The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-04
DEATH FROM TETANUS
DUE TO A RLUNDER.
THE HEALTH OFFICERS VIEW.
DIR. Woodward Explains the Mortal
ity in 81. Louis Due to the Use
of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Not
Likely to BE Repeated.

Dr. William c. woodward, the District
Health officer, interrupted the scientific
analysis of a gun cartridge yesterday to
talk about the recent excitement in st.
Louis over the deaths OF several persons
from the administration of antitoxin.
DR.. Woodward is pretty well informed
upon the subject, and expressed the opin-
ion that the mortality reported from St
Louis. like that at the battle of Balakla-
va, was due simply to a blunder.
DR.. Woodward said that it was impos-
sibIe to separate municipal health de-
partments from the result of human
laundering any more than seems to be the
case with a trunk line railroad. when
an engineer makes a mistake and runs
his train into the headlight Of another
train coming in the opposite direction
Infected With Poison.
That the antitoxin administered to
some fifteen persons in St Louis was in
fected with the poison of tetanus is ex-
pIieabIe on the ground that the horse
from which the serum was taken had de-
veIoped tetanus and had to be killed on
account of it. The blunder came in. DR..
woodward explained, when the operator
in charge of the manufacture of the serum
failed to ..standardize" Il, as the term is.
Dr.. woodward stated that the serum Of
antitoxin is derived from successive In
EQUATIONS Of horses with germs OF
diphtheria until a sufficiently modified
form Of the disease is found TO act as an
antidote for the malady in the human be
ing. Dr. Woodward further explained that
the manner of testing the strength OF the
= n
than the blood OF the animal taken from
his veins, is by in0Culatins guinea pigs
with it given weight OF the serum IS
injected into guinea pig OF certain
weight If the little animal develops
diphtheria and dies the serum is regard
ed as too strong for the human subject
and is discarded
The Test Superficial.
Dr.. woodward thought that If this test
had been applied the serum, which destroy
ed the lives of the children in St Louis
would have developed tetanus in the
guinea pigs and would have proved itself
to be dangerous.
Dr. Woodward thinks that the fatal
blunder was in not testing the serum prop
erIy before il was used on the children
As to a recurrence Of such fatal results
in other cities, DR.. Woodward Is OF the
opinion that the probability Of 1t Is very
remote He admitted that there might
be = similar mistake but that the failure
TO properly standardize the serum would
not be expected TO occur more than once
in a lifetime. Ia the first place, he SAID
few horses have tetanus, and he thought
it would be very seldom indeed that the
conditions existing N St Louis would be
duplicated
An apparent conflict between an act Of
Congress. approved July Is. 1888. and an
act Of the late Legislative Assembly Tela-
tive to the payment of assessments on
property for water mains, is the subject
Of an opinion submitted to the District
Commissioners yesterday by their attor-
ney. The matter vas called 10 the atten-
ton of the Commissioners by statement
from William Z. Wills, claiming an abate-
ment under the law of per cent on 9
water main assessment paid II full within
thirty DAYS after the date Of the SANE.
The Attorney states that the assessment
was Ievic1 under the act of July IS, 1888,
a clause Of which provides that the same
is due and collectible on and after the
date on which The connection is made
from the water main to the lot or prem
ises.
An appeal is made to the records. which
show that the main was tapped on October
g. 1891 and that the assessment was paid
/ the following day. No interest was charg-
/ ed and the Attorney says that properly nc
] abatement was allowed. because the tai
was not due and collecJibie until after
! the main had been tapped
; 1t appears TSat the law relating to tht
/ abatement IS contained in the set of tht
/ Assembly referred 10 above, approved Jun,
/ .. 1913, which. according to the ruling o.
/ the Commissioner, admits OF an abate-
ment Of s per cent on the amount of tat
/ assessment when paid within thirty day.
/ after the same is levied
I The Attorney admits that there is lael
! Of consistency between the provisions O
/ the two acts, because in the practica
/ effects OF the later act the owner is de
/ prived Of the benefits of the abatenlen
provided fer IN the act of the LegisIa
/ tive Assembly
The Attorney, however. gives il as hi
opinion that the claim OF Mr. Wills Shouts
be denied
CFESTTC WORK IT PTCuN0M0