4 The Philippine Journal of Science 1922 
we have Taraktogenos heterophylla and a commercial supply 
of Hydnocarpus. 
USE OF THE OIL IN THE TREATMENT OF LEPROSY 
The use of chaulmoogra oil orally and externally in leprosy 
has so long been favored by the medical profession that it is 
not necessary to dwell on the detailed reports of beneficial re- 
sults. Although its action has been so slow and uncertain that 
some physicians have had doubts of its efficacy, yet the consensus 
among them has been that chaulmoogra has a definite benefi- 
cial effect in leprosy, not produced by any other oil except per- 
haps the Hydnocarpus oils. This fact at once points to some 
specific effect of the peculiar fatty acids of chaulmoogra on 
the bacillus of leprosy. A remarkable confirmation of this idea 
is seen in the recent experiments of Walker and Sweeney,'? who 
have demonstrated that the sodium salts of the chaulmoogra 
fatty acids are about one hundred times more bactericidal to 
acid-fast bacteria than is phenol. They further found that so- 
dium salts of other fatty acids are practically inactive, and also 
that the action of chaulmoogra acids on acid-fast bacteria does 
not extend to other common pathogenic bacteria. They con- 
clude (p. 259) that “any therapeutic action which chaul- 
moogra oil may have in leprosy is due to its direct antiseptic 
and bactericidal action on B. leprae.” As to the “active prin- 
ciple” of the oil they decide that “the bactericidal activity is 
a function of the chaulmoogric acid series.” To explain the 
specificity against acid-fast bacilli they prepose the hypothesis 
that “these fat-elaborating bacilli attempt to utilize the chaul- 
moogric acids to build up their fatty capsules, and that these 
cyclic fatty acids contain a group or an arrangement of atoms 
which is toxic for the bacterial cell.” Lastly, they conclude that 
this toxicity is unique with the chaulmoogric acid series, and not 
shown by the ordinary fatty acids; for example, those found in 
cod-liver oil. 
While these four conclusions of Walker and Sweeney are based 
_on extensive and careful experiments, they do not agree with 
opinions that have been based on clinical evidence. Practical 
experience in treating large numbers of lepers has led to various 
theories, of which those of Mercado and of Rogers, respectively, 
will be mentioned as examples. 
Mercado explains the action of chaulmoogra oil as follows :"° 
“ Walker and Sweeney, Journ. Inf. Dis. 26 (1920) 238, 
“Mercado, E., Leprosy in the Philippines and its Treatment. Manila 
(1915) 55. 
