Behring's Consumptive Cure

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXI, Issue 8959, 7 December 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

Behring's Consumptive Cure

In a paper read before the Tuberculosis Congress at Paris lately Professor Behring affirmed the discovery of the curative principle in tuberculosis, consisting in the. impregnation of the living cells of the organism with a certain substance. The principle seems to have been effective against the malady in the case of cattle. I'rofc&for Beiiring said: "Within the lasttwo years I discovered the existence of a curative principle, completely different from the antitoxin I described fifteen years ago. This principle is based on impregnating the living cells of the organism with a substance drawn from tuberculosis veins, which substance I have named T.C. This agent can be fixed by contact with other substances by the phenomenon, known as absorption. Furthermore, under* certain conditions, it possesses assimilating qualities. In one word, it represents the qualities and principles ol the bacilli. In the process of immunising bovines against tuberculosis the T. C. of bacilli is freed from accidental substances. It exerts symbiotic action in the interior of the organic cells. Tite presence of T. C. is the cause, on the one hand, or by personality to Koch's tuberculin and, on the other hand, of proI tecting reaction against tuberculosis." Professor Behring believes that his new method will protect mankind threatened with phthisis against harmful consequences from tubercular infection. He admits that he never would have dreamed of cellular immunity had not Dr Aletchnikoff written on phagocytes and entered closely into technical details of how ha managed to dispose of substances that were likely to prevent therapeutic action. The Professor ended bis paper by congratulating himself on having secured Professor Roux'b colloboration and by hoping that at the next congress he would be able to Tecord progress made against human phthisis.