The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-07
THE NEW RE aEDY In DIpHTHERIA.

The splendid results reported of the anti
toxin treatment in dphtheria are attracting
universal attention on both sides of the At
lantic. The question upon every hand is:
What is antitoxin?' 1t is the purpose OF
this article to answer this question so
plainly that every school child may UNDER
stand.
In 1884 Professor Klebs, of Germany,
nounced his discovery of the germ
bacillus that causes diphtheria. and gave
a description of it, BY placing these germs
in culture, that is to say, in blood serum
or other fluid, and this kept al a certain
temperature soon produced other similar
germs. These germs inoculated into animals
developed diphtheria. thus establishing the
relation of cause and effect. These expert
ments have been abundantly confirmed by
Loeffier, Roux and Yersen, Abbot, WEIGH
and more recently by hundreds of others.
so that the specific cause of diphtheria APP
pears to be definitely settled.
The cause having been ascertained, scien-
lists naturally turned their attention to dis
covering remedy. 1t is now known that
the bacillus germ of diphtheria, secretes
ptomaine poison, which rapidly passes
into the blood, and by it's toxic action
breaks down the latter, weakens the nerv-
Gus system. and heart failure soon termi-
rates life.
1t has long been known that certain dis
cases. such smallpox, measles, scarlet
fever, etc., render the system immune
against subsequent attacks Other diseases
less so and for shorter time, among them
diphtheria. Vaccination for smallpox by
the immortal Jenner in 1898 was in Inc with
this theory, and designed to render the
blood immune, also the brilliant ex-
periments of Pasteur in anthrax, cholera
and hydrophobia; and finally diphtheria, the
most deadly of them all, is wheeled into
line by Klebs, Loeff1er, Behring and others.
With the idea of immunzing the blood Pro-
fessor Behring repeatedly inoculated some
of the lower animals with cultures of diph-
liberia germs until the blood of these ali
mails was rendered immune to dphtheria
poison Now comes the interesting ana inn
portant part. Professor Behring found that
by taking the serum from the blood of
those immunized animals and inoculatns
animals having diphtheria, that IL cured
most of them; he found that it was
a prophylactic and would prevent exposed
animals from taking the disease. This inn
munized serum is the antitoxin we Ii. ar SO
much about, and the experiments with it
have been carried from the lower animals
to man with gratifying results.
For several months have been receiving
palities in Europe and America, giving re-
suits of treatment under the OLD methods,
and, when possible, under the new or anti
toxin treatment. 1 have received from seven
of the leading hospitals reports of 5991 cases
treated by the old methods, with 2,91S deaths
"a mean mortality of 1870 per cent
have also been able to obtain from twelve
hospitals and prominent physicians in Eu-
rope reports of 1,7O7 cases treated with
antitoxin with 396 deaths, mean mortality
of 23.02 per cent, showing difference in
favor of the serum treatment of 256S per
cent, or more than one-half This favorable
showing is not owing as is shown by re-
ports in my possession, to the midness Of
the epidemics, as patients at the same time
and in the same city were terated by the
old methods with high mortality record.
For example, DIR. Watkins Hughes, of Nor
folk, England, states that during the pres
ent severe epidemic of diphtheria he at
tended forty cases; of the first thirty treated
by the usual methods, ten died. The next
ten cases the serum treatment was used,
and all recovered. Again, while the serum
treatment was being used at the Hospital
des Enfants in Paris, with mortality Of
less than Is per cent, the Hospital Frouseau
in the same city, and during the same
months, had mortality of go per cent.
This is remarkable showing for the serum
treatment in Europe, and fully equaled by
experiments recently made in America the
particulars of which 1 have not space to
enter into.
In view of the dreadful mortality of this
plague under old methods of treatment, and
the gratifying results obtained by the new.
it would appear like criminal neglect not
to have every practitioner in the land in
possession of this new remedy. Unfortun-
pense. Horses are the animals proven the
best for this purpose, and 1T takes months
of treatment before their blood is immun-
lied Many die, so that the expense is con-
siderable 1t occurs to the writer that this
is a. case where State aid is urgently de-
manded The State does not hesitate to
y spend money for the protection of hogs and
cattle: shar it do less for the dear children?
Laying all questions of humanity aside
and looking at the question from an
economic standpoint. the State can we'll af-
ford to seend money literally for this object.
Let us see. Professor Behring, in an adj
dress before the German Naturalists Socie-
ty of Vienna, stated that the mortality from
diphtheria alone in Germany and Austria
might be estimated at 100000 every ten
wears estimated to be about so per cent.
of those attacked Estimating the popula-
ton of Germany ard Austria at 100000,
and the population of the United States at
65 100000 the same ratio would make us lose
every ten years !, 1888, $685. or 1888 annually.
1t is a conservative estimate to say that
one-half this number can be saved to the
State provided the serum could be placed
into the hands of every practitioner. That
is to say, 1866 lives can be saved annual
ly. Estm ting these lives to be worth
ST. 900 each, there would be saved to the
United States $50 6s6 900 annually, an average
saving to each State and Territory of about
81, 100000, and 1900 precious lives each year.
I commend these facts to the earnest and
sincere attention of our lawmakers.
W. ]. CARTER, NJ. D.
Marion Ind, Jan. 5.