Medicine: Dissolving Disease

One of the most serious complications met in treating tuberculosis is what the doctors call empyema, i.e., the cavity between a lung and the chest wall fills with pus. Not long ago empyema was one of the commonest complications; nowadays, thanks to streptomycin and skillful surgery, it afflicts fewer than one-tenth of tuberculosis patients. But it is still true that nearly half of those it attacks do not recover.

Last week the American College of Surgeons, meeting in Boston, heard of a chemical attack on tuberculous empyema which may make surgery unnecessary for some patients, more effective for others. Drs. Louis...

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