TUBERCULOSIS TUBERCULIN THERAPY 



731 



The parallelism between the bacillary content of the sputum and the 

 working capacity is close and shows the value, from a statistical point 

 of view, of sputum examinations. 



Healing with and without tuberculin is qualitatively the same, 

 although, in the opinion of Ziegler, Petruschky and Rohmer, Pearson 

 and Gilliland, Jurgens, Neumann, and others, quantitatively the re- 

 sults are different, all authors agreeing on the presence of more fibrosis 

 about the lesions than is usual in the untreated cases. Autopsy findings 

 necessarily point with less favor to tuberculin therapy than do clinical 

 facts bearing on the rapidity and permanency with which a lesion heals. 



The influence of tuberculin cannot at present be judged from the 

 presence of antibodies in the serum, as data bearing upon the presence 

 or absence of antitoxins, opsonins, agglutinins, and bacteriolysins are 

 insufficient. 



General symptoms and signs, such as fever, cough, loss of weight, 

 accelerated pulse, digestive disturbances, dyspnea, and pain, if they are 

 due to tuberculosis, as a rule improve under tuberculin treatment. 

 Under proper conditions the incidence of hemoptysis is not usually 

 increased, and the quantity of sputum and number of expectorated 

 bacilli gradually decrease. 



In the treatment of tuberculosis of the eye tuberculin has yielded 

 exceptionally good results; in tuberculous adenitis considerable good 

 may be accomplished with those glands that have not as yet softened. 

 In bone and joint tuberculosis there is a growing opinion that surgery 

 may be obviated or supplemented by tuberculin. In tuberculosis of 

 the ear, tuberculin has yielded good results and should always be used. 

 The results in tuberculosis of the skin have been generally disappointing, 

 and when tuberculin is administered, the treatment should be prolonged 

 and supplemented by the usual therapeutic measures. Tuberculosis of 

 the intestine and mesenteric glands may be benefited, and in subacute 

 tuberculous meningitis this method of treatment may also be tried, 

 combined with lumbar puncture to relieve intracranial pressure. In 



