The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-11-12
ANTITOxINE SERUM.
Progress Of q New Agent In the
Treatment Of Diphtheria
How the blood of Lower Animals Il Em
pioyed as . Curative OF Human
uls--A Valuable scientific
Discovery.

The new treatment OF diphtner1a py
means of antitoxine serum has occu-
pied the attention of the medical world
for about u year and a half. IL has
been the leading subject for discussion
at associations, at congresses, at the
May meeting of the American Medical
association, and at the meeting Of the
British Medical association.
All agree that it possesses both cura-
tive and prophylnctic actions, the de-
gree of success alone being discussed.
The success of this remedy in this par
ticular disease has opened up new fields
for research in the same line in the
treatment of other germicidal diseases.
A review of the curative action and the
mode of preparation of the serum will
be timely. and especially 80 az 1t Is
claimed that this treatment has al
ready reduced the mortality of this
dread disease to less than one-half.
The cardinal principle upon which
its curative action depends il contain
ed in the fact that the blood possesses
In It's normal constituents certain
gcrmicidal, or disease-killing, action
due to some constituent not yet clearly
defined. This constituent destroys
micro-organisms, or disease germs,
that find their way, from whatever
source, into the animal economy. The
battle wages in every germicidal dis
ease for q longer or shorter time, till
either the blood or the micro-organ-
isms and their products predominant.
For instance, in typhoid fever this bat
tie RACES for 81 days. IL the blood Ii
victorious in the struggle, this germi-
cidal or disease-killing constituent In
enormously increased, and consequent
ly produces an immunity in that par
ticular disease until it has disappeared
from the blood, which in different dis
eases varies greatly-for instance.
smallpox, after successful vaccination
for seven years or more. or in diphths-
ria six or eight months. In consider
alton of this fact the question arose:
How can we produce an artificial inn
munity in an animal and make prae-
teal application thereof?
The action OF antitoxine. then, IL
physiological and natural, in that it is
simply transmitting its accumulated
ARCHITECTURAL COA6titdEnt AiOAh kAC
NAL In which it has been artificially
generated to the person suffering from
the disease, and the disease secured by
the serum containing this constituent
acting upon and destroying the disease
organisms in the system into which II
hss been introduced.
The germicide or antitoxine serum is
produced in this way: A healthy ami"
NAL, known to be susceptible to the dis
ease, is selected, either goat, a sheep
or horse. lie is treated with a sub
cutaneous injection of a culture media
containing diphtheria bacilli. This
injection, which il called the primary,
is in an attenuated form, as the germs
arc subjected to IS degrees centigrade
of heat for five minutes, thus rendering
them less virulent. In three days he
is again treated with stronger injec-
tior, in similar way, and 30 on for sew
eral months, until the animal is no
longer affected by the injections Of the
most virulent cultures, or until COM
plete immunity has been produced.
Blood is now drawn from the animal
under the strictest antiseptic precau-
tions, as the slightest contamination
destroys the efficacy of the germicide.
The blood il then allowed to separate
into serum and ciot; the serum il then
drawn off under the same strict pre-
cautions and placed in tubes for use.
This serum contains the antitoxine
or germicidal constituent already men
toned. and possesses the power of do
stroying the diphtheria bacilli when
introduced into the circulation Of q
diphtheria patient.
a specially constructed hypodermic
syringe is used; the serum is injected
under the skin of the patient. and the
strictest antiseptic precautions are OBJ
served. The earlier ia the disease the
remedy is used the more favorable ia
the prognosis. Healthy individuals
who have been exposed to the disease
should also resort TO the treatment, rs
It is claimed that temporary immunity
may be secured thereby.
We are indebted to Behring, profes-
sor of hygiene at Halle, for this prac-
tical application of the science of bac-
teriology. For the science of bacteri-
o.ogy itself we are indebted to the great
Pasteur, who within the last few
weeks has been called to his final re
ward.-Science.