The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-18
The Vegetable origin of Diphtheria.

In a recent lecture before the Acade-
nv of Natural Science, in Philadelphia.
Prof. II. c. Wood. of that city, gave
statement OF the results of certain re-
searches upon the nature of diphtheTia
undertaken 10y him and Or. II. +. For
mad. at the instigation of the National
Boald Of Health The investigations
embraced not only the ordinary endemic
diphtheria prevailing in Philadelphia,
but also the more violent forms of the
disease occurring from time to time in
different places.
In the pursuit DR.. Formal visited an
infected town on Lake Michigan. where
one-third of all the children in marshy
district died of the epidemic, and bro't
back with him specimens OF the dIph-
theric virus. several of the false mem
braues which are invariably formed IN
the thrOats of afflicted persons, and por-
tions of their viscera. In all blood. said
the professor, as reported by the Phila-
dclphia Times, there are two kinds of
corpuscles, the red or colOT-giving and
the white. BY caTefnl study and expert
ments. both in human beings and the
lower animals. il was found that this in
finitesimal plant fastenS upon the white
corpuscles and multiplies its cells. alter
ing their character until. with the inte-
rior destroyed. they burst. and She
plants, set loose in an irregular mass.
separate and 90 off Individually. to con
tinue the destructive work on other cor
puscles. Thus increased. they poison
the blood, choke the vessels. and are
found in myriad numbers in the spleen
and other organs rich in blood. Prof.
Woods Investigations show that the
false membrane. supposed to invariably
Indicate the presence of dlphtherla, may
be caused by ammonia. Spanish fly, or
any other irritating influence in the
throat. so that its presence Is not infalli-
bic as indicating the existence of this
disease.
But in any case tie false membrane
is built up by this parasitical plant,
which grows and multiplies upon its in
famed surroundings, whatever may be
its cause. 1t is when the plants grow
strong enough to extend to the blood.
either poisoning it themselves or carry
ing the poison with them. that diphthe-
ria sets in. This plant is exactly the
same as found upon the coated tongue,
When Prof. Wood puts plants suCb as
are found upon a healthy tongue in steri-
liZed matter they failed to grow. On
the contrary, plants from the throat D
blood of a person affected with diphthe-
ria multiplied rapidly. The practical
result of the Investigation pointed out
was the possibility that diphtheria, #
existing theories hold good, may be pre-
vented by artificial vaccination.
In the case of splenIc fever caug I
from animals, which has been proved o
originate in somewhat similar plant,
Pastem has found that the plant. wis II
exposed a sufficient time 10 the ar. 10y
the action of the oxygen loses It's ylru-
lent character, and when then intro
dueed into the system makes the animal
sick. but is 10 longer fatal. The deduc-
tion is that this diphuheric plant. scieu-
tteally known as ''micTOc0cCuS-' - may
in time be cultivated so that when inoC-
ulated with it the system viii be no Iou-
ger subject to the disease in Its fatal
form. Concl ing the lecture, Prof.
Wood was app~uded when he said tina.
that these % ..uveTies cOuld never have
been madO hu. for the aid ut vIvI>ectiOu
against which there is "a foolish preju.
dice in the minds of many.