Micro- Organisms and their Relation to Disease. 67 



means of treating successfully this fearfully fatal disease. By 

 ordinary methods of treatment, such as good food, fresh air, 

 sunlight, warm clothing, and gentle exercise, mild forms of 

 consumption have been much benefited, and some cases cured ; 

 and in using tuberculin all the above mentioned conditions 

 have to be fulfilled to ensure success. 



It has been very interesting to me to hear Dr. Sinclair's 

 paper, and to see the demonstration of the various forms of 

 micro-organisms so ably given by him to-night. 



Dr. King Kerr said : — I think a mistake has been made in 

 bringing this subject before the public in the way it has been 

 brought — this Dr. Koch himself admits — the result being 

 that, whereas in the first instance there was a rush on the part 

 of the public to have recourse to the treatment, there is now 

 a reaction, a tendency to hold back, on the part of patients 

 whose cases seem most suitable ; and the utmost difficulty has 

 been experienced in persuading them to submit to the treatment, 

 because they have read of so many deaths from it. Many 

 absolutely refuse to be injected, though strongly urged by 

 their medical attendants. I think this is due to the fact that 

 in the first rush many patients flocked to Berlin and other 

 places in the most advanced stages of consumption, and insisted 

 upon having the remedy used ; for when a person feels he is 

 dying of disease, and presses you to give him at least the chance 

 of life, it is very hard to resist the entreaty ; and the result has 

 been, to a certain extent, to bring the remedy into disrepute. 

 The only cases in which any very marked benefit has been seen 

 are external cases such as lupus, and undoubtedly in these the 

 effect is most marked. I have seen one case especially, that 

 of a woman whose features were quite repulsive from this 

 disease : — after a few weeks' treatment the repulsive aspect had 

 disappeared, and there was every reason to hope that in a short 

 time she would be as well as it was possible for a person to be 

 who had lost a very large portion of tissue. Other cases are 

 still subjects of doubt. I have seen some cases of joint disease 



