The San Francisco call., 1895-07-20
THE ANT|-TOX|NE WINS.
This New Conqueror of Diph-
liberia Successfully Used
All Over the State.
The State Board of Health Has
Given Up Its Plan of Making
the Remedy Here.

"The anti-toxine of diphtheria has
proved success in California and has un-
doubtedly saved many lives in the State"
the State Board of Health.
Since this famous discovery ceased to be
wonder and its presence and use in the
first few cases in which it was tried ceased
to be sensational, but little public notice
has been taken of it. Yet it has been
steadily used and to an increasing extent
all over the State.
Practically all of the diphtheria anti
toxine used throughout the State has been
supplied free by the State Board of Health,
so that the precious stuff has been avail
able to the poorest. A sufficient supply
has been regularly received and divided
among the seven members of the board,
who are scattered all over the State, and
they in turn give it out without price to
all regular physicians who have cases of
diphtheria and ask for it. Each doctor re-
ports on it's use.
california has been quite free from
diphtheria during the past year." said DIR.
Anderson yesterday, land what cases have
occurred have mainly been isolated ones.
There has been more of the disease in Los
Angeles than any other part OF the State
most. In this City it has been used in a
number of cases and | have used it in my
own practice.
"From my own experience and observa-
ton | would say that it has proved as great
a success here as elsewhere. In the prin-
cipal children's hospitals of Berlin and
Paris, where the most extensive statistics
about it come from, the mortality from
diphtheria has been reduced from So or go
per cent to IA or 10 per cent. 1t is too early
for statistics here, but | think that its sue
cess is nearly as great, although it is
naturally oftenest used in cases that are
far advanced and often by physicians who
have seen it for the first time
When the last Legislature was in session
the fame OF the anti-toxine of diphtheria
was just filling the earth, and the State
Board of Health was given $4,000 with
which to turn the blood of horses into this
new remedy and rout the dread disease in
California. The board proposed to go
right ahead and establish an anti-toxine
factory with the cooperation of the veteri-
nary department of the State University.
When the proposition was figured OFT it
was found that $4,000 would not more than
run the establishment for two years, while
1t would cost nearly as much to establish
the stables, buy the horses and secure the
rather expensive laboratory facilities and
accessories necessary. Then finely equipped
pidiltS were eStdDllS1eQ quickly IN the
East. and the board went to buying it
ready made. 1t Is made notably by the
Government at Washington, by the New
York Board of Health, by the Pasteur In
stitute of New York and by a large and
reputable firm of manufacturing chemists
of Detroit.
So the State Board of Health has given
up its plan of making anti-toxine. 1t is
cheaper now to buy it, anyway, unless an
epidemic existed and large quantities were
wanted. A few weeks ago $50 bottles were
bought and 150 bottles are now on the way
As the stuff deteriorates in three months a
fresh supply is needed regularly. Each
bottle contains enough for one dose, which
is hypodermically injected, holds about
two Ieaspoonfuls and costs about 81 So.
The first that got here cost from SIS to 81 so
per bottle.
Now all through California the great
diphtheria anti-toxine is stored and given
out as freely as water to save young hu-
man lives. 1t is generally called for in
desperate hurry, and long and quick trips
have been made for it from y-places in
the State. The $4,000 will easily keep up
the supply until 1897, and meanwhile
druggists here are not making much profit
out of anti-toxine.