The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-09

cal profession and the public against spurious
ana unguaIanteed preparations OF TINS remedy,
II not more drastic measures, may seem 70 YOU
wise and uselu!, ana appropriate 10 the func-
tons Of this departments as GUARDIAN Oh INC
pubic health.
DIR. Paul Gibier, an associate of DIR. Pas
teur, is in charge of the preparation OF
the anti-toxine in New York. DIR. Gioier
began experimenting with the serum two
years ago, using dogs, rabbits and guinea
pigs. The infection of such small ami
mails as rabbits and guinea pigs is too
long and delicate an operation to be prac-
ticable, however. Dogs when injected
with toxine furnish a very active serum.
Sheep and goats are very sensitive to the
action of the dlphtheritic poison. ne
immunization of the females which give
good deal of milk, such as goats and cows,
presents a peculiar interest in that the
serum or anti-toXlne passes into the milk,
SO that virtually a diphtheritic, If he drink
a sufficient quantity of the milk secreted
by a toxine-infected COW, will probably re-
cover from the disease. The horse is the
easiest animal to Immunize, and has
therefore been adopted by all scientists as
the best source of anti-toXlne.
The large majority of physicians in the
United States accept the new remedy as
effective. There are, of course, some
skeptIcs, but they are Few. DIR. Mchen-
zie, whose is the honor of being the first
physician in the West to make practical
use of the serum, stated yesterday TO n
STANDARD reporter that he credits the
new medicine with the cure OF the boy
who was saved last fall.
"Of course" said DR.. Mckenzie. II
have but one case from which 20 form an
opinion. But in that case l made hourly
examinations of the patient and have
record of temperature, pulse, respiration
and general condition. From this record
and from my observations, am inclined
to believe that the new remedy is all that
is claimed for it,"
There seems to be much confusion in
the minds of tho generel public as TO the
merits OF the anti-toXIne and as 10 the
theory of it's work in the system. In this
connection the following extract from the
report quoted above will be of interest:
1.-THE effectiveness of anti-tonine is clearly
and conclusIyey shown by the statistics OF for
eign cities where IL has been used. The general
use OF anti-toXine was not begun until about
Sept. /, 1894, although IL had been employed TO
n con siderable extent in the hospitals previous
TO this time, beginning in April and May, 1894
Tho result is seen In the remarkable and
steady decrease in the death rate each month
after May. In the fourth week Of the month of
September, 1894, there were only two deaths in
the entire city OF Paris from dphtheria
"lt should be remembered that the theory, II
we may use this term as to the use OF anti-toN-
inc. Is dramatically opposite TO the theory as to
the application of kOchs tuberculin, and that
there is great difference in the natures of the
two substances. fuberculin was preparation
OF The disease poison Itself and 1t was thought
that by the reproduction of 1t the progress Of
tubeTculOus disease could be stimulated with a
beneficial result. This was an error, so far as
tuberculosis in confined parts of the body Is con-
cerned, and in such cases the NEGOTIATIONS dld
more harm than good. They added fuel to the
fire, with injurious effect. But anti-toXine is
not a preparation of the poison secreted or pro
duced by the germ of diphtherii; II IS sub
stance hostile to that poison, and in itself harm
less. according to the uniform testimony OF
those have than l.OU $.
1t is a resisting and hostile substance de-
veloped in the blood OF animals which have been
tested repeatedly with NEGOTIATIONS OF the
poison, and tested until they have become
thoroughly proof against that pOson-proof,
because of the gradual development of this
hostile and protective material. When intro
duced into the system OF a human patient this
substance continues the work which it has been
doing in the horse; it attacks or operates
against the diphtheritic poison, and IL that
poison has not become too deeply seated and too
plentiful II neutraZeS or oyercOmes it. For
reasons, as well as on account of the record of
experience in Europe and in this city, the per-
son inquiring as TO the value OF anti-tOXine
should not permit himself to be biased or preju-
d Iced by what is now known concerning tuber-
culin.
The value attach to the new treatment is
tersely put in the following report l sent from
out OF more than go cases treated by the new
method Cthe anti toXine), when the cases were
inoculated on the first day, 100 per cent. re
per cent; on the third day. 81 per cent; on the
fourth day. as per cent and on the tiIth day 81
per cent The conclusions seem to be justified
that:
"a Any person after exposure can be rend-
cred immune to the disease If the symptoms
have not already developed.
'(2) If cases can be treated within the first 36
hours, or perhaps IS hours OF the disease. the
mortality may be reduced practically to zero
After this time the value Of the treatment be-
comes progressively less