Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-09


OF all the diseases we recall, that Of |
10 its yirulent form, causes
the greatest terror in the household. |
Hence, every step Of advancement in
the discovery Of some specific against
the dread malady is universally received
with most intense satisfaction.
The New York sun i'm It's issue OF
Friday contributes most interesting
article on the subject. 10 says:
OF Che three maladics most dreaded by
mothers, scarlet fever, measles and diph-
thCril. the latter is prominently the most
insicuous and the most dangerous. All of
them ale produced Oy germs floating in the
air and gaining access 10 the body chiefly
oy inhalauon, although possibly also by
being swallowed. But the microbes OF
diphtheria are remarkably virulcnt, so
much SO that, az times, lew members Of an
attacked family escape, and doctors and
nurses also frequently succumb 20 the
maiady. 10 differs, too from scarlet fever
and measles iu that IL does not c0nine is
ravages so strictly 20 children, but may
feed upon the whole population, men,
women and children; and even poultry,
doves and calves are thought 20 suffer from
a similar disorder during It's prevalence as
an epidemic
When inhaled, the germs settle upon the
mucous membrane OF the throat, penetrate
the tissues ana set up a local inhamma-
/ ton. They enter the blood from here, and
/ also 20 doubt through the delicate walls Of
I the lungs when inhaled, and are thus free
I Is distributed 10 poison the whole organ
ISM. The germ Of diphtheria is known as
| the bacillus Of Klein aud also as the kle0s-
. LOeilier bacillus, from the names Of its
earlier Investigators. These Oacill are
/ PROBABLY Identical organisms. They are
now the subject of profound study in the
| laboratories OF Washington, Paris, and
Berlin, with q view 20 discovering some
antidote 20 the disease Koch is devoting
much attention 20 the iphtheritic germ, as
are also FRANKIE, Behriug, and kitasato,
/ working ia koch's laboratory; and Won
Schweinitz and Gray Of Washington.
The present direction of the studies OF
these eNperInenters seem 20 be in the line
Of preventive incubation, or species OF
vaccination.
Thus Babtschinski, having observed that
erysipelas developing In patients already
quite Ill with diphtheria seemed % cOun
tcract the poison ia the latter disease and
% lead 90 recovery, experimental upon
fourteen Ciphtheriuc cases by inOculatiug
them with erysipelas The result was the
saving OF twelve lives, for an Of the other
members of the same families who alsC
had diphtheria, but were not inoculated
died.
Fraukel has discovered an albuminou'
substance which. introduced into guine,
pigs infected with diphtheria by hyp0
dermic injection. renders them immune
although 10 fails 20 produce that efec
when the animals receive the infection il
the ordinary way through the mucous
membranes.
Behring is thcdiscOverer OF a method O
making the serum Of the blood Of infected
animals bactericidal by the Introduction %
inorganic chemical substance, and ha.
proven not only that these lower animal.
{ may be made germ-prOOi as regards diph
liberia. but that the injection OF some Of
this anti-hacterial blood serum from one
animal into the system of susceptible
animal c0nfers "a similar immunity upoi
the latter.
Won SchweiuitZ and Gray in this cOun
, try. working in the sam3 direction, bav'
lust announced that by means Of chem
} zeal substance they have also been enabled
90 render guinea pigs proof against diph
liberia and they further express their be
lief that their method win soon be made
Applicable 90 man, consummation whlcl
we nope may be speedily attained.