Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-08-27
TO CURE DIPHTHERIA

The Antl-TOxias Treatment to be Intro
duosd by the New York Board OF
Health.
New YORK, August 26.-The anti
Toxine treatment, which is alleged TO
be a positive cure for dightherla, will
DO introduced into this city by the
Board Of Health as soon as an approprl-
alton can be secured for the purpose.
The treatment was discovered by Prof.
Koch and worked out in the institute
for infectious diseases at Berlin. 10
order to study its workings. Prof Her
mon D. BiRgs, Of the Health Board, re-
Gently paid q visit 10 Berlin. The re-
suit OF his investigation was announced
to-day in q lecture at the offices OF the
health department by Health Comnis-
sioRer Cyrus Edison.
In $50 cases the antl-Toxine treat
ment produced the following results
under Prof. Koch's prescriptions:
Where the treatment was applied
within twenty-four hours all cases were
cured; where patients were innccalated
on the second day Of the disease, 81 per
cent recovered; when innoculated on
the third day, 81 per cent. recovered;
on the fourth day, 76 per cent; on the
fifth day, 81 per cent.
By the treatment any person who has
been exposed to the disease can be rem
dered immune II the symptoms have not
been developed.
II cases are treated within thirty-six
hours the mortality can bs rendered
practically nothing. 1t can be seen
how wonderful the treatment is when II
Is recalled that the average mortality OF
true diphtheria is % per cent.
The anti-Toxine treatment rests on
the following facts:
1. II has been found that whore per
son contracts an infectious disease aud
RECEIVERS from IL, that person can not
contract the same disease again for q
greater less length Of time.
.. Many infectious diseases are known
to be caused by specific germs.
g. Death from an infectious disease is
not caused by the germ of that disease,
but by poison (toxine) created by the
germ. Ia diphtheriS the Klebs-Loetf-
Ter baeilli of the disease create poison
which, when absorbed from the throat
by the body, cause death.
L. The reason why a person who has
recovered from an infectious disease
cannot take" that disease again Tor a
period of time, is because there has
been created in the body of that person
an anti.toxlHe; some substance which
neutrGlizes the poison Of the disease
Just as acid neutraiGes an alkali.
>. DIR. Koch has found that II large
animals, such as horses, cows, ETC., be
given small doses of diphtheria bacilli,
they become slightly sick, giving them
another dose after they get well and
then another and another there comes
a time when no dose Of diphtheria
bacllli will make them sick. They have
them developed in the blood the anti
toxtne substance, whatever this is,
which will neutrGllzs the poison Of
diphtheria.
The blood Of these animals then be-
comes an antidote TO this poison. II is
drawn of in such quantities as will not
injure the animals, and may be used at
once on a person who has just contract
ed the disease. As, however, the injec-
tion of the blood of an animal TO man
would create fever, the serum Of the
animals blood is separated before 1t is
used. This contains the anti-toxine
substance II this anti-toxine serum is
injected into healthy person it has no
fe0rine effect whatever, but 1t neutral
ICES the poison Of diDhtheria.
It takes from four to six months to
get an animal into the condition where
the snti-toxine substance exists in It's
blood. During these months the ami
nal has 70 be watched and treated by
skilled men.
1t is the purpose OF the Board OF
Health, when it has this serum ready,
TO give il 20 physicians throughout the
city for use. As the week of making IL
Is costly il must be done by sanitary
board or the poor could get none OF 1t.
The Board will ask for al appropria-
ton OF $50, OO6 to carry along the work.