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Sanocrysin and the treatment of tuberculosis
I66
THE
BRITISH
JOURNAL
OF
TUBERCULOSIS
NOTICES OF BOOKS. SANOCRYSIN
AND THE TREATMENT TUBERCULOSIS.
OF
DR. KNUD SECHER has p r e p a r e d a work which deals with sanocrysin t r e a t m e n t from every point of view. 1 I t should prove most interesting to the student of tuberculosis. T h e various reactions and complications are described in detail, and the author compares m a n y of t h e m to s y m p t o m s which have been reported after the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of tuberculin. I t is suggested that several of the reactions following sanocrysin are due to the liberation of toxins, although some, a n d especially those occurring late in the t r e a t m e n t , are undoubtedly due to metallic p o i s o n ing from the drug itself. A very full account is given of the mode and rate of excretion of sanocrysin, knowledge of which will enable the physician to avoid c u m u l a t i v e poisoning. \ ¥ i t h r e g a r d to dosage, the a u t h o r states t h a t it is his practice to obtain a high concentration of sanocrysin d u r i n g the first two or three injections, and he controls the reactions b y serum. T h e opinions of others are quoted, m a n y of whom use very small doses, and the author suggests that the beginner should start by using small doses, and afterwards he can a d a p t his dosage according to his experience. A large portion of the book is given up to the study of results. N o t only the a u t h o r ' s own cases b u t those of m a n y other clinicians are considered in detail. It seems clear that m a n y cases i m p r o v e d , and some with a rapidity which is striking, b u t it is yet early to judge the late results. As with other m e t h o d s of t r e a t m e n t , the best results occur in the early cases. Dr. S e c h e r ' s work is not an enthusiastic e n d e a v o u r to a d v o c a t e sanocrysin treatment. It is a fair s t a t e m e n t of the a u t h o r ' s experience, and he gives at considerable length the opinions and experience of other clinicians, w h e t h e r or not they are in a g r e e m e n t with him. F e w will disagree with his opinion that sanocrysin should not be used alone b u t c o m b i n e d with any other t r e a t m e n t which m a y i m p r o v e the condition of the patient ; for this applies to any and all of the special t r e a t m e n t s a d v o c a t e d for tuberculosis. L.S.T. BORI¢~LL, M.D. THE
USE
OF TUBERCULIN.
Dr. C a m a c W i l k i n s o n is an enthusiastic advocate for the employm e n t of tuberculin in the diagnosis and t r e a t m e n t of tuberculosis. H i s latest book is a sequel to his P a r k e s - W e b e r P r i z e E s s a y published in i912 , and is intended to p r e p a r e the w a y for the reopening of his T u b e r c u l i n D i s p e n s a r y 3 M a n y will be glad to welcome Dr. W i l k i n s o n ' s a b l e exposition of the faith that is still in him. T h e book opens with a p r e s e n t a t i o n of modern conceptions regarding t u b e r c u l o s i s as formulated by Koch, von Behring, Orth, Ranke, F l u g g e , a n d others, and a t ,, Treatment of Tuberculosis with Sanocrysin and Serum," by Knud Secher, M.D. Pp. 256. London : William Heinemann. I926. Price 2is. net. 2 ,, The Principles of Immunity in Tuberculosis," by W. Camac Wilkinson, B.A. (Syd.), M.D. (Lond.), F.R.C.P., late Lecturer in Pathology and in Medicine at the University of Sydney. Pp. viii+I4I. London: Nisbet and Co., Ltd., 22, Berners Street, W. I. 1926. Price lOS. 6d.
THE
BRITISH
JOURNAL
OF
TUBERCULOSIS
NOTICES OF BOOKS. SANOCRYSIN
AND THE TREATMENT TUBERCULOSIS.
OF
DR. KNUD SECHER has p r e p a r e d a work which deals with sanocrysin t r e a t m e n t from every point of view. 1 I t should prove most interesting to the student of tuberculosis. T h e various reactions and complications are described in detail, and the author compares m a n y of t h e m to s y m p t o m s which have been reported after the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of tuberculin. I t is suggested that several of the reactions following sanocrysin are due to the liberation of toxins, although some, a n d especially those occurring late in the t r e a t m e n t , are undoubtedly due to metallic p o i s o n ing from the drug itself. A very full account is given of the mode and rate of excretion of sanocrysin, knowledge of which will enable the physician to avoid c u m u l a t i v e poisoning. \ ¥ i t h r e g a r d to dosage, the a u t h o r states t h a t it is his practice to obtain a high concentration of sanocrysin d u r i n g the first two or three injections, and he controls the reactions b y serum. T h e opinions of others are quoted, m a n y of whom use very small doses, and the author suggests that the beginner should start by using small doses, and afterwards he can a d a p t his dosage according to his experience. A large portion of the book is given up to the study of results. N o t only the a u t h o r ' s own cases b u t those of m a n y other clinicians are considered in detail. It seems clear that m a n y cases i m p r o v e d , and some with a rapidity which is striking, b u t it is yet early to judge the late results. As with other m e t h o d s of t r e a t m e n t , the best results occur in the early cases. Dr. S e c h e r ' s work is not an enthusiastic e n d e a v o u r to a d v o c a t e sanocrysin treatment. It is a fair s t a t e m e n t of the a u t h o r ' s experience, and he gives at considerable length the opinions and experience of other clinicians, w h e t h e r or not they are in a g r e e m e n t with him. F e w will disagree with his opinion that sanocrysin should not be used alone b u t c o m b i n e d with any other t r e a t m e n t which m a y i m p r o v e the condition of the patient ; for this applies to any and all of the special t r e a t m e n t s a d v o c a t e d for tuberculosis. L.S.T. BORI¢~LL, M.D. THE
USE
OF TUBERCULIN.
Dr. C a m a c W i l k i n s o n is an enthusiastic advocate for the employm e n t of tuberculin in the diagnosis and t r e a t m e n t of tuberculosis. H i s latest book is a sequel to his P a r k e s - W e b e r P r i z e E s s a y published in i912 , and is intended to p r e p a r e the w a y for the reopening of his T u b e r c u l i n D i s p e n s a r y 3 M a n y will be glad to welcome Dr. W i l k i n s o n ' s a b l e exposition of the faith that is still in him. T h e book opens with a p r e s e n t a t i o n of modern conceptions regarding t u b e r c u l o s i s as formulated by Koch, von Behring, Orth, Ranke, F l u g g e , a n d others, and a t ,, Treatment of Tuberculosis with Sanocrysin and Serum," by Knud Secher, M.D. Pp. 256. London : William Heinemann. I926. Price 2is. net. 2 ,, The Principles of Immunity in Tuberculosis," by W. Camac Wilkinson, B.A. (Syd.), M.D. (Lond.), F.R.C.P., late Lecturer in Pathology and in Medicine at the University of Sydney. Pp. viii+I4I. London: Nisbet and Co., Ltd., 22, Berners Street, W. I. 1926. Price lOS. 6d.