An Open Letter to the Medical Profession

"The proper medicinal value of Malt Extracts must be held to depend on the AMOUNT OF DIASTASE which they contain. * * In Malted Barley we have at command an unlimited supply of diastase powder.”

WM. ROBERTS, M.D., F.R.S.,

PROF. CLINICAL MEDICINE, OWENS COLLEGE; PHYSICIAN TO THE MANCHESTER INFIRMARY, ETC.

Since the introduction by us of the manufacture of malt extract in this country, many preparations of this class, possessing more or less merit, have been placed on the market; and some, at least, the device of adventurers on the alert for catchword medicinal novelties, being mostly inert malted grain syrups. Hence it has been our endeavor to have the quality of malt preparations determined by appropriate tests which may be conveniently applied by every one interested in the administration of pure and reliable medicines. Every package of this Extract is accompanied with directions for making such tests, and the trade every-where have been long and repeatedly notified of our readiness to return the price in money or replace with fresh amylolytically active extract, any and every sample of our extract found to be deficient.

The superior amylolytic power of our Malt Extract has been proved not only by long clinical experience in hospital and private p actice, but by careful and repeated analysis by some of the lealing organic chemists of both Europe and Am rica, whose rap rts thoroughly authenticate we are prepared to furnish on application. The mere physical properties of inferior proparations being liable to mislead, we have thr ugh our representatives, by means of honestly made and classically accurate tests, demonstrated the diastatic strength of our Extract, in the presence of thous nds of physicians, pharmacists and apothe aries, both in private and at meetings of medical and pharmaceutical societies in every part of the United States.

The Trommer Company were the first to undertake the manufacture of Malt Extract in America, and th first in any country to employ improved processes in its preparation, with the object of preserving unimpaired ALL the soluble constituents of carefully-malted barley of the best quality, including, especially, the important nitrogenous bodies which possess the power to digest starchy food.

We guarantee the uniform strength and purity of our malt extract. We are engage1 exclusively in this manufacture, and produce one quality only, and challenge any statement to the contrary by hom soever made. We are able to furnish thoroughly convincing proof of its excellence, in the form of testimonials of physicians and chemists of high repute in America and Europe, many of whom in deference to a growing sentiment in the profession are avere to having their names appear in advertisements. We take pleasure, however, in submitting them in another manner to those who request it, free of expense. It is more than suspected that another class of testimonials which laud to the skies the wares of certain manufacturers, while denouncing an article of long established merit, have been in some instances too easily obtain d. Suspicion is further aroused by the tergiversations and inconsistencies characterizing certain eager contributions which on occasion have found space in medic 1 journals, ex-. hausting the vocabulary of good words in one issue, while in another the same preparation is pronounces to be an inferior product of a house engaged in fraudulent practices. The readers of such contribution would probab y be edified if made acquainted with some facts having possible relations to their contradictory character. For the general convenience we publish an approved method for the

ESTIMATION OF DIASTASE.

For carefully making this, have 12 c'ear and uniform 2-oz. vials filled with distilled water, and two drops Iodine Solution prepared from 2 grams Iodine, 4 grams Iodide of Potassium and 250 grams water, a good thermometer and starch mucilage. To prepare the mucilage, 10 grams starch are stirred with 30 grams water and poured into 125 or 150 grams boiling water. The thermometer is then introduced and the temperature allowed to cool to 100° F. and maintained so by the water bath Ten grams extract of malt dissolved ir 10cc, water are then stirred into the mucilage, the time being accurately noted. After one minute a good extract will have converted the thick mucilage into a thin liquid. As soon as this change has taken place it is necessary to examine the progress of the conversion of starch into soluble starch, dextrin and sugar at the end of every minute, by the following method:

After the expiration of the first minute, trausfer two drops, by means of a glass rod, into one of the 2-oz. bottles. The bottle is shaken and placed near a window At the end of every minute repeat this manipulation with a new bottle until the coloration is no longer produced. The time necessary for effecting this change gives the indication as to the amount of diastase present. Undecomposed starch mucilage gives a greenish blue co'or and after standing some time a blue precipitate. Soluble starch, the first product of the change, yields with Iodine, a dark blue solution without a precipitate. If the amount of soluble starch equals that of dextrin and sugar, the color of the solution will be purple. As the soluble starch disappears, the solution will be a decided red color if dextrin predominates, or faintly red if the sugar be in excess; and colorless. This experiment is very interesting and is simple to perform. For convenient methods for the estimation of solid matter and water, dextrin, sugar, etc., and determination of albuminates and free acid, refer to American Journal of Pharmacy.

TROMMER EXTRACT OF MALT CO.

BY S. P. CRAWFOBD, A. M., M. D., OF STOCKTON, CAL.

Bacteriology has lately made its appearance, doming a little in
advance of the dictionary.

The eyes of the medical world are now directed to it, seeking
an explanation of the phenomena of disease, and have settled
upon it as a new starting point in the field of medical investiga-
tion.

