The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-11
ANTI-TOXIN DEFENDED
ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN CURING
DIPHTHERIA SHOWN BY DIR. BIGGs.
Data and Statistics Exhibited by the
New York BacteriOlOgist to Back
Up His Assertions.


ties and psychologists in this city have
been interested in the statements by DIR.
A. r. Reynolds. formerly health commits
sioner Of Chicago. regarding his investiga-
tions as to the efficacy of the anti-toxin
treatment for diphtheria in Europe and,
incidentally, Willard Parker Hospital, New
York. To a reporter Charles G. Wilson,
president of the Board of Health, said to-
day: "As a layman 1 do not think that
1 can do justice to the subject. Permit
very much mistaken when he assumes that
all the diphtheria patients in this city are
brought to the Willard Parker Hospital.
Scarcely 10 per cent. of the cases which
occur are treated in that institution and
those who are brought to our hospital
are Of the poorest class, on whom the
disease has taken effect for three or four
to five days, and sometimes for longer
period 1 am firm believer in the effec-
tfveness of ani-toxin.'
President Wilson then referred the re-
porter to DR.. Herman M. Biggs, director
of the meteorological laboratories for
further information. DR.. Biggs is an en-
thusiast in regard to the benefits Of anti
toxin and declares it to be a wonderful
deterrent to the ravages Of the dread dis
ease. DR.. Biggs produced a lot of data
and statistics which showed very clearly
the decrease of mortality in cases of diph-
liberia treated in the Willard Parker Hos
pital since the introduction of the new meth
cd in November, 1894. as compared with the
previous year. 1.-THE following table speaks
for ITSELF" he said. I'm 1894 treatment be-
gun on the first or second day: Number
of cases, 43; mortality, 1851 per cent; in
1895, number of cases, 1OS; mortality. 1903;
third day. 1894. number of cases, 12o; NOR
tally, 1851; in 1885, number or cases, 80;
mortality. 25lS. Fourth day and later, 1894.
number of cases, 306; mortality. $50; in
1895. number of cases, 355; mortality. $685.
THE use of anti-tOxin was commenced IN
this city on Oct Z, 1884," said DIR. Biggs.
1.-The total number of diphtheria cases In
1884 was S,s7S, resulting in 3,073 deaths,
1879 cases. but with the use Of the anti
toxin the deaths registered were reduced
to 2,12o. The average fatality In the Ioi .
mer year was 34.23. while during the last
year, ending in October, 1t was only 22.66
In our hospital, the Willard Parker. we
only receive a small per cent. of diph-
will see that out of 1879 cases during the
past year only 593 were treated at the hos
pital, and by far the greater number were
of three. four or more days duration at
the time of admittance. A comparison
between the results in Paris and this city
is scarcely fair one" he added, as the
Paris, while 1t is not used SO frequently in
this city, although l can safely say it is
introduced in a large proportion of the
cases occurring here"
In speaking of preparations Of anti-toxin
made by the New York Health Depart
ment, DIR. Biggs said that each vial was
stamped with the number of antitoxin
units which it contained. This shows the
protective and curative value of the con-
tents" DR.. Biggs said. MANY of the pre-
parations, particularly in England, are put
no doubt is what Professor Roux referred
to when in his conversation with DR.. Rey-
nolds he spoke of poor serum. Where
there is no label there is always a chance
of mistake being made. Our grades are
GOO, LOCO and 800 units. So, you see, that
the last-named grade is just 15O per cent.
stronger than the first 1t came to our
notice nearly a year ago that inferior
serum was being sold here, and we had a
section added to the sanitary code prohibit
ing the sale of any preparation of diph-
iberia anti-toxin in this city unless the
receptacle containing it bears a label on
which is printed the name and address of
the producer, and inclosed with it in a
sealed package the date of production and
the value of the contents as measured by
some generally recognized standard. This -
said the Doctor in conclusion, is a safe
guard against any inferior serum being
used in this city. and. therefore, precludes
the possibility of any unfortunate mis-
takes"