The Portland daily press., 1895-09-06
MARVELS OF ANTITOXINE.
Prof. Hermann nj. Biggs Tells of It's
Great Success in Europe.
eign Physicians Tell of Wonderful Re-
suits.
IN. Y. Times. J

Prof. Hermann NJ Biggs, pathologist
and director of the neutrality-suspicious.
tory of the Health Department of this
city, has just returned home from a two
months sojourn abroad. His principal
object in visiting Europe was to attend
the ssixty-third annual meeting sof the
British Medical Association, which was
held in London during July and August.
He had been invited to take part in a
discussion of the Sanitary Management
OF Diphtheria, with particular reference
to the use of archaeological examinations
In the diagnosis and sanitary surveillance
of the disease DR.. Biggs said to re-
porter for the New York Times last
night that the methods which were first
adopted by the Health Department OF this
city for the sanitary surveillance OF d1ph-
liberia are now employed in London and
the larger cities of Great Britain. They
were adopted.by the sanitary authorities
of London safter DIR. ..Biggs had read a
paper explaining the New York methods
before the Congress of the British 1nstl-
tute of Public Health in 1894. They have
met with success wherever adopted, and
the results have been excellent.
But the most interesting discussion
during the meeting,'' said DIR. Blggs,
"was on the subject of the treatment OF
diphtheria by antitoxine. Several OF the
most eminent physicians OF England ana
Germany took part in the discussion, and
the results which they reported following
the use of antitoxine in the treatment OF
the disease were simply marvellous.
Prof. Van Ranke of 1the University OF
Munich reported that the mortality from
primary diphtheria in his clinic from 1887
to 1894 ranged from AZ. 2 per cent to o.
per cent. Since the beginning of the
July /. 1895, the mortality had been re-
duced to TT per cent. The mortality
had been reduced to considerably more
than one half, compared with the best
years, and to two thirds, compared with
the worst years. Prof. Van Ranke also
stated that under the influence OF the
serum treatment diphtheria loses its pro
gressive character, and he gave it as his
firm opinion that the serum treatment IS
most powerful and specific lremedy
against diphtheria.
"a very interesting statement was that
made by Prof A. Baginsky of the Uni
yersity of Berlin. He said that during
the last year he had treated 525s diphtheria
patients with serum. Previous to the
introduction of that form of treatment
the mortality during four years averaged
Al per cent, but by the serum treatment
it had been reduced to Is. per cent The
serum treatment was said by Prof.
Baginsky not only to reduce the NOR
tality, but the whole condition OF the
child was improved by it.
GA recent paper by DR.. Richet OF Paris
was quoted during the discussion, which
stated that in Paris from 1884 to 1894 the
smallest number of deaths from diph-
liberia in fourteen days had been 30, while
the highest number had been 145 in the
same period.
ssThere is more of the antitoxine used
in Paris today than in any other city IN
the world, and the result has been that
during 1895 the highest figure of NOR
tality for fourteen days was ~, and the
lowest was T. No better evidence OF the
efficacy of the serum treatment IS needed
to establish it's value and extend Its use: "
DIR. Biggs in taking part in the dis
cussion dwells at length on the 1mpor-
spread of the diphtheria by rendering
those who were exposed to the infection
immune. He said:
Gin one institution in this city there
had been large number OF cases OF dlph-
liberia, 107 cases having occurred during
the 10S days preceding the Injection of
the serum. The antitoxine was then in
being used in each case During the
next thirty days only one very mild case
occurred in the following thirty. days
another case was reported, and shortly
after five more patients were attacked.
Two hundred and twenty-five units were
then injected, with the result that no
more cases occurred.
D The same result was obtained in three
other institutions. showing the extreme
vaIue of the immunizing power of the
serum The protective period is short
one, probably not extending over thirty
days, but within this time it is almost
absolute In over 800 patients which l
have treated for the purpose Of rendering
them immune, in no case have discov-
cred any unfavorable' symptoms as the re-
suit of the injection of the serum.
SIT was the concensus of opinion among
the eminent physicians in attendance
at..the meeting who had devoted much
time to the practical observation of the
treatment by antitoxine, that the expert
mental stage had long since passed, and
that the remedy had proved it's claim to
be far above all other remedies for the
cure of diphtheria, and that no physician
would be justified in neglecting to resort
to this treatment in any case of diphtheria
that he is called upon to attend"