In my earlier training I was taught to believe that disease
was not an entity but a condition, brought about by some abnor-
mity of our environments; producing abnormal conditions of
the vital functions, which conditions constituted disease. The
humorists of the Galenical epoch, attributed all diseases to the
collection of vicious juices in the body, The explanation of just

But

how these vicious juices affected the body, was somewhat apocryphal. From "time out of mind" innumerable theories have been afloat on the medieal sea without chart or compass. in recent years, many theorists have caught hold of some well defined facts, and are fast anchoring in the harbor of bacteriology. It is now demonstrated that disease is an absolute entity— a thing with legs and claws and teeth, and bites us, and that is what makes us sick. Bacteria, or living germs, are now recognized as the cause, in fact, the disease of some of the most formidable plagues that afflict humanity.

Diseases that affect the human system thus have their origin or existence external to it.

The micrococci have their origin in our environments and are taken into the stomach in our food and drink, and from thence find their way through other channels to all parts of the system, and whenever they find a spot favorable to their growth, there they plant colonies and settle down to work. This work is not in the living cells, but in the inter-cellular spaces, in feeding on the tissues of the organism, which give rise to the general disturbances of the system, in which arise those symptoms by which we characterize disease.

As different symptoms arise, these germs or vibriones must be of different varieties, having an affinity or likeness for different parts of the system. No analysis or power of the microscope has been able to detect what they are in our surroundings. They no doubt undergo a metamorphosis in the system, just as the larvæ of the lumbricoides and ascarides do. If we were able to detect the germinal points or larvæ in our surroundings, air, food, or drink, we would still be unable to distinguish between typhoid bacillus and cholera or yellow fever bacilli. As yet we only know that certain diseases are produced by certain living organisms, and these organisms are not very distinguishable in their fully developed state. In their fully developed state in the system they are but the lowest forms of living organisms of which we have any knowledge. Whether these organisms are vegetable or animal in their origin, or both, we are unable to state. A thorough analysis of all the surroundings during the prevalence

of epidemics has, as yet, only given us an idea of the conditions under which disease germs are produced. By changing the conditions much may be done to stay disease. These germs may exist, more or less, at all times, and are only developed when certain conditions of the system are favorable to them, or possibly they may have their hibernating periods and are developed periodically. Cholera and yellow fever seem to be of the latter class. This new field opens an endless, but an exceedingly interesting field of investigation. I firmly believe that those plagues, cholera and yellow fever, that visit us periodically, will be headed off and as much under control, as that most loathsome and dreaded disease, small-pox. Aş certain conditions of heat and moisture are required in the germinating and growth of vegetables or animals, so the same conditions are required for the production of disease germs. As these germs are of less vitality, having but little resisting force, the reasonable inference is, that a temperature a little above or below the state in which they were produced, would be fatal to their development.

The vital powers of a healthy organization are often sufficient to resist them unless persistent or overwhelming in numbers. It is often the case that individuals in good health escape the first exposure to contagious diseases. But frequent exposures weaken the powers of resistance, and the system yields to disease. Microbes can scarcely invade the system where the powers of life are vigorous.

The question has been asked me a dozen times a day during the prevalence of serious epidemics: "What can I take to protect me from the disease?" My answer invariably was, that "A clean body, clean stomach and a clean conscience, fresh air and sunshine, would give the vital forces a power of resistance that no supposed preventive could."

Good digestion and assimilation increase the secretory and excretory powers of the system, and disease germs if taken into it, unless in overwhelming numbers, are eliminated before they have time to hatch. As it requires a certain period of comparative quiet for incubation, active vitality will disturb and break up that condition.

The vitality of an ordinary state of health is often sufficient to prevent invasion or incubation by its excretory powers. It is only when vitality is weakened, or the bacilli are in excess, that a successful invasion is made. We are just entering a field, the proper cultivation of which, will yield an abundant harvest in the prevention and cure of disease. It being a well established fact that some, at least, of the most formidable diseases have their origin in living organisms. The first step is, to ascertain the exact conditions that produce such organisms. Having ascertained what those conditions are, the next step is, the best method of breaking up and destroying those conditions. And lastly, what will eliminate them from the system, or in other words, to find a germicide that will meet individual cases. I will close this paper by reference to a few well known germicides. As the germs are of different kinds or species, there could hardly be one remedy adapted to the whole. What would kill and eliminate one growth would, perhaps, not be obnoxious to others. Hence, we must have, in the future, as in the past, a great variety of remedies. In the bacillus of malaria our best germicide is quinine. It is more universally used and meets the indications better than any other remedy.

It is possible that turpentine, that has long been recognized as a valuable remedy in typhoid fever, may be owing, not to any supposed healing properties in glandular lesions, but to the obnoxious qualities to the typhoid bacillus. Turpentine has long been in use as a germicide, both externally and internally. Bichloride of mercury has long been recognized as an invaluable germicide, reaching more cases perhaps than any known single article. It not only possesses high toxical powers over living organisms, but its eliminating powers are great, because of its affinity for the glandular system, in increasing not only the secretory, but excretory organs. It is more extensively used in surgery than any other article to prevent pus microbes. For syphilitic bacillus it is a specific as well as a toxical and eliminating agent. For all disinfecting purposes in water closets and cesspools, it has no superior. Of late Ise it recommended in typhoid fever, and I see no reason on theoretical grounds, why it should not prove valuable.