The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-12-05
The New Cure for Diphtherla, Etc.

If the facts placed before the Hy-
gienic Congress held at Budapest last
month be not over stated, then the
whole world owes deep debt of graf
itude to the young French savant,
DR.. Roux, for the patient and heroic
researches, which have led to the dis
sovery of an effectual cure for Group
and diphtheria, and opened the way
for further results not less startling.
Such is the Introductory announce
ment in the London Daily Graphic,
which also gives the following:
The distinguished DR.. Marsan points
out how the new method was estab-
lished. Diphtheria is produced by
microbes, which plant themselves in
the membrane of the throat and null
tiply; but unlike the bacilli Of other
infectious diseases, they remain OBJ
stinately in the same position, neith-
er penetrating the system nor the
blood. But if the deadly animalcules
remain at the door, they are still able
to secrete a poison Of extreme VIC
lence, called ''toxin,' which quickly
penetrates the circulation and infects
the whole body. This toxin, thanks
to the achievements of science, can
now be isolated, and in the form OF
fine powder will cause almost immedi-
ate death when injected into animals.
However. it has been foued that if a
very small dose be introduced into
certain animals, especially the horse,
only feeble reaction is produced.
By repeating the operation, with
gradually increasing doses, the organ
ism of the animal finally reyolts, and
and becomes not only impervious to
the toxin, but destroys it, and from
this singular result is due the origin
of the new substance with which Dr..
Roux wages war against diphtheria.
In word, it is the basis Of great
revolution in the medical world, which
henceforth recognize in "Serum thera-
py" heaven sent system to root out
most of the diseases connected with
childhood. AS DR.. Marsan well says,
there are toxins and anti-toxins for
all microbic affections. Serum thera-
py will eventually discover remedy
for all infectious diseases. Yester-
day it was tetanus in animals that it
cured, to-day it is diphtheria, to-
morrow it will be tuberculosis.
If YOU 20 to the Institute Pasteur,
you will find comfortably stalled in
the garden some ten or dozen cab
horses, in prime condition, aged from
six to nine years, whose mission in
life is to furnish the precious fluid
which every day snatches many a
young life from an untimely grave.
They are in their measure uncon-
sciously solving the problem Of how
to stop the depopulation of France.
They are well cared for, there is no
cruelty in the process, no suffering
entailed. The first process is to in
iect she deadly virus-the tpxin-into
the shoulder of a horse. This, OF
course, at first causes a slight indis-
position, but after awhile no i'll eff
fects is felt. The second step is to
draw from the neck of prepared"
animal judicious quantity Of blood.
If the blood be allowed to stand for a
while, the red corpuscles settle to the
bottom, and the operator can then
draw of the fluid. Of a yellowish hue,
resting above, and containing the Sc
rum or antitoxin. This, in its turn,
is injected under the skin Of the pa
tient by means Of a syringe analo-
gous to that used for injecting NOR
phine.
On February 1 of this year DR..
Roux began operations at the Hospi-
tai for Sick Children, Paris. he had
a good supply Of serum, and each day
on making his visit to the hospital,
he treated all the children he found
there, in whatever state or condition
of Group or diphtheria. There was
no selection of subjects, point to be
borne in mind, nor was the ordinary
treatment in any may modified or set
aside. Things went on exactly as
they had before, except that a new
element had been introduced d-namely
the serum. During 1890, 1891, 1882
and 1893, before DR.. Roux began his
system, 3,791 children suffering from
Group and diphtheria were admitted
into the Hospital for Sick Children.
Of these 2,O29 died Of the disease,
the mortality thus being 81 per cent.
On the other hand, from February l
of this year up to July "a, the date up
to which DR.. Roux furnished statis-
tics to the Congress, the serum was
applied to all without exception, and,
out of 44S children, there were only
1O9 deaths-that is, the mortality has
decreased to "a per cent. AS the
conditions during these periods were
the same, the difference between 81
per cent and "a per cent indicates the
indisputable benefit derived from DR..
Roux's treatment. If we take the
same period at the Trousseau Hospl-
tai, Paris, where the old methods pre-
vail, we find that out Of $40 children
admitted there, 316 died, thus giving
mortality during the months in ques-
tion of go per cent.
But this is not all. The serum, If
applied, say, to child suffering from
quinsy, not only puts that ailment to
flight, but renders the subject imper:
yious to Group and diphtheria; and
even measles and scarlatina are found
to be of very rare occurrence, and then
only of slight character, when the
system has been fortified by DIR.
Roux' S wonder cure. The "a per cent
represents the saving of the lives OF
l20 children in six months in one in
stitution. The gain would have beer
more considerable but for the deplora
bic hygienic conditions Of the Hospita
des Enfants Malades. Many Of the
deaths, too, were result of further
complications, such as heart disease
and broncho-p pneumonia, which made
the work Of the physician very diff
cult. Generally speaking single in
lection is sufficient, and DIR. Roul
has never given more than two. Th'
dose consists of two-ffths Of amoun
of serum injected into the side Of ont
puncture. The temperature then de
creases, which is an excellent begin
ming. The leather-like membrane