The Washington times., 1894-12-16

Just how to procure i've horses, ''plugs'' or
otherwise. provided they are not too aged or
diseased, is a question which is perpleXing
Health officer Woodward and his able assist
ant, DIR. Austin 0'Maliey at this time.
The item of five cheap horses appears as a
small one, but il means much TO the health
and life OF the citizens of the District, the pur-
pose of the health authorities being TO get
supply of dIphtheria serum from them for use
here in diphthe.ia cases.
Five horse - said DR.. 0'Malley last even =
ing, "wi.l furnish serum supply sufficient
for the requirements of the entire District,
whether they be discarded fire or police pa
troI horses, or what not, so long as they arc
not Affected with glanders or tuberculosis.
The fact that the animals may lie wind
broken or spawned will make no difference,
and they must not be too Old. y
The Commissioners have been appealed TO
for the needed eguines. but they claim there
is no appropriation from which they can be
furnished As there are many cases OF
diphtheria in the District now, and the
serum treatment in positive cure for that
drea Ted disorder it has besn suggested that
a sui s .ription be started Tor the purchase OF
the animals.
Immediately after they are procured by
subscription or Congress. .oaRl appropriation,
it IS the purpose of the health o!tice to estao-
lish Il regular serum establishment here for
tho procurement of enough OF that article TO
supply the entire needs OF the District i'll
diphtheiia rasss. The worG will be COM
menced imme iiately after the eGutnes are
turned over TO DR.. Woodward.
Smallpox is not to be compared to dIph-
liberia in It's persistency and
PERCENTAGE OF FATALITIES.
Heretofore diphtheria has been regarded
as in the category of ineuraoles, but the
health authorities claim by the Roux toxine
method of treatment it can Ice speedily eradi-
Gated from the human system.
DIR. J. !. kiayuan, passed assistant surgeon
OF tie Marine Hospital Ser nee, has COM
menced work in this city. He has given a
horse four or five inorulatioEs with Roux's
tONine 10 get imnlgua b.o)l serIm .or diph-
iberia cures Tais same horse can be used
between three and four years and converted
into a regular serum wei, rs it were. This
animal is not worth more than $50. vet it can
Ia made 10 produce $500 worth OF the lie
saving serum. This is procured by taking
culture OF the diphtheria baccIiius, which, De
ing filtered out, leaves the poison toXiae.
This ;oXiue is at,eauat in graded strengths.
The horse Is innoculBted with the weakest
attenuation first. aud then with innoruations
increasing in strength until tie animal can
s;aGd the Iure poisor.
In cases of diphtheria the patient under The
serum method OF treatment - HOt carel by
the physician, but IS kept alive by him until
he cures himself: that is, Tu;il be mas formed
anti-tOXines, which neutralize the diphtheria
toXine.
The serum theraphy supplies this slow
growth OF anii-tuXinc Immediately AMI IN
quantities sufficient TO cure the patient within
day or 50. This is mt an experiment 1t
has gone teyond The stage o! eXperiGeata-
ten From n series Of cases treated in Paris
and Ber in il has been established that there
has 1T last been found