Researches on tuberculosis : the Weber-Parkes Prize essay.

  • Ransome, Arthur, 1834-1922.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Researches on tuberculosis : the Weber-Parkes Prize essay. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    (e) Another portion was exposed to used air coming from a ward in a Consumption Hospital, in darkness. (f) Finally, a portion was placed, in darkness, but exposed to free currents of fresh air, under a ward in the same hospital. All these specimens were exposed in watch-glasses, some of which, where there was a possibility of infection, were surrounded by a kind of cage of cotton-wool. The duration of the exposure to these conditions varied from eight to ten weeks. The results of their subsequent inoculation into rabbits are given in the ' Proceedings of the Royal Society,' Vol. XLIX. p. 66. They may here be briefly summarised. (a) None of the four specimens exposed to fresh air and light, on a dry, sandy soil, conveyed the disease. (6) Two portions, exposed under similar conditions, in darkness, were also innocuous. (c) Of the two specimens exposed in the poor cottage, in the light, one produced tubercle, the other did not. (d) Of other two specimens exposed in the same cottage, in partial darkness, one caused tubercle, the other did not. (e) and (/) Of the two specimens exposed at the Consumption Hospital, both in darkness, but one in pure, the other in impure air, both gave the disease to rabbits. These experiments were too few in number to justify positive conclusions ; but, so far as they extend, they go to prove that fresh air and light and a dry and sandy soil have a distinct influence in arresting the virulence of the tubercle bacillus ; that darkness some- what interferes with the disinfectant action of the other conditions ; but that the mere exposure to such light as could be obtained, in otherwise bad sanitary surroundings, does not destroy the virus. There were also some indications that the presence of a cotton- wool envelope may interfere somewhat with the action, for good or evil, of both good and bad air respectively. Further observations were also made with sputum which was kindly exposed for me, by the late Professor Tyndall, at Bel-Alp, Switzerland, in light and in darkness, each kind for ten days and fourteen days respectively, and compared with the same sputum exposed in the cottage in Manchester. The results from all these specimens were entirely negative, probably owing to something being wrong with the sputum, which had not been previously tested by inoculation. Inquiry VI.—More recently, in 1894, another professor' joined 1 Professor Delcpine. C