Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-12-22
AMERICAN.
AMERICAN.
Per cent. died Perct. died
without A~ntitoXine. with AntitoX

lN'buNNl'h VI nv NlllNl III lllt lNllbllC VI
France, G5.G per cent.
There has been upward of a million injec-
tons of antitoXin, and in but five cases was
death attributed to the antitoXin serum,
assigned.
If it be conceded that there is an element
of risk in the employment Of antitoXin, this
must be placed at one two thousandth Of one
per cent, while the gain in recoyeries ranges
from twenty five TO thirty per cent. over all
other treatments. The first annual report Of
Imperial German Board Of Health (Universi-
ty Magazine, Philadelphia, June 1897, en-
bodies the returns relative to the use of anti
toxin in the hospitals of the German En-.
pire. The results of the use of antitoxin are
based on 1851 cases. Out of these cases
the recovcries We're S3.5 per cent. and the
deaths were 1915 per cent. while one per cent
were still under treatment.
The report concludes with the following
statement: 'The medical treatment of diph-
iberia with antitoXin makes a decided ad-
vance in the dominion of therapeutics.
Favorable results are more often noted from
its use than are known to occur under pre-
vious methods Of approved science. The
secondary effects occasionally observed are
Of slight importance when compared with
the general advantage of its USE"
The report of the American Pedriatic So
ciety on the collective investigation Of the
antitoXin treatment of laryngeal diphtheria
in private practice, 1S96-lS97, includes returns
from 6l5 physicians. OF this number more
than 600 pronounce themselves as strongly
in favor of the serum (antitoxin) treatment,
The great majority being enthusiastic in its
advocacy. The cases included have been
drawn from localities widely separated from
each other, so that any popularity Of local
conditions to which might be ascribed the
favorable reports must be excluded. Doubt
full cases which recovered are not reported
while doubtful cases which were fatal are
included in the committees report, to avoid
q suspicion of f~avoring antitoXin. There
are 1874 cases reported, with a death rate Of
1913 per cent excluding the cases moribunG
at time of injection, or dying within twenty
four hours, it was S.S per cent.
The most convincing argument and AZ
absolutely unanswerable one in favor O
serum therapy is found in the results OBJ
tanned in 1856 laryngeal cases (membranou'
Group. In one half of these recovery tool
place without operation, ina larger pro
portion of which the symptoms of stenosiE
were severe. OF 533 cases in which intuba
ton was performed, the mortality was ST.!
per cent. or less than half as great as has
ever been reported by any other method o
treatment. The reports from difTeren'
sources in hospital and private practice arr
as favorable to the use of antitoxin in diph
liberia and membranOus Group, as the fore
going; and as the profession generally be
come familiar with the use of antitOXin, NOR,
careful in obtaining freshly made serum anC
that from reliable sources, and fully recog
nizing that the earlier it is administered tn,
more certain and prompt will it be in III
action and the fewer complications il
its action will arise, the death rate Of mem
'iuh'No NlDhphllh vi hNh'l WI NC lONplN'
to an average of ten to twelve per cent. il
all cases, where it has been about fifty pc
cent. under the other best and most scien
tilc treatments. The evidence obtainabl
from most reliable sources where a~ntitoxii
has been put to a very severe test, and thes
tests printed for the information of the medi
cal profession in the leading medical jour
nails of Europe and America, makes it ap
pear almost criminal for any member of tn,
profession to refuse to use the means at hi
command to save life. If accurate data wer
available showing the number Of death
caused by the corrosive and poisonous drug
used in the treatment of diphtheria an,
membranous Group, which in no degree ar
destructive to the germ which produce
these diseases, no doubt the death rate iron
this source alone would far exceed the deaf
rate in all cases where antitoxin is used.