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NOTES ON SPECIAL TREATMENT OF SELECTED
PATIENTS CARRIED OUT DURING 1916
(abstracted from the reports of the Clinical Tuberculosis Medical
Officers).
A.—Central Dispensary.
1. Tuberculin (intensive method) —*19 patients (*l7 pulmonary
and 2 non-pulmonary or surgical) treated showed considerable
improvement, with 2 exceptions (both pulmonary cases), the
improvement consisting of increased energy, increased strength,
increased weight, diminution (or absence) of cough and sputum,
together with a clearing up (or diminishing) of active physical
signs in many cases.
2. I.K. (immune substances) therapy —12 patients (9 pulmonary
and 3 non-pulmonary or surgical) treated showed very
considerable improvement, with 4 exceptions (all pulmonary cases),
although the large majority of the patients (8 pulmonary cases)
were in a relatively advanced stage of the disease, the action of the
I.K. (immune substances) therapy being both antitoxic and
bacteriolytic.
3. Pneumosan—3 patients (2 pulmonary and 1 non-pulmonary
or surgical) treated showed satisfactory results.
4. Succus allii or garlic juice (allyl sulphide)—l42 patients
(138 pulmonary and 4 non-pulmonary or surgical) treated showed
beneficial results, with 12 exceptions (all pulmonary cases), the
inhalation of the Succus allii causing thinning of the sputum which
is thereby more easily expectorated, with subsequent diminished
cough, reduction of temperature (if present), and lessened night
sweats. The Succus allii acts through its active principle (allyl
sulphide), which is a lymphagogue and indirectly a bacteriolytic
agent (not an antiseptic agent only).
B. — Branch Dispensary.
1. Tuberculin (ordinary method) —no longer used in pulmonary
cases, and its value of doubt in non-pulmonary or surgical
cases. The experience in past years has led to tuberculin treatment
in pulmonary lesions being discontinued, the results, even in
selected cases, being no better than those obtained by other methods,
whilst, in gland and skin cases, in which tuberculin treatment has
given the most promising results, in those cases where the local
lesion and its activity can be accurately watched and estimated,
it appears doubtful if the improvement noted is to be ascribed only
to the tuberculin.
2. X-ray and Mercury Vapour light—the great success
attending the treatment of suitably selected cases of tubercular
adenitis and skin lesions with X-ray applications has been very
encouraging and is, perhaps, one of the most striking points as
regards treatment this year (1916), the combination of Mercury
* One patient treated with tuberculin for diagnostic purposes only (Army
Recruit).