The Koch Remedy.  A Supply of the Lymph for Knoxville.  Dr. Drake of Tennessee Medical College Has Ordered It by Cable and Will Get It

Dr. Drake returned home last night from his trip to New York, and gave to the Journal man some information in regard to the Koch consumptive cure, which will be read with interest not only by physicians, but by every person of the south.

The doctor left Knoxville on November 12th bound for Philadelphia and New York, for the purpose of buying instruments and appliances for the further equipment of the Tennessee Medical College.  He purchased some two thousand dollars worth of material, but besides this has secured some of the lymph used by the famous German physician, Koch, which will arrive in Knoxville shortly.

When Dr. Drake reached New York all the prominent physicians and medical institutions of the eastern section of the country were astir — yes, even wild with excitement over the success attained by Dr. Koch in his experiments.  Physicians were hurriedly taking passage to Europe.  Medical institutions were sending delegates to secure lymph and to watch the progress of the first experiments.

The Knoxville phisician [sic] was not slow to be infused with the spirit.  He was anxious to sail at once, but on account of pressing engagements here he was obliged to change his mind.

On the 14th of November he cabled Dr. Koch for lymph and received an answer from the physician that lymph was exhausted, but would be able to send some in a short time.

Now this lymph, which by the way will be among the first supply to arrive in America, is expected inside of two weeks.  Dr. Drake purchased a sufficient amount of lymph to inoculate fully two thousand persons.

As soon as it arrives Dr. Drake will make demonstrations before the class at the medical college, and to these demonstrations physicians of East Tennessee and other states are invited.

It will be a grand advertisement, throughout the south, for the Tennessee Medical college, when it is once known that experiments are to be made there as early as any city in the country.  Knoxville will be the Mecca for physicians of the south, and none but the deepest interest can be taken in these experiments, the history of which have set the world afire.

While in the east, Dr. Drake talked with many prominent physicians concerning the Koch discovery, among whom were Drs. Prudden and Gibbs, the famous pathologists of New York.  The latter two gentlemen were exceedingly non-committal.  They, however, will take the matter up and investigate it thoroughly.

If Koch succeeds with his experiment he will be the greatest man of the greatest century, greater by far than Jenner, the discoverer of inoculation for small-pox.  Similar indeed to Jenner’s has been Koch’s treatment by the people.

The information that a large supply of this lymph will shortly arrive in Knoxville, will be good news to thousands interested.  Everyone can have an opportunity to see what the effects of its application to consumptives is.

Source:  Knoxville Daily Journal and Tribune, November 27, 1890, page 8

Information about Koch and his discovery is available on-line.  Click here for one article of interest, published in 1891.