Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-29

theria poison In minute quantities This was not effective, but through it they learned the truth of their theory that they could gradually increase the amount administered-that is, that it was possible to educate the animals system up to resisting the poison. But small animals did not produce the counteractant in quantities large enough to be of value in trying to nullify the effects of diphtheria poison in other animals or in human beings. So the scientists finally inoculated horses and other large animals. Tn the horse they found the medium that they were looking for. They learned that in the course of few months they could so develop the resisting power of a horse that they could with out injury to it administer the poison in quantities several times as large as that which would prove fatal to the animal had it not previously been put through a course of training. There was no doubt now that through the mere presence of the poison in the blood nature was induced to furnish some other quality which would fight it and overcome it if it had fair chance. 1t only remained to betproved, then, that this new remedial quality could bc drawn from the blood of the horse, ard, after having been injected into the blood of an animal or person suffering from the effects of the poison in quantities so large that the sufferer was of itself incapable of overcoming them, be forced to act benefcially in this new and strange field. g
 One experiment sufiiced to prove that this was possible, although many moro were made. It was quickly shown that the counteractant to the diphtherctic poison was definite quality, and that it made no difference what it's source was-whcther or not it was generated in the blood of the per son or the animal originally suffering from the disease, or was introduced into the unhealthy arteries and veins artifcially, from an outside source-it would do its work equally well.
 As soon as this was definitely set tied, then experiments began on a large and elaborate scale in the laboratories of the Koch institute for infectious dis eases in Berlin. These experiments have shown constantly increasing good results, and samples of the anti-toxine there obtained have now been for warded to all the great centers of med ical research in the world. In every instance, where this anti-toxine has been intelligently used the results have been even better than the discov- erers claimed that they would be, and thus another great power for good has been added to the possessions of the modern physician. One of the most gratifying features of the new cure is that it is entirely harmless in any cir cumstances. There is not a single in- stance recorded where its result has proved injurious, and as Dr. Edson says, it has been conclusively shown that where it is possible to apply the remedy before the disease has been al- lowed to run twenty-four hours, the percentage of cures has been one hun dred-that is, there have been no deaths whatever. The new diphtheria cure is one of the very few remedies in ex- istence which are absolute.
 "Unfortunately, however" said Dr. Edson, in commenting on the cure, ''thc preparation of this anti-toxine is long and costly process. To properly produce it requires the constant sur veillance of trained men, and it takes from four to six months to properly in- oculate an animal for the purpose of producing the serum. Besides, one an imal is only capable of producing a small amount of the precious sub stance.
 Nothing more astounding than the cure of 100 per cent. of the cases treat ca mas ever occurred III the history or medicine. The mortality from diph- theria in Berlin, during the three years preceding the discovery of anti-toxine, ranged from 39.5 to All per cent. Since the new cure has come into vogue there, Prof. BaiinslSi has succeeded in