BEHRING'S NEW REMEDY FOR TUBERCULOSIS.

Abstract

The summary by Dr. Klebs, in this issue, of Behring's address at the International Congress for Tuberculosis gives us as clear an idea as at present attainable of the real gist of this matter. Shorn of bewildering detail and ambiguities, Behring's method consists in the use, for protective and curative purposes, of certain otherwise harmless constituents of the tubercle bacillus. The method appears to be a natural outgrowth of the successful immunization of cattle against bovine tuberculosis by means of injections of human and other varieties of tubercle bacilli. The introduction of living tubercle bacilli into human beings is not practicable and consequently it became necessary to try to secure the immunizing and possibly also curative substance or substances in sterile form, and this it is that Behring indicates that he believes he has succeeded in doing. In this work Behring follows paths already broken in the efforts to obtain