Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-24
DIPHTHERIA CURE
DR.. Kinyoun's Talk on the Use Of
Anti-Toxine.
TIE HEALTH OFFICE HAMPERED
No Money and No Contagious
Hospital.
THE BOSTON STEM

According to the statement of some ply
sicians, the prevalence of diphtheria in the
District of Columbia can be attributed to
the opposition to appropriations by Con-
gress for the preparation Of anti-toxine ana
the establishment of a children's hospital
for infectious diseases.
A year and half ago, upon the report
of DR.. ]. ]. Kinyunn of the marine corps.
who was a member of the international
congress of hygiene and demcgraphy at
budapest, and who witnessed the expert
ments at the Pasteur Institute, plant
was established in connection with the
me rine corps and other plants in various
cities throughout the United States.
Last July the plant here was turned
over to the health department of the Dis
trict of Columbia. The public is familiar
with the present epidemic of diphtheria,
and in the light of what has been said and
written concerning the efficacy of anti
toxire, 1t has naturally been supposed that
the remedy had failed. Such is not the
case, according to those in position to
knew. 1t Is claimed not only at the health
office, but at the marine hospital, that
While DIR. Woodward Is fully competent
and none but efficient assistants are en-
ployed, the health office is SO embarrassed
by lack of appropriations that the proper
isolation and treatment of the cases is
impossible. One difficulty H. the of
antl-tCxine Is that the serum loses its
power and fresh supply must be kept on
hand This cannot be done without ap-
preparations with which to buy horses, pre-
pare and distribute the serum.
Singularly, the cure by anti-toxine has
IN itself proved source of danger. When
child is cured within a day or two, the
parents insist that 1t did not have diph-
iberia and allow the child to leave home in
spite of the precautions of the health OIL
GERS.
Star reporter called upon DR.. Kinyoun
to learn what the experiences of the past
eighteen months had shown concerning the
remedy.
The Boston System.
DR.. Giddings was first seen. and he spoke
fiatterngly of the health department, but
remarked that DIR. Woodward was so
hampered for want of appropriations that
| If he were ten men rolled into one he would
still have too much work. He said that
Boston is the only city which has a COM
piete system of preventing diphtheria.
There Is permanent board of inspectors,
whose business 1t is, whether diphtheria
| exists or not, TO examine all children in the
| schools every morning. If a child is aling
| 1t Is sent home and treated. The result is
| that while there has been diphtheria in the
city, it could not be traced In any instance
| to the schools. This system has been il.
force about year.
DIR. ixinyoun ON Anti-Toxine.
Passed Assistant Surgeon Dr. j. j. Kin
| youn, in answer to questions, said: ..Ine
existence of diphtheria in the District Is
| due to the lack oil congressional apprc pr.a-
| ions, the apathy and prejudices OF people,
| and consequent lack of facilities with which
| TO night il. The use OF anti-toXine has
| PASSED beyond the experimental stag
| there can no longer be d question as 10
| It's almost lnfalliDie curative eject i'll tn.
| 1 M, Al.
none Slice last July, having then turnou
| II over 10 The health ofiice, and 1 have liu
| uCuDt that The very best results obtain
iple under the Distressing condition OF "a
| lars consequent upon CONGRESSIONAL AZ
| tItion anu lack of funus ueIn;. reaIz.u.
! II does seem a pity that WIN 4 pCsI,s .
| cure al hand, anu d 1uuy efficient man 10
| administer IT, there should he AN epIuemlc
| VI dlphtheria. L nave here son,e recent
| atalls,iCS Which are very Significant al.u
winch ueIIoisuate beyond uoubI The
eT1lcdcy OIL The remedy. 1 nave iale repor, :
! from Iu5 cites or 2j,Vlp population ana
upward, winch IEcluCe some 100 cases
| win mortailty o1 oLIy ~ per cent. Dur
lnS the same liiiie there were -,:sio cases
| winch were lreateu with anlI-toSine
| GA winch tne mortally was l. llu or 10 Der
| cent.
| Il also have reports of about 10000 who
We're iIimunlZeo-tnaI Is, treated similarly
| 10 vaccination against smalipoX-anu
| among These there were no DEANS, anG
Is reasohaDle estimate tnal the remeuy
| has saved ZoU,vUO lives i'll the United States.
The Amti-Vivisectfonis
! Measures for appropriations by Congress
| to furtaer tie use of anti-toxine have ai-
ways been thwarted by the active exertions
| OF observation-disclosures, who seem to value
| animal life higher than human life. Here
| is a printed report in which the writer de-
nlo ba hoo, lol
! in her denunciationS of viviSection say sh,
would rather d child would Gle than thai
| Il guinea pig should be cut up
Il can't See why they should oppose the
anti-toXine remedy"
1T poisons horses, you see, to prepare
! the matter
Does it destroy a horse?'
| Not necessarily; few die from the eff
| fects of immunizng. But l have a valu.
able horse now which has been used for the
| purpose. He has entirely recovered; and
| think he is better horse every way thar
| he was before.
There is another important matter which
| has always been prevented by urgent CD.
| pc sition-the erection of q hospital for in
! fictitious diseases Of children. There is a
hospital here for children, but only fol
Lon-infectious diseases. There is a funo
now available of some $3SOOU as a nucleus
whenever Congress makes appropriation fol
| the additional amount required. 1t would
not take very large sum. A hospital
DullQlIlS uOeS hot neeO TO be Ornate-Only
| convenient, comfortable and clearly. The
best and largest European hospitals, while
| they are not dingy nor unsightly in theil
| finish and appointments are not ornamental
But attempts to establish hospital OF
| the sort 1--WE have a good smallpox hospital
however, have been constantly opposed by
property owners. A few years ago a mil.
| lionaire said before an appropriations com.
mittee that he represented land syndicate
VINO never would allow 2 hospital to be pu,
up near their lands. and this class of mer
| so far have been successful in battling al
efforts in the direction Of providing sucr
| an institution. The result of the want Of a
| he spital for diphtheria is that isolation is
| wellnigh impossible in family or in a
| hotel where the disease may appear.
'Some who admit the necessity for a hos
| pital have proposed to place 1t five or sa
| miles out. This would be almost worse
| than the present arrangement"
What do you think of the Boston plar
| of school Inspection"
| well, DR.. Durbin of Boston is one OF
the foremost sanitarans in the whole coun
| try. He reports that the system works wei
| beyond question. The schools are visited
every morning by inspectors assigned t
| special districts; and every child which
seems Ill is strictly examined, and, if nee
| cssary, sent home at once. The same plar
| Is carried out in a number of Canadian
| towns, and think also in New York city,
| Whatever may be the cause of the pres
| ent cases Of diphtheria, and as to thai
1 ro1 c{oio in nj =