"The observations included in the following report were all made at the Babies' Hospital upon ward patients. Very few of the children were over three years of age, the majority being under two years…. In the early part of the year, unless some positive contra-indication existed, some test, more frequently the eye-test, was used as a routine measure in order to determine whether and under what circumstances reactions were obtained in HEALTHY CHILDREN, or in those at least PRESUMABLY NON-TUBERCULAR."[1]
[1] Archives of Pediatrics, January, 1909.
This is perfectly plain. Healthy children, or children presumably without any symptoms of tuberculosis, were experimented upon in order to see whether a positive reaction could be obtained. Of 555 cases of infants subjected to this test, who were presumably not tubercular, only two gave a positive reaction, although there were seven cases in which the reaction was doubtful.
We are told by this writer that "care was taken not to use tuberculin in an eye which was the seat of any form of disease, tuberculous or otherwise," and to this precaution, he ascribes his freedom "from unpleasant results." He insists that "on account of the kind of observation necessary, and the possible dangers connected with the eye-test, it is not wise to employ it indiscriminately, as among the out-patients of a hospital." Undoubtedly this is true; and he repeats the advice: the ophthalmic test "CANNOT WELL BE USED IN AMBULATORY PATIENTS." Yet we have just seen that the test WAS thus used in the large number of cases "who formed the unselected material of an ambulant clinic" from another well-known hospital dispensary.
The final judgment of the experimenter does not appear to be entirely favourable to the test involving the eye, though he insists that with proper precautions it is safe. Taken apart from the physical signs and general symptoms, the tests may mislead. "Some failures and some unexplained reactions occurred with all the tests." Even though safe, yet
"an intense or prolonged reaction sometimes occurs which is not pleasant to see; besides, in pathological conditions of the eye, DISASTROUS RESULTS MAY FOLLOW. THE EYE IS TOO DELICATE AND IMPORTANT AN ORGAN TO BE USED AS A TEST WHEN ANY OTHER WILL ANSWER QUITE AS WELL."
With this sensible conclusion it is quite impossible to disagree.
Another question is of importance. For these experiments upon the eye, WERE DYING CHILDREN EVER USED AS MATERIAL?
Apparently, there can be no doubt of the fact. The experimenter distinctly states that "DYING CHILDREN, or those who were extremely sick did not as a rule, react to any of the tests." The assertion is repeated: "In no case were positive reactions obtained in DYING CHILDREN."
In one of the tables, there is also a reference to dying children.