NASTIN TREATMENT OF LEPROSY. 331 



the patient had a temperature of 104° and complained of a severe head- 

 ache and general malaise. The fever lasted about twenty-four hours and 

 then all unusual symptoms quickly disappeared. In this same patient 

 some of the nodules have become soft and have broken open^ the ulcers 

 thus formed healing readily. 



However, since the febrile reactions and healing of nodxiles sometimes 

 occur without any treatment whatsoever in severe cases of leprosy, and 

 especially since none of the other patients under treatment have shown 

 similar reactions, we do not feel inclined to look upon the nastin injec- 

 tions as the cause of the phenomena in this case. Furthermore, in spite 

 of the fact that a few isolated nodules have healed, it can not be said that 

 there is any noticeable improvement in the patient. 



Professor Deycke states that — ■ 



"We will be able, except in the most severe, hopeless cases, to effect at least 

 the arrest of the leprous process; frequently, however, far better results will 

 be obtained." 



Some of his results were obtained within two months after treatment 

 was begun ; in other instances the patients were under treatment for over 

 twelve months. I regret that the cases here considered have been under 

 treatment for only five months but one would have a right I believe, to 

 expect some improvement in them in this time, judging from Professor 

 Deycke's reports. 



Two other patients who were under X-ray treatment received at their 

 own request the nastin treatment also. One of these, a rather mild case 

 of the nodular type who, however, has been under treatment for a shorter 

 time than the other patients, recently developed a fresh crop of nodules. 

 I mention this because Professor Deycke states that the nastin is able to 

 hold all but the very severe cases in check although it can not cure all 

 of them. 



In conclusion, then — 



(1) It seems to us unlikely that the Streptothrix leproides of Professor 

 Deycke bears any relationship to the leprosy bacillus ; 



(2) The nastin treatment is not based upon any of the established 

 principles of immunity reactions; it is not a vaccine therapy, but is a 

 drug treatment and is purely empirical; it is claimed that nastin is a 

 glyceride of one of the higher fatty acids and in this connection it is 

 interesting to note that Chaulmoogra oil, one of the most widely known 

 drugs employed for leprosy, is also a fatty substance; 



(3.) The nastin treatment has not produced beneficial results in the 

 four cases which I liave treated during the past five months. 



