am the more strengthened in this belief by the fact that not one single member of the Medical Society, as I am told, has ever seen the lymph in question, or witnessed a single injection. As a further proof of their public-spirited zeal, I learn that the only doctor in Christchurch who has actually used the lymph was not invited to the meeting, bo strongly, indeed, were the President and Secretary of this learned Society impressed with the utter inutility of the much-vaunted fluid, that neither they nor any other member of their body thought fit to be present at the operations lately performed at the Hospital. Warned by the degrading spectacle so recently exhibited at home of eager and enthusiastic doctors crowding to every hospital in Europe to witness the treatment of consumption by the new process, the Medical Society of Christchurch, with most commendable selfrespect, has resolutely held aloof and refused to commit itself to any such preposterous delusions. It is unfortunate indeed that the learned Society should have reserved its condemnation until now, when, as I am told, the lymph ii no longer procurable. Much, however, may yet be done. What I propose, sir, is that a memorial be at once drawn up and left for signature at the Public Library, praying the Government to take immediate steps to suppress this barbaric practice, and if possible to confiscate the deadly drug before more harm is done. One doctor has, I believe, already left these shores, after warning his countrymen of the terrible risk they are running. Would it be too much to demand that the resolution of the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Medical Society should be immediately cabled to London and Berlin ?—Yours, &c, Thoroughly Alarmed.