The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-10
SCIE NTIFIC.
THE WAR AGAINST BACTERIA-CURE OF
DIPHTHERIA IN ANIMALS.

THE WAR AGAINST BACTERIA-CURE OF
DIPHTHERIA IN ANIMALS.
Before the scientific world and the
public have fairly had time to assess or
apprecia e the Importance of DR.. KOch's
Investigations on the tubercIe bacillus,
and it's treatment in disease, we have
news from Berlin of kindred triumphs
achieved by his followers. Two pupils
of Koch, DR.. Behring an DR.. Kitasato
from TOkio) of the HYGIENE Institute
of Berlin, have publicly announced,
that in their experiments on animals
for diphtheria, and tetanus from
wounds, they have succeeded both In
effecting cures, and In securing mmu-
nifty against subsequent Infection.
Of course, it must be borne in mind
that these results have been achieved
on lower animals only, and it is neces-
sary to war; enthusiasts against too
hasty conclusions as to the similar effect
kOf the treatment on man. At the same
time, medical science owes a great deal
to experiments on the lower animals,
and there is reason to hope that these
latest discoveries may be applied to the
eradication or mitigation of two of the
most fatal diseases that at1lct human
ity. In the present article, l propose
to cOnfine myself to the new treatment
of d~iphtheria.
1t has long been known that diph-
liberia is an infectious disease, and it's
origin has been attributed to bacteria;
but among the innumerable species,
which inhabit the mouth and throat,
the isolation of the diphtheria germ
was a work of considerable difficulty.
DR.. Lof1er, of Berlin, got on the right
track in 1884, and followed it up until
he secured satisfactory evidence that
he had found the creature he was in
search of.
The diphtheria bacillus is about the
same length as the tubercle bacillus,
but twice as broad. 1t develops at a
temperature of from 90 to 40 degrees
c., and exhibits considerable tenacity
of life. Dried on a thread of silk, it
retains it's vitality for from three to
ten weeks, and still longer in the ex-
perforated mucO is membrane of diph-
theric patients. Lof1er has, moreover,
demonstrated the existence of infec-
tiOus bacilli in the mouth and throat of
the patient, as late as three weeks after
the disappearance of the fever.
The LOfher bacillus is peculiar to
man. Diseases of the throat of birds
and animals, which have been regarded
as diphtheria, are due to other causes.
Under natural conditions, animals
never contract diphtheria, but it can
be produced i'm some animals by inOcu-
latfon of a wounded mucous membrane.
The d%iphtheria thus induced is essen
TALLY the same as in man.
Bacteria, as is well known, flourish
by the decomposition of the substance
on which they subsist, precisely as
yeast decomposes grape sugar into
alcohol and carbOnic acid. Chemistry
has also demonstrated that bacteria
generate poison. This poison has been
produced pure, and is capable of in
ducing some of the symptoms attend
ing the disease caused by the bacteria
which generate it. The poison of the
diphtheria bacillus has been isolated
by Brieger, as a whitish albuminOus
mass. soluble in water, and termed
Tlxa1bumin. HypOdermic injections
of this poison in animals produce symp-
toms of diphtheria, at intervals pro-
portiOned TO the strength of the dose,
although it is perfectly free from bacilli.
The diphtheria bacil us does not pene-
trate beyond the mucous membrane of
the throat and mouth, nor seek to
spread itself; but the poison it generates
~circulat9s in the blood, and diseases Ill
the organs, working like a ferment,
and generating considerable inf1am-
M ttion which proves fatal, unless the
germ colony, with it's decomposed mu-
cous membrane, a be expelled, in
which case the patient ordinarily re
COVERS, although the poison remains in
the system.
Now, in the crusade against infec-
tious diseases two points demand our
consideration, % protection against in
fectAOn, C) treatment of the disease.
| Under the first head we have the ordi-
nary preventive measures; but apart
from these we know that, as in the case
of smallpox, there is a possibility of
securing immunity by incubation.
The most perfect immunity against
bacterial infection is not procured by
inocul alton, but isinborn. Some species
are absolutely proof against diseases
which are fatal to others. For example,
it has yet been found possible to
generate typhus fever in any animal.
For us, however, the problem of &C
quired immunity is of greatest imme-
date interest. We know that animals
can be fortified against some diseases
by incubation, and DIR. Behrlng has
succeeded in fortifying guinea pigs and