The age-herald., 1901-11-19
St Louis Health Department Obtained Serum from an OId
 Horse Having Tetanus
OFFICIALS WERE NEGLIGENT
Finding of the coroner's Jury Shows That In Preparing Diphtheria Anti-toxin 1t Was Infected
 With Lockjaw Germs.

St. Louis. November 1S.-Coroner Funk houser today rendered a verdict finding the St. Louis health department negli- gent in the preparation of diphtheria anti-toxine that caused the deaths by lockjaw of the seven children to whom 1t was recently administered for diphtheria. The serum was obtained from an old horse at the poor house named Jim.
 For some time the city health depart ment has been making anti-toxine for use in diphtheria cases. This was dis tributed among practicing physicians throughout the city free of charge and used In the city institutions quite gener- ally. In many cases it is said to have saved lives. The serum in the preaent case was obtained from horses that are said to have contracted tetanus.
 The coroners verdict is based upon the testimony of physicians who attended the lockjaw cases, the inquest and the result of the bacteriologists employed by the city to make the test of the infected serum and ascertain the responsibility for it.
 City Bacteriologist Talks.
 When informed of the nature of the coroners verdict, pr. Amand Revo.A, city bacteriologist, said: q repeat my previ- ous assertion that none of the serum marked September 30 was distributed to anyone under any label. poured the en- tire drawing into the sink on October H. as both MT. Taylor and I, who were in the office at the time, testified.
 Health Commissioner Stalkelhoff Is out of the city on a hunting trip. In his absence Charles w. Francis, assistant health commissioner, is in charge of the department He said: q shall read life report of the experts and the coroner's- verdict and take such action as I deem tc be myzduty.
 "As far as the manufacture of anti toxine by the city has been stopped the case is not now one of em ergency, and I may not decide for several days what ac- tion shall take"
 The findings of the committee of bac- terologists as presented to the coroner were as follows:
 What the Testimony Shows.
 The testimony shows that the health department owned horse named Jim. stabled at the poorhouse farm and used in the preparation of diphtheria antitoxinI Said horse Jim developed tetanus on Oc- tober ?, 1901 and was at once killed. Blood was drawn from said horse Jim on August "A, 1901 the serum of which was non-toxic.
 Blood was again drawn from said horse Jim September 30 (during the period of the incubation of tetanus) the serum of which contained tetanus toxin.
 ''The serum drawn September 30 1901, was Issued by the health department in bottles bearing labels. respectively dated August 24, 1901, and September 3O
 That the toxic serum drawn Septem- Der 30, 1901, was issued, is shown by the fact that the toxic serum, dated Septem- Der 30, 1901, are identical in the following particulars:
 First, in appearances second, absolute weight; third, specific gravity; fourth, freezing point; fifth, chemical reaction; sixth, spectrum analysis; seventh anti toxic potency, and eighth, llxic value in producing tetanus in lower animals
 The anti-toxic serum and so labeled in no wise agrees with the toxic serum in any of the above characteristics
 "As result of our investigations, we draw the following conclusions:
 'The diphtheria anti-toxin prepared by the health department of the city of St Louis and dated September 30 and some Of the serum dated August "A was the cause of the recent death from tetanus in the cases where this anti-toxin was used.
 Toxine of Tetanus Bacillus.
 This anti-toxin was sterile but con- tained the toxin of the tetanus bacillus in considerable amount.
 There were two different serums issued under date of August 24, one portion not containing the totarus toxin and charac- torized by other properties, while the other contained :he tetanus toxin and was Identical with the serum bearing the date of September 50
 The most important result we have ar- rived at is the positive demonstration that the toxic serum dated August 21, and that dated September 30 are identical From this we conclude that the serum of September 80 was issued without having been tested by the proper methods and that part of it was filled into bottles bearing the date of August 24 or was fur nished with labels having previously been stampsd with this date. We are Justified in drawing this conclusion from two ob servations:
 First That the serum of September ao was Issued before there was time to have performed the simple tests neces- sary to determine the anti-toxic potency of the serum.
 Second. In the same way serum dated October 23 came into our possession on November 14.-This serum had been is- sued to physicians by the health depart ment and by them returned to the of- ficer. It is obvious from this no animal experiments could have been made with thls anti-toxin. As this was the case with the serum of October B, it is the natural inference that the serum of September 30 was issued in the same way.
 Tt is impossible fer latent tetanus to have existed in the horse, Jim. from Au- gust 24 to September 30, as no well au- thprticated cases have been reported in which the incubation period extended over seven rays in experiments directed to test this point. The period of incubation can net be deter mined from clinical observa- tion. but from the nature of the case.
 Jim Was Full of Germs.
 Tt therefore follows from this that the serum drawn on August A was free from tetanus, but that the serum of Septcm- Der 30 was dxewn during the p9isd of in-