The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-03-05
ANTI-TOXINE.
TIE METHOD OF CURING DIPH-
liberia BY EJACULATION.
Neutralizing the Effect of Diphtheric
Poison by Means of Serum, OBJ
tained From Horses-An
Effective Remedy

diphtheria by incubation
was interestingly described
@ by DIR. Emanuel Baruch, pro.
lessor of bacteriology and infectious
diseases in the Metropolitan Post
Graduate Medical College, the Flower
Hospital and the Woman's Medical
College, to New York Tribune re-
porter the other day, rs follows:
"The germ of diphtheria was dis
covered by Loeiller i'll the year 1881.
Soon, however, it was found that the
disease was not caused by the pres
ence of the germ itself, but by a spe-
ciiic poison which it produced, and
which was absorbed oy the system. If
we detach minute particle of the
dlphtheric membrane from the throat
ola person suffering from diphtheria,
many millions of microbes will be
found upon it. If w transplant them
into into n solution of beef Juice
(bouillon), they will multiply enor-
mousiy within twenty-four hours, and
gradually we shall SEQ ycllowish-
masses OF germs aggregate and sink to
the bottom of the vessel. When fill
tered and freed from germs, this duid
will prove just as poisonous, when in.
oculatcd, as the germs themselves. |
have seen guinea pigs die within two
or three days after au injection OF
O.OO25 cubic centimeter Of this poison.
10 ascertain the character Of tins
poison and the means OF neutraliliug
its effects has been the aim and effort
OF medical science for many years.
''Ihe credit of its achievement is
due to Professor Behring, of Berlin.
and not to DIR. Roux, rs has been
stated, who, however, is n scientist of
great attainments, and has rendered
very valuable services in this field OF
medical research. Even before Behr-
ings method-which was published
rs early as 1SS9-efforts were made to
render subjects immune against a
disease by incubation gradually in.
creasing doses of the poison which
produced 1t, thus rendering them nc
customed to gradually increasing
doses OF morphine or digitalis
when, by the method described.
animals are rendered immune against
disease, for instance diphtheria,
their blood is found to contain certain
products (anti-toXines), which coun-
teract the diphthcritic poison and
heighten the resisting power of the
body and its tissues. We find this
anti-toXine suspended in the fluid por-
ton, the serum of the blood. 1t is
this serum which Behring inoculates.
And it is gained in the following man
ner: An animal, preferably horse.
which has been rendered immune by
various inocul0tions of diphtheritic
poison, Is bled--which can he done
without harm to the animal every
two or three wecks-and the blood re-
ceived into sterilized glass cylinders.
Here it is allowed to settle for about
twenty-four hours, and when the solid
constituents have coagulated and ag-
greSnted mt the bottom of the vessel.
the serum is carefully poured off. 70
this we add five per cent. of carbolic
acid to preserve it, and the anti-toxine
IS ready. 1t is well, however, to
shield 1T from the direct influence OF
light.
This serum, even in small qunnti-
ties, IS very powerful, the more so,
the longer the period during which
the animal has been subjected to in
EQUATIONS. Animals which originally
would have succumbed to few cubic
centimetres of the poison, gradually
bear several hundreds or thousands of
cubic centimetres of the same prep.
aration. II, to counteract certain
amount Of diphthoritic poison we
needed one cubic centimetre of serum.
taken from horse which has received
but three or four inoculations, we
would need only 0.00O5 cubic cent?
metre of serum taken from horse
treated for eight or nine months, to
achieve the same object.
"Of the power of this remedy to
prevent and cure diphtheria. there
can be no question. 1t was first ex-
tensively used in Berlin, whore the
mortality sank from g. 3 per cent. to
IL. per cent Later il was used in
Paris, and the reports of Roux show
a decrease of mortality from Co. per
cent. to 26 per cent. The number of
favorable reports regarding this rem
edy is daily growing, and in my own
hands it has proved perfect boon.
From these figures il is evident that
not all cases of dipthcria treated in
this manner have been saved. Bntall
could have been saved, If they
had been treated in time.
1t is of the greatest import.
nncc that treatment begin Mt an early
period. It is easy g. render the sys-
tenn immune, before tho poison has
entirely pervadei it; but when every
tissue, every cell in the body is per
neated by the poison, 80 is difficult to
counteract it and save what is already
in process of destruction. The
amount of serum necessary for inocu-
lntion increases enormously with the
progress of the disease Therefore do
not delay, for any reason Whatever.
No harm can be done; the serum is
lnnocuous. If used early, tho effects
are remarkable. Twcnty-four hours
after iuoculating q small amount be.
low the axilla or ON the thigh, have
seen the temperature fall from 1OJ
degrees TO 100 degrees and the pulse
from l47 TO ninety, aud ON my return
tho next day / found the child sitting
nm u hnn on1 v,1uvfV