186 TILE PROTEOMORPHIC THEORY AND THE NEW MEDICINE 



be noted that this is an application of non-specific protein therapy 

 in which independent workers have priority. During the sum- 

 mer of 1917, however, a co-operating physician using Proteals 

 from my laboratory treated several cases of psoriasis of long 

 standing with striking success in every case. These were cases 

 that had proved entirely resistant to antecedent treatment in the 

 hands of leading Metropolitan skin specialists. The Proteals 

 were administered in relatively small doses ranging from five to 

 ten minims. To make the test definitive, there was no change 

 in the diet of the patient, and no local application whatever was 

 used. It was reported that in one case there was favorable 

 change in the eruption in the course of ten days, but that the 

 others showed no marked change for about five or six weeks; 

 after which there were rather rapid and progressive modifica- 

 tions of favorable character, leading ultimately to complete dis- 

 appearance of the eruption. Only one of the cases was seen 

 by me personally, but this was a case in which the malady had 

 been present for about eighteen years. The eruption had ex- 

 tended over the entire back of the patient at the time when the 

 treatment was begun; and when I saw the patient about three 

 months later the skin was perfectly smooth and free from any 

 kind of eruption. 



It is a familiar axiom of medicine that one case may prove 

 nothing at all, and that a considerable series of cases may prove 

 quite inconclusive or misleading when checked by more compre- 

 hensive experience. But when the cases under consideration involve 

 maladies of such intractability as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, 

 and psoriasis, it would appear that such results as those above 

 noted are at least thought-provocative. Certainly we are war- 

 ranted in making further tests along similar lines ; and I am 

 glad to be able to report that tests are being made on a com- 

 prehensive scale that may be expected presently to justify more 

 definite conclusions. 



How THEORY EXPLAINS PRACTICE 



Meantime a few words as to the theoretical ground on which 

 an explanation of the possible utility of the Proteals in these 

 conditions of disturbed metabolism may be based. The explana- 

 tion will readily suggest itself to any one who has read the 

 earlier chapters of this book attentively. In particular, it should 

 be recalled that the therapeutic response to the administration 

 of Proteals involves increase in numbers and (so it is be- 

 lieved) enhancement of the enzymic activities of the red blood 

 corpuscles. This implies, further, according to the Proteo- 

 morphic theory, increased capacity of the organism to deal with 